The UK’s asylum backlog has reached a new record high and taxpayer spending on asylum has almost doubled in a year, the latest Home Office figures show.

A total of 175,457 asylum seekers were waiting for an initial decision on their application for refuge in the UK, up 44% from 122,213 at the end of June 2022 – the highest figure since current records began.

These new statistics set out in stark terms the complete chaos the Tories have created in the immigration and asylum system.

With this level of mismanagement, there is very little prospect of reducing the eye-wateringly high bill for hotel rooms for all those left in limbo, currently costing the British taxpayer £6 million a day.

Read the full ITV News coverage of the latest asylum backlog figures below:
Asylum backlog hits record high as taxpayer bill doubles to £4 billion | ITV News