CPINs and Country Expert Reports: Understanding Their Different Roles in Asylum Appeals

Country Policy and Information Notes, commonly known as CPINs, are an important source of country information in UK asylum and human rights cases. A country expert report is different. It is individual expert evidence prepared by a suitably qualified expert in response to specific instructions.

For solicitors preparing an asylum appeal in Scotland, understanding the distinction between CPINs and country expert reports can help when considering the evidence already available and whether a particular issue may require specialist expert evidence.

Neither type of evidence should automatically be treated as determinative of an individual case. Its relevance and weight will depend on the issues in dispute, the evidence available and the circumstances of the particular appeal.

What Is a CPIN?

A Country Policy and Information Note is produced by the Home Office Country Policy and Information Team.

CPINs provide researched country of origin information and, depending on the subject, may also contain information relevant to Home Office policy and assessment of particular protection or human rights claims.

CPINs can cover a range of subjects, including:

• Political conditions
• Security and conflict
• Human rights
• Treatment of particular groups
• State protection
• Internal relocation
• Healthcare
• Socio-economic conditions
• Other issues relevant to international protection claims

Not every country or subject will have a CPIN addressing every possible issue. The availability and scope of country information can also change over time.

For a solicitor reviewing country evidence, it can therefore be important to identify the relevant CPIN, check its publication or update date and consider whether it addresses the particular issue arising in the appeal.

What Is a Country Expert Report?

A country expert report is prepared by an individual with relevant specialist knowledge, qualifications or experience.

The report is normally produced following instructions that identify the particular questions the expert has been asked to address. Depending on the circumstances, the expert may consider country conditions, regional circumstances, treatment of a particular profile or other specialist matters within their expertise.

The scope of a country expert report therefore depends on the instruction and the expert's particular field.

A country expert does not simply replace existing country information. Where appropriate, an expert report may provide specialist analysis or opinion on a particular question that is relevant to the case.

CPINs and Expert Reports Serve Different Functions

The key distinction is that a CPIN is published country information produced by the Home Office Country Policy and Information Team, while a country expert report is individual expert evidence prepared in response to defined instructions.

CPINs Provide General Country Information

CPINs can provide information about the political, social, security or human rights situation in a particular country or about a particular topic.

They can therefore be an important source to consider when assessing the general country context relevant to an asylum appeal.

However, a CPIN should be considered in light of its subject matter, date, sources and the particular issue in dispute.

Expert Reports Address Instructed Questions

A country expert may instead be instructed to consider a narrower or more specific question.

Depending on the case, an instruction might concern:

• Conditions in a particular region
• The position of a particular social or political profile
• Country conditions relevant to a claimed risk
• Issues concerning state protection
• Conditions in a proposed area of internal relocation
• Cultural or contextual matters within the expert's field

Whether an expert can properly address a particular question depends on the expert's qualifications, experience, available evidence and the scope of the instructions.

A CPIN May Not Address Every Issue in a Case

CPINs are not designed to provide an exhaustive assessment of every possible country or individual circumstance.

There may therefore be cases where an available CPIN provides useful general information but does not address a particular specialist question in detail.

This does not automatically mean that a country expert report is required.

The solicitor should first identify the issue in dispute and consider the country information and other evidence already available.

Where a relevant specialist question remains and falls within an expert's area of expertise, expert evidence may be considered as one possible source of evidence.

Country Information Can Change Over Time

Country conditions can change, and published country information may be updated as circumstances develop.

The date and version of a CPIN can therefore be relevant when reviewing country evidence.

A solicitor considering a CPIN may wish to establish:

• Which CPIN is relevant to the issue
• When it was published or last updated
• Whether a newer version is available
• Whether the CPIN addresses the specific issue in dispute
• Whether other current country information is relevant

The same consideration applies to other forms of country information. Evidence about country conditions should be assessed in the context of the particular appeal rather than assumed to remain current indefinitely.

How a Country Expert May Add Specialist Context

A country expert report should not simply repeat publicly available information without a clear purpose.

Depending on the instruction, an expert may be asked to analyse relevant information through the perspective of their specialist knowledge and provide an opinion on a defined issue.

For example, a solicitor may have a question about conditions affecting a particular profile or locality that requires more specific specialist consideration.

The usefulness of such evidence will depend on the particular question, the expert's qualifications and experience, the sources considered and the reasoning supporting the opinion.

The purpose of the expert evidence should therefore be clearly defined in the instructions.

CPINs and Country Expert Reports May Both Be Relevant

It is not necessarily a question of choosing between a CPIN and a country expert report.

Depending on the circumstances, both may form part of the wider evidence considered in an appeal.

A CPIN may provide general information about the relevant country or issue. A country expert report may address a particular specialist question arising from the circumstances of the case.

For example, where a CPIN provides general information about a country, an expert may potentially be instructed on a narrower question concerning a particular region or profile, provided that question falls within the expert's expertise.

The two sources should not, however, be treated as interchangeable.

Consider the Scope of the Expert's Opinion

A country expert report should remain within the expert's area of expertise.

Instructions should therefore identify the specialist questions clearly without asking the expert to determine the legal outcome of the appeal.

An expert may provide an opinion on relevant country conditions or other specialist matters. The expert should not be asked to decide whether an appellant meets the legal requirements for asylum or whether an appeal should succeed.

