ASYLUM TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME

Rating: Compared with Q4 2024/25, the NISTA Delivery Confidence Assessment (DCA) rating for Q4 2025/26 remains Amber. This reflects continued delivery progress alongside a number of ongoing risks and dependencies. The programme has maintained good momentum across multiple projects, with progress against its strategic objectives continuing. However, challenges remain in relation to resourcing and prioritisation within key enabling functions on which the programme is dependent. These dependencies continue to require active management and mitigation to support successful programme delivery.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the project's end-date at 25/26-Q4 remained the same: 31st March 2027. This reflects the successful delivery to date and the confidence in future plans.

Cost: Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 25/26-Q4 increased from £362m to £431.78m. This is primarily due to an increase in programme scope for 25/26.

Source: NISTA Major Projects Annual Report 2025-26 (data)

Rating: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 remained at AMBER. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ 1) Ongoing successful delivery against the strategic objectives including the successful design and pilot of AI tools to support caseworking, the delivery and implementation of an asylum support discontinuation and move on function, and the increase in occupancy of Dispersed Accommodation. 2) The acknowledgement that the programme continued to face challenges outside of it's control, including resource shortages of enabling functions due to competing priorities within the Home Office.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's end-date at 24/25-Q4 increased from 31/12/2026 to 31/03/2027. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ 1) Delivery of existing scope at a slower pace than anticipated due to resource restrictions of enabling resources. 2) A significant extension of the programme scope to cover additional projects as a result of the closure of another programme, as well as an increase scope to align with the new Government priorities.

Cost: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 24/25-Q4 (measured in £m) decreased from 441 to 362. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ A change in programme scope from the FY23/24 to the FY 24/25, to see the removal of obtaining Dispersed Accommodation, and moved into Business as Usual.

Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)

Rating: The Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 is Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. The Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 is Amber. This is due to a positive IPA Gate 0 review identifying the programme as Amber, in which it has been noted as a well run and committed programme, which has successfully delivered to date, but facing wider major strategic and contextual issues, affecting delivery confidence._x000D_ _x000D_ These include operational capacity to implement change, constrained capacity in technical enablers which is limiting the pace Programmes can develop technical solutions and deliver continuous improvement. As well as the capacity constraints anticipated to deliver alongside the Illegal Migration Act.

Schedule: The project's end-date at 23/24-Q4 is 2025-12-31. This is primarily due to the following factors. The project's end-date at 23/24-Q4 is schedule to finish on 31 December 2025. This is primarily due to the following factors: of being in-line with our current delivery plans.

Cost: The project's departmental-agree Whole Life Cost at 23/24-Q4 is 441m. This is primarily due to the following factors. The whole life cost of the programme has been established following Green book principles. The forecasted whole life costs reflects the full programme scope including resource costs to deliver the projects and activities, capital costs, ongoing and run costs of future platforms, and significantly costs for the Dispersal Grants provided to Local Authorities who accommodate Asylum Seekers. The whole-life cost reported here, reflects the 23-24 Programme Business Case, and the programme is currently in the process of refreshing the Business Case for FY 24-25, where the whole life cost of the programme is anticipated to change. These changes will be reflected in next quarter reporting.

Source: IPA Annual Report 2023-24 (data)