More foreign criminals to be deported before appeals heard

11th August 2025

‘Deport Now Appeal Later' scheme nearly trebled to 23 countries, with more to follow in the future.

More foreign criminals will have their appeals heard from abroad, preventing them from gaming the system to delay their deportation from the UK, in the latest step to restore order to the UK's immigration system as part of the Government's Plan for Change.

The scope of the ‘Deport Now Appeal Later' scheme will be nearly trebled from eight countries to 23, with foreign nationals from those countries (listed below) now expected to be deported to their home countries before they can appeal against that decision, increasing the UK's ability to remove foreign criminals at the earliest opportunity, and easing pressure on the detention and prison estate.

Under the expanded scheme, foreign nationals who have had their human rights claim refused will be removed from the UK to their home country before they can appeal the decision. Individuals can then take part in their UK appeal hearing from overseas using video technology.

Previously, offenders from the countries in question could remain in the UK for months or years while their cases were worked through the appeals system, placing a burden on the taxpayer even beyond the end of their prison sentence. The Government is in continuous discussions with a range of other countries about joining the scheme.

This represents the Government's latest tool in its comprehensive approach to scaling up our ability to remove foreign criminals. This has seen almost 5,200 removed since July 2024 - an increase of 14% compared to the same 12 months prior and builds on wider action to deliver on the British public’s priorities for safer streets and secure borders through our Plan for Change.

On Sunday, further measures were announced to allow foreign national offenders to be deported immediately after sentencing, saving taxpayer money by removing more foreign criminals directly from our prisons.

In addition, the Home Office is legislating to ensure that asylum seekers who commit notifiable sex offences can be stripped of their right to claim refugee protections under new powers in the Borders Security, Asylum & Immigration Bill.

We have also invested £5 million for the deployment of specialist staff to almost 80 jails with one clear mission - speeding up removals.

Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper said:

For far too long, foreign criminals have been exploiting our immigration system, remaining in the UK for months or even years while their appeals drag on. That has to end. Those who commit crimes in our country cannot be allowed to manipulate the system, which is why we are restoring control and sending a clear message that our laws must be respected and will be enforced.

Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said:

We are leading diplomatic efforts to increase the number of countries where foreign criminals can be swiftly returned, and if they want to appeal, they can do so safely from their home country. Under this scheme, we’re investing in international partnerships that uphold our security and make our streets safer.

In addition to the measures set out above, the government’s Immigration White Paper in May has also set out new plans to tighten the rules around how Article 8 of the Human Rights Act - the ‘right to a family life’ - may be used when appealing against deportation orders or the rejection of asylum claims, to ensure that the UK’s immigration rules are no longer abused.

These measures support the Government’s Plan for Change mission to secure borders through systematic immigration reform. The approach includes returning 35,000 people with no right to remain since July 2024, surging illegal working raids and arrests by 50%, and increasing asylum decision-making by more than 116%.

Crimes Committed by Foreign National Offenders in the UK (2023-2025)
As of August 2025, foreign national offenders account for roughly 12 percent of the total UK prison population. Under current legislation, those sentenced to at least 12 months’ custody become subject to deportation proceedings once eligible, with harsher measures for serious offences such as murder or terrorism.

Between July 2024 and August 2025, almost 5,200 convicted criminals holding non-UK passports were removed from detention facilities, underscoring the broad spectrum of crimes committed by foreign nationals during this period.

Data from government and media sources highlight that foreign national offenders in the past two years have been convicted of:

Murder and manslaughter, including premeditated killings and fatal assaults, with many serving life sentences before deportation proceedings commence.

Terrorism-related offences, such as planning, facilitating or supporting attacks on UK soil, often handled under the Terrorism Act regime.

Sexual offences, notably rape and violent sexual assault, including cases linked to some asylum-accommodation settings that drew public scrutiny.

Other notable convictions encompass:

Drug trafficking and supply.

Robbery, burglary and other serious acquisitive crimes.

Fraud, money laundering and economic offences.

Human trafficking and modern slavery.

Public order offences, including violent disorder and riot.

Data Transparency and Future Reporting
The government has signalled its intention to publish a "league table" detailing the offences and nationalities of foreign criminals awaiting deportation by early 2025, aiming to boost public awareness of offending patterns among non-UK nationals.

Ministry of Justice’s prison-population snapshots
Ministry of Justice's prison population snapshots (England and Wales)

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in England and Wales regularly publishes snapshots of the prison population, typically on a monthly and quarterly basis.

Based on the latest data available:
Prison Population as of 30 June 2024: 87,726 prisoners.

Sentenced population: 70,245 (80% of the total).
Remand population: 17,070 (19% of the total).
Non-criminal population: 411 (0.5%).
Gender breakdown (30 June 2024): 84,043 male and 3,683 female prisoners.

Key trends and insights
Remand population at record high: The remand prison population of 17,070 in June 2024 is the highest June figure in at least the last 50 years.
Sentenced population increase: The sentenced population increased by 1% compared to the previous year.

Extended determinate sentences increase: The number of prisoners serving extended determinate sentences (EDS) increased by 10% compared to the previous year, accounting for 9% of the total prison population.

Increased violent and sexual offenders: There has been a 4% increase in the number of prisoners serving sentences for violence against the person and a 5% increase for sexual offenses over the past year.

Increasing recall population: The population recalled to custody has increased by 3% compared to the previous year, likely driven by longer determinate sentences and more individuals serving indeterminate sentences or sentences with extended licenses.

Foreign national offenders: Foreign nationals accounted for 12% of the total prison population (10,435 individuals) on 30 June 2024, an increase of 1% from the previous year.

Overcrowding: Prisons in England and Wales are experiencing overcrowding. As of March 2024, the crowding rate was 23.6%, up from 22.9% in the previous year. This translates to 20,533 prisoners being held in crowded accommodations.
Projections: The prison population in England and Wales is projected to increase to between 95,700 and 105,200 by March 2029, with a central estimate of 100,800.

Note: These figures are for England and Wales. Separate prison systems and statistics exist for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Source: This information is derived from official publications of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), including the "Offender Management Statistics Bulletin" and the "Prison Population Projections" series, accessible via GOV.UK and Justice UK.