The Home Office published its evaluation of the Immigration Act 2014 appeals changes on 31 July 2026, covering 2014 to 2024 and reporting processing times, case volumes and savings.
Report published 31 July 2026.
The Home Office has published Review of appeals process changes in the Immigration Act 2014. It fulfils a 2019 recommendation by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) that the Home Office evaluate and publish the effect of the appeals changes made by the Immigration Act 2014, which replaced many appeal rights with Administrative Review.
Processing times. Administrative Review was designed to decide typical cases within 28 days. The report says this target was largely met between 2014 and 2019. Average processing time then rose to 362 days per case in 2024. EU Settlement Scheme cases averaged 523 days in 2024. Current guidance states waits of up to 12 months.
Volumes. Monthly intake reached a record 4,842 cases in March 2021, against a monthly average of 741 in 2019. Completions peaked at 3,454 in June 2024. Decision-makers in the Administrative Review Unit rose from 36 full-time staff in October 2021 to 67 in October 2024. Administrative Review eligibility for EU Settlement Scheme decisions was removed in October 2023.
Tribunals. The report says the number of appeals handled by the Immigration and Asylum Tribunals has fallen since 2015. Tribunal productivity, measured by disposals per sitting day, has decreased, which the report says likely reflects more complex cases.
Costs. The 2013 Impact Assessment expected Administrative Review to be cost-neutral for the Home Office, funded by an £80 fee. The report estimates a £35 million funding gap for the Home Office between 2014 and 2024. It estimates cumulative savings of £217 million for the Ministry of Justice and His Majesty's Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) over the same period, and net savings of £182 million overall.
The report concludes that the full impact remains ambiguous and that further improvements will be needed. It notes limits in the data, including reliance on internal management information and an assumption that every Administrative Review would otherwise have been a tribunal appeal.
What this means for applicants
The report describes the existing process. A review request is typically made within 14 days if the applicant is in the UK, or 28 days if outside the country. The fee is £80, refunded if the claim is found to be valid. Current guidance states waits of up to 12 months, against the 28-day design target.
Related guide
Sources
- Review of appeals process changes in the Immigration Act 2014, Home Office, 31 July 2026