The number of asylum applications in the UK has decreased by more than a fifth, according to new government data. Meanwhile, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stated that the government received the lowest rating for its policies on migrants and asylum seekers.
Government data released on Thursday showed that the number of asylum applications in the UK over the year has decreased by more than a fifth. This comes amid a politically charged debate on migration and the government’s efforts to reduce recently recorded high figures and costs of the asylum system.
A total of 85,891 people applied for asylum in the UK in the 12 months up to the end of June. According to the Home Office, this is 21% less than a year earlier and the lowest figure since June 2022.
Migrants who crossed the English Channel in small boats accounted for 40% of all applications in the last period. This route is highly controversial and has become one of the factors in the rise of far-right forces in the UK. The number of arrivals in small boats over the same period decreased by 23%. The leading center-left Labour Party insists that this indicates the success of its policy aimed at stopping such crossings at the “early stages” in Europe.
Reduction in the number of backlogged cases and costs
The decrease in the number of asylum applications was accompanied by a reduction in the so-called asylum backlog — the number of people waiting for an initial decision, as well as those whose appeals are under consideration by the tribunal. The number of applicants waiting for an initial decision decreased by 56% over the year to June — to 40,168 people. This is the lowest figure since March 2019.
At the same time, the number of asylum seekers temporarily accommodated in UK hotels halved compared to last year — to 16,021 people. The accommodation of migrants in hotels remains a controversial issue and has repeatedly been the cause of protests. The Labour Party, which has been in power since July 2024, has promised to stop using hotels to accommodate asylum seekers by the end of this parliament, i.e., by 2029.
Against this backdrop, government spending on the asylum system, including direct financial assistance, accommodation, staff wages, and some border security measures, decreased by 8% in the 2025/26 financial year — to 4.36 billion pounds sterling (5 billion euros). This was the second consecutive annual reduction in spending.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, whom the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham kept in her post last month, said the data shows the government is “regaining control” over borders and the asylum system.
“A little over two years in office and the asylum backlog is shrinking, and the number of asylum seekers in hotels is decreasing,” she added, emphasizing that the government “has no reason for complacency.”
Meanwhile, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stated that the government received the lowest rating for its policies on migrants and asylum seekers. The independent British equality regulator and national human rights institution noted that ministers have taken “inconsistent measures,” and the government’s policy does not provide adequate protection of migrants’ rights in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations.
The Commission also found gaps in social security and the inability to protect people from poverty and extreme need.
Source: Euronews
