Asylum overhaul in UK could lead to rise in homelessness and backlogs, says report

National Audit Office says Shabana Mahmood's plans may have unintended consequences' on stretched system

Shabana Mahmood's radical plans to overhaul the asylum system could cause unintended consequences" such as increased homelessness among people seeking refuge and growing case backlogs, Whitehall's spending watchdog has concluded.

The head of the National Audit Office said that the home secretary's policies, which are meant to accelerate case decisions and reduce appeals, would require effective action on the bottlenecks" if they were to succeed.