Recommendation 23

We welcome the government’s stated ambition to clear the current ARAP caseload by spring 2027, and its decision to publish KPIs and transparency data. These are important corrective steps. But the commitment will only be meaningful if it is delivered fairly as well as quickly. The government must ensure that pressure to close the programme does not reduce the quality of decision-making, particularly in complex cases and cases involving applicants whose previous decisions were affected by administrative failings. It should continue publishing performance against the KPIs, which should include indicators reflective of the quality of decision-making, explain where KPIs are being missed, and set out what operational action is being taken to recover performance. (Recommendation, Paragraph 206)