The number of asylum seekers waiting for an appeal hearing has risen to almost 42,000 after their initial claims were rejected by the Home Office, according to an analysis of official figures. The Refugee Council has described this as a five-fold increase in two years, warning that the government is shifting the asylum crisis rather than solving it.

At the same time, nearly 40,000 migrants remain in hotels, raising concerns about the financial and logistical burden on the system. The charity estimates that without improvements, the cost of hotel accommodation could reach £1.5 billion this year.

The Home Office has defended its approach, stating that it has doubled the number of asylum seekers receiving an initial decision and has allocated funding to increase court sittings. A government spokesperson reiterated the commitment to reducing the use of asylum hotels and cutting accommodation costs, which they described as "unacceptably high."

The rise in appeals follows the introduction of stricter asylum policies under the previous Conservative government. The Nationality and Borders Act has made it harder for applicants to prove their refugee status, with only four in 10 Afghans being granted asylum in the second half of last year, compared to nearly all previously. Afghans now make up the largest group accommodated in hotels and arriving via small boats.

Refugee Council chief executive Enver Solomon has called for fairer and more effective decision-making to ensure that genuine refugees receive protection and that those without a right to stay are removed "with dignity and respect."

Meanwhile, the government insists it is taking urgent action to clear the backlog, aiming to save taxpayers an estimated £4 billion over the next two years. It has allocated additional funding for more court sittings to streamline asylum claims and improve processing efficiency.

Ministry of Justice statistics show that at the end of 2024, there were 41,987 asylum appeals in the backlog—an increase from 7,173 at the start of 2023. The Refugee Council's analysis further suggests that the number of appeals lodged last year was 71% higher than in 2023.