Academic analysis examines Labour's proposed asylum appeals system overhaul
UK in a Changing Europe has published academic analysis of the Home Secretary's November 2025 'Restoring Order and Control' policy, examining the proposed reforms. The analysis details plans to replace the current multi-layered appeals system with a single appeal process, where all grounds including asylum, humanitarian protection, human rights claims and new evidence must be raised simultaneously. A new Independent Appeals Body staffed by specially trained adjudicators will hear cases, with decisions intended to be final. The reforms will narrow Article 8 European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) family-life claims to cases involving minor children or dependent parents, restrict Article 3 ECHR health-based removal challenges, and reduce weight given to late modern slavery or trafficking claims. Appeals involving accommodation or foreign-national offenders will be expedited. The analysis notes the current system costs over £5bn annually and has a backlog of 51,000 asylum appeals with 54-week average waiting times, while 48% of First-tier Tribunal appeals succeed.