The Home Office rejected a staggering 80,000+ asylum claims last year — a 75% leap from 2024. Meanwhile, the grant rate tumbled from 47% to 42%, despite nearly 55,000 migrants getting refugee status or permission to stay in Britain.
Sky-high decisions flood stretched tribunals
More than 135,000 claims received initial decisions in the year to December – smashing records. But with so many refusals, tens of thousands more appeals are expected, piling pressure on tribunals already drowning in a 70,000-case backlog.
Oxford expert Dr Peter Walsh warned: “Refused applications will inevitably lead to tens of thousands more appeals, adding significant pressure to the already very stretched tribunals system.”
Who’s getting asylum?
- Eritreans topped the list with nearly 8,700 successful claims
- Followed by 7,000 Sudanese and 6,900 Iranians
These figures only count initial approvals, not successful court appeals.
Illegal arrivals climb despite tightened rules
There were 46,497 illegal arrivals in 2025 – up 7% from 2024.
- 41,472 crossed the Channel by small boat, a 13% rise
- Others sneaked in via lorries and other “clandestine” routes
- Small boat numbers remain below the 2022 peak of 45,772
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp slammed Labour’s approach, saying: “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.”
Costs cut, but challenges remain
Taxpayer-funded migrant support dropped 5% to 107,003 – down 14% from the 2023 high. Asylum hotel residents fell nearly 20% to 31,000, while other accommodations rose slightly.
Home Office minister Alex Norris said: “Our actions to end costly use of taxpayer-funded hotels have cut overall asylum costs by 12%. The asylum hotel population has dropped 45% since the previous government’s peak.”
Deportations surge as returns hit record highs
- Enforced deportations rose 21% to 9,914
- Voluntary removals increased 5% to over 28,000, including 2,550 small boat migrants – the highest since 2018
- 6 out of 10 small boat removals were Albanian nationals
- Total asylum returns jumped 23% to 11,631
- Foreign national criminals removals up 11% to 5,634
Philp hit out: “Keir Starmer has overseen record Channel crossings, and Labour have removed just 6% of small boat arrivals.”
Walsh added: “Hotel accommodation is expensive and not good long-term. The government has struggled to expand alternatives like military sites or shared housing.”
Norris assured: “We’re shifting people out of hotels to ex-military sites and other accommodations. Plus, we’re cracking down to reduce pull factors and boost removals.”
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