The Home Office rejected a record number of asylum claims exceeding 80,000 last year, representing a 75 percent jump on the previous year, whilst the grant rate fell from 47 percent to 42 percent despite nearly 55,000 migrants receiving refugee status or permission to remain in Britain.
The total number of claims receiving an initial decision from the Home Office hit an all-time high of more than 135,000 in the year to December. The rejected applications will inevitably lead to tens of thousands more appeals, adding significant pressure to the already stretched tribunals system which had a backlog of 70,000 cases at last count.
Eritreans made up the largest group with just under 8,700 successful asylum claims, followed by Sudanese with 7,000 and Iranians with 6,900. The figures only cover those granted asylum at the initial decision stage and exclude successful appeals in immigration courts.
Dr Peter Walsh from Oxford University’s Migration Observatory stated: “Refused applications will inevitably lead to tens of thousands more appeals, adding significant pressure to the already very stretched tribunals system.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “Labour are moving illegal immigrants from asylum hotels to residential housing. There are far fewer checks and safeguards in dispersal accommodation which allows illegal immigrants to work illegally, commit more crime, and disappear into your community.”
There were 46,497 illegal arrivals into the country in 2025, up seven percent on the previous year. This included 41,472 by small boat across the Channel with the rest coming by “clandestine” routes such as stowing away in lorries. Small boat arrivals were up 13 percent on 2024 but lower than the peak of 45,772 seen in 2022.
The number of migrants receiving taxpayer-funded support dipped to 107,003 people, a five percent fall year-on-year and 14 percent below the peak of almost 124,000 in September 2023. Of those, 31,000 were in hotels, 19 percent lower than a year previously. Just under 73,000 were in other types of accommodation such as self-catering properties, up two percent.
Home Office minister Alex Norris said: “Today’s figures show the impact of our action to end the costly use of taxpayer-funded hotels, with overall asylum costs dropping by 12 per cent as a result. The population in asylum hotels has fallen by nearly 20 per cent in the last year and by 45 per cent since the peak under the previous government.”
Statistics showed the total number of asylum claims lodged in the year was 101,000, a four percent fall on the previous year but still at a near-record level. The rise in rejections indicates a large number of unfounded claims are being lodged by migrants, although after initial rejection many go on to bring lengthy appeals.
The number of enforced deportations from Britain was up 21 percent year-on-year to 9,914, while voluntary removals were up five percent to just over 28,000. This included 2,550 small boat migrants who were removed during the year, the highest number on record since the start of the Channel crisis in 2018. Six out of 10 were Albanian.
The total number of asylum-related returns was 11,631, up 23 percent year-on-year. In addition, 5,634 foreign national criminals were removed from Britain, an increase of 11 percent on 2024.
Philp added: “Keir Starmer has presided over the highest number of Channel crossings of any Prime Minister on record. Labour only have removed six per cent of small boat arrivals.”
Walsh stated: “Hotel accommodation is unpopular all round: it is expensive for the UK taxpayer and not suitable for long-term living. However, the government has struggled to expand capacity in other types of accommodations, such as disused military sites or dispersed houses of multiple occupancy.”
Norris confirmed: “We are already moving out of hotels and into alternative accommodation, including ex-military sites. And we are making major reforms to reduce the pull factors that draw people to this country, and increasing removals and deportations of those with no right to be here.”