This distinction helps maintain an appropriate boundary between expert evidence and legal submissions.

Asylum Experts' practice areas include country-related expert evidence alongside areas such as political persecution, religious persecution, LGBTQ+ persecution, gender-based violence, credibility and trauma, internal relocation, CPIN challenges and country guidance.

What Should Solicitors Consider Before Instructing a Country Expert?

Before commissioning a country expert report, it may be useful to consider the following questions.

Is There a Specific Issue Requiring Specialist Evidence?

A general interest in country conditions may not be sufficient. The solicitor should identify the particular issue for which specialist knowledge may be relevant.

What Does the Existing Country Evidence Say?

Reviewing the relevant CPINs and other available country information can help establish what is already documented.

This can also help the solicitor formulate focused instructions if a further specialist question remains.

Is the Relevant Issue Already Addressed?

If the available evidence adequately addresses the particular issue for the purposes of the case, additional expert evidence may not be necessary.

If a relevant specialist question remains, the solicitor can consider whether expert evidence may be appropriate.

Is the Proposed Question Within the Expert's Expertise?

The proposed expert should have relevant knowledge, qualifications and experience for the particular questions being asked.

The expert's experience should be relevant to the subject of the proposed opinion rather than simply to asylum or immigration matters generally.

Is the Proposed Work Proportionate?

The scope of the report should reflect the issues actually in dispute.

A broad country report may not be necessary where the relevant question is narrowly defined. Focused instructions can help ensure that the expert's work remains directed towards the specialist issue identified by the solicitor.

Country Expert Evidence Is Not a Substitute for Legal Submissions

A country expert provides specialist evidence. The solicitor remains responsible for presenting the legal case and relevant submissions.

The expert's role is also different from that of a Home Office decision-maker or tribunal.

An expert report may assist the relevant decision-maker with specialist factual or country matters, but the legal assessment remains a matter for the appropriate decision-maker.

The expert should therefore avoid expressing opinions on questions that fall outside their expertise or determining the legal outcome of the case.

Consider Scottish Legal Aid and Procedural Requirements

Where an asylum appeal involves Scottish legal aid, solicitors should check the current requirements applicable to the particular funding arrangement before commissioning expert work.

Depending on the type of legal aid and proceedings involved, requirements may apply to approval for expert work, the proposed expert, the scope of the work and associated costs.

The relevant funding and approval position should therefore be established before work is commissioned where approval is required.

Asylum Experts provides further information about Scottish legal aid, SLAB and ABWOR.

Requirements and guidance can change, so current information should be checked rather than relying solely on arrangements from an earlier case.

Reviewing a Country Expert Report

Once a country expert report has been received, the solicitor can consider whether it addresses the questions in the instructions and remains within the agreed scope.

A review may include considering whether:

• The expert's relevant qualifications and experience are clear
• The questions have been addressed
• The sources relied upon are identified appropriately
• The basis of the opinion is sufficiently clear
• Facts and opinions are distinguished
• Relevant limitations are acknowledged
• The report remains within the expert's area of expertise
• The report reflects the information provided to the expert

If a factual error or misunderstanding is identified, it may be appropriate to seek clarification. Any such process should respect the expert's independence and should not seek to influence the substance of an independent opinion.

Consider How the Report Fits With the Wider Evidence

A country expert report is one part of the evidence in an appeal.

Its relevance and weight will depend on the circumstances of the individual case and the evidence as a whole.

Other evidence may include witness evidence, documentary material, country information and relevant decisions or guidance.

The purpose of the expert report should therefore be clear. The report can address the specialist questions for which the expert has been instructed, while the legal representative addresses the legal case and the relevant decision-maker determines the issues that fall within its remit.

Further information about the available expert witness services is available on the Asylum Experts website.

Practical Checklist for Solicitors

Before instructing a country expert, consider:

• Have the issues requiring specialist evidence been identified?
• Is there a clear reason why expert knowledge might be relevant?
• Have the relevant CPINs and other available country information been reviewed?
• Does the proposed expert have appropriate qualifications and experience?
• Are the instructions clear, specific and appropriately framed?
• Has relevant background material been provided?
• Have legal questions been separated from questions requiring expert opinion?
• Has sufficient time been allowed for the expert's work?
• Have current tribunal directions and deadlines been checked?
• Have applicable Scottish legal-aid and funding requirements been checked?
• Is the proposed scope proportionate to the issues in dispute?
• Can the completed report be reviewed for scope, sources and clarity?

Conclusion

CPINs and country expert reports can both form part of the evidence considered in an asylum appeal, but they serve different functions.

CPINs provide published country information produced by the Home Office Country Policy and Information Team. A country expert report provides individual specialist evidence prepared by an expert in response to defined instructions.

A solicitor considering expert evidence should first identify the issue in dispute, review the relevant country information and consider whether a specific specialist question remains that may require expert evidence.

Where a country expert is instructed, the questions should be clearly defined and kept within the expert's area of expertise. The resulting report should be considered alongside the wider evidence rather than treated as determinative of the outcome.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about CPINs and country expert reports in asylum appeals. It is not legal advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for checking current tribunal rules, practice directions, funding requirements or obtaining case-specific legal advice.

Last Reviewed: October 2026