Asylum Policy Search saves decision-makers 37 minutes a case

In a Home Office pilot from October to December 2024, decision-makers using the Asylum Policy Search tool saved an average of 37 minutes per case on country policy research.

  • 1 for an organization

    Decision-makers using the tool saved an average of 37 minutes per case on country policy research against the comparison group, with no change in decision quality in a dip-sample. The pilot was small and times were self-logged.

Depth runs from 1, a convenience or time saved, to 5, a life or a livelihood preserved.

Status
Reported benefit.
Evidence

foundstudiedreportedclaimed

Only the deployer supports the benefit.

Size

No magnitude yet: distribution and frequency are not documented.

Compared with

A comparison group of 30 decision-makers in the same units who researched country policy information without the tool. Measured.

The system’s part
The evaluation compared decision-makers using the tool with a comparison group without it, and it credits the 37-minute difference to the tool. The groups were not randomly assigned, times were self-logged and the pilot was small. The document calls the tool an AI search assistant that finds and summarizes policy notes, and it does not name the model behind it.
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Benefit type
Reduced Task Time
System
Asylum Policy Search (APS) tool
Made by
Home Office (the evaluation names no outside supplier)
Used by
Home Office asylum decision-makers in two Decision Making Units
Where
United Kingdom
Stage
In a pilot
Date
Kind
Aggregate result
Broad benefit
Operational improvement (faster data management, decision-making)
Collections
Scrutiny and findings
Last revised
1 November 2026

Sources

  1. Evaluation report, by the organization that used it.

    Home Office. Evaluation of AI trials in the asylum decision making process. Research and analysis, GOV.UK, 29 April 2025.

    Those in the test group saved on average 37 minutes per case, researching country policy information compared to the comparison group.

Details

AI system

Workflow

The tool found and summarized Country Policy Information Notes and Country of Origin Information Requests through a chat interface. Decision-makers had to open the full note or request before deciding, by design. For 82% of queries, users reported that the tool gave sufficient information and references.

Follow-up

Conditions for replication

Decision-makers must keep reading the full policy documents, as the tool's limits were set to protect their autonomy. A full rollout needs a larger evaluation and continued monitoring of the tool's accuracy.

Entry details

Sector

Asylum and immigration administration.

Purpose

The Home Office introduced the Asylum Policy Search tool, a chat-based AI search assistant, to find and summarize the country policy information that decision-makers need for a case.

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Cite this benefit

Peter H. Vartanian. (2026). Asylum Policy Search saves decision-makers 37 minutes a case (AIBD-1194). Artificial Intelligence Benefits Database, edition of 2 November 2026. https://petervartanian.xyz/aibd/records/AIBD-1194.html (archived at https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/AADSII, version 9.0)

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