Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
Technical changes, application surges, and deferred cases contributed to slower visa processing.
Conclusion
The NAO reported that the Home Office believed several issues contributed to slower turnaround times. These included: technical changes to the application process; an influx of applications when the Scottish Government announced it would be pausing the super sponsorship scheme; and the impact of staff being moved back to other roles. The Home Office also deferred some cases, which caused delays. The Home Office told us that deferring cases was often because it was awaiting policy decisions such as on how to treat sponsor applications from Ukrainians living in the UK. If deferred cases are excluded, of 135,539 applications received by July 2023, 90% were processed within 15 working days.15
Government Response Summary
The government has formally introduced a 15 working day customer service standard for Homes for Ukraine applications from February 2024, which will be published quarterly. It has also ensured sufficient resources and plans for future surges to meet these targets.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendations. Recommendation implemented 3.2 As part of ‘normalising’ the operational delivery of Homes for Ukraine, the Home Office has formally introduced a 15 working day customer service standard from February 2024 which will be published quarterly as part of the migration transparency data. 3.3 This information will be captured and recorded in line with existing processes on other visa routes and will include all non-complex applications, as well as any complex applications which can still be processed within 15 days. 3.4 To ensure targets on processing times can be met, the Home Office has used data on application volumes over the last few months to ensure there is sufficient resource in place to process new applications, whilst also resolving any outstanding complex applications as and when the relevant checks are complete. 3.5 Should there be a future surge in applications due to a change in circumstances in Ukraine, the Home Office will be able to urgently reprioritise the deployment of resource within the department’s operational teams, as demonstrated in the early months of the war. This time, there are caseworkers available who have experience of Homes for Ukraine and the necessary processes and casework systems are already in place to enable an effective response to any increase in volumes.