UK asylum claims fall 21% as government moves to curb backlog

Asylum claims, small boat arrivals and hotel use have all fallen sharply, but immigration remains Britain’s top political concern and a key battleground for the Labour government.MANCHESTER, England (CN) — The number of people seeking asylum in the U.K. dropped by 21% over the past year, while small boat arrivals and the number of asylum-seekers housed in hotels also fell sharply, government figures released Thursday show.About 86,000 people claimed asylum in the year ending in June, down from the previous year but still well above the levels typically recorded before 2021, according to the Home Office.Just over half arrived through illegal routes such as small boats, which fell 23% to about 33,000.The government also cut the number of asylum hotels in half to about 16,000, while the backlog of people waiting for an initial asylum decision fell 56% to 40,000.The figures give Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s center-left government evidence that its efforts — initiated under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer — to regain control of the asylum system are working.But immigration remains a politically volatile issue.The government is under pressure from the right-wing Conservative Party and far-right Reform UK party to further reduce asylum numbers.Government targets backlog and crossingsHome Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government would not ease its efforts despite the fall in numbers.“A little over two years into office and the asylum backlog is down, the number of asylum-seekers in hotels is falling, illegal working arrests are at record levels and deportations and returns are up markedly,” Mahmood said.She said the government had increased enforcement in northern France and overseas and introduced legislation aimed at reducing the factors that encourage people to make dangerous Channel crossings.Asylum claims, outcomes and people awaiting an initial decision, year ending December 2003 to June 2026. (UK Government via Courthouse News)The government has also begun replacing hotels with other accommodation, including former military sites, as part of its pledge to end hotel use by 2029.The U.K. and France have also expanded joint patrols and intelligence operations along the French coast to prevent migrants crossing the English Channel.Why asylum remains above 2021 levelsDespite the latest decline, today’s total is almost twice the 48,540 asylum applications recorded in 2021.The increase since then has been driven by a mix of factors.The top five nationalities arriving on small boats are Eritrean, Sudanese, Afghan, Somali and Iranian.The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 triggered a large evacuation and resettlement effort, with Afghans continuing to make asylum claims. Almost 40,000 Afghans have claimed asylum since October 2021, with the majority arriving on small boats.Claims from Sudanese nationals have also risen sharply since civil war broke out in 2023.The latest figures show some of those pressures easing.Syrian claims have fallen following the overthrow of the Bashar Assad regime in late 2024.Safe and legal humanitarian grants fell 12% over the past year, largely because of fewer Afghan resettlement arrivals and fewer grants through other humanitarian routes.Immigration remains political flashpointThe figures show a clear fall in asylum claims and small boat arrivals, but that has yet to change public perceptions.YouGov polling found people believe the opposite is true, with 40% of respondents incorrectly believing boat crossings are increasing — a belief held most strongly by Reform supporters.Immigration also remains one of the most important issues for voters, with YouGov’s polling tracker repeatedly placing it top of the public’s concerns.That has helped fuel Reform, led by Nigel Farage, whose party had led national opinion polls for more than a year.Farage is facing a parliamentary standards investigation over undeclared financial support from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and convicted fraudster George Cottrell. The police are separately investigating payments made to Reform.The intensity of the debate over asylum-seekers has frequently spilled onto the streets.Protests and attacks targeting hotels housing asylum-seekers have occurred across the U.K. and Ireland in recent years, sometimes following misinformation about crimes involving asylum-seekers.More than 1,200 people were arrested during the unrest.Courthouse News reporter James Francis Whitehead is based in England.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads