Almost 33,000 submissions to the Home Office for visa fee waivers remain outstanding, the highest number ever recorded

Vulnerable families across the UK are facing “fear and uncertainty” due to a Home Office backlog in processing their visa fee waiver applications, leaving them in a “perpetual state of limbo”, according to migrant charities.

A record 18,528 applications for visa fee waivers were submitted to the Home Office in the first quarter of this year, but almost 33,000 submissions remain outstanding – the highest number recorded by the Home Office.

Nelson Shardey, 74, became tearful on hearing of support for effort to gain settled status after 50 years in UK

A retired 74-year-old newsagent who has lived in the UK for nearly 50 years said “tears were running” from his eyes after strangers fundraised more than £30,000 to support his legal fight to remain in the country.

Nelson Shardey, who has been described as a Merseyside “local legend”, is pursuing a legal challenge against the Home Office after he was refused indefinite leave to remain, despite living and working in the UK since 1977.