UK Asylum Backlog Extended Amid Challenges

Due to a significant backlog in asylum applications, migrants may continue to be housed in hotels for up to three more years, challenging the Labour government's commitment to end this practice. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and her team have acknowledged that clearing the backlog will take much longer than initially anticipated, with a Whitehall source stating, 'It certainly won’t be cleared in a year.' Currently, 118,882 people are awaiting initial decisions, a slight increase from earlier this year. Labour blames the previous Conservative government for the backlog, which includes a failed £700 million Rwanda scheme. Despite the challenges, Cooper remains optimistic about improving decision-making rates to address the backlog of 87,217 claims, although many more are stuck in appeals and removals. The ongoing arrival of small boats complicates the situation, with over 25,000 migrants reaching the UK this year alone.