Home Office faces criticism for 'too many poor decisions' in immigration cases

Immigration
Tuesday 10 November 2015 at 5:19am

The Home Office's immigration department has come in for particular criticism Credit: PA

The Home Office has been criticised by a public-sector watchdog for blunders and long delays in immigration cases.

More than two-thirds of complaints against the department and its agencies were upheld by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman last year.

In one case a teenager had to wait nearly 10 years to be granted permission to stay in the UK, and was paid £7,500 in compensation.

According to the report, 158 complaints were investigated about the Home Office, Border Force, UK Visas and Immigration, and Immigration Enforcement in 2014-15.

Some 69% were upheld, more than double the average for the public sector.

Delays and poor decision-making were the most common problems.

Julie Mellor, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, said: