Recommendation 14

The Home Office told us it would include a wider range of costs and benefits in the next iteration of its business case, which it plans to produce early in 2024.36 It had previously told the NAO it would update the business case in Summer 2023.37 We note that the updated business case is now not expected until after the date by which the Home Office expects to have cleared the legacy backlog. When we questioned the Home Office about whether the Programme business case is realistic, the Home Office replied that it still expects there to be a “significant benefit to the taxpayer” from the Programme, and that it would “iterate from the previous version” and “sharpen” its analysis.38 35 Qq 128, 132 36 Q 170 37 C&AG’s Report, para 2.5 38 Qq 172–173 12 The Asylum Transformation Programme 2 Finding accommodation for people who are waiting for a decision Sourcing alternative accommodation to hotels