Record asylum applications in UK

The year to June saw a new record in asylum applications while processing speeds improve and political pressure grows.

UK asylum applications rise to 111000 as backlog tightens

Britain logged a record 111,000 asylum applications in the year to June, a 14% rise from the previous year and higher than the 2002 peak of 103,000. Officials say more cases are being processed than before the general election, which could shrink the long term number of people in the system needing housing support.

Backlog figures show 71,000 cases relating to 91,000 people. That backlog is down from the 134,000 cases at the end of June 2023, and there are 18,536 fewer people waiting for a decision today than in March. The number of asylum seekers in hotels rose slightly to 32,059, still below the 56,000 peak seen in September 2023 under the Conservatives. Labour has pledged to clear the backlog by 2029, to cut Channel crossings, and to open new government run accommodation, with a longer term goal to end hotel use if removals of those with no case proceed quickly.

Asylum seekers who cannot support themselves are housed while claims are processed. In the year to June 2025, the Home Office forcibly removed 9,100 people, up a quarter on the previous year, with more than half of those removals involving foreign national offenders. A High Court ruling in Essex ordered a hotel stop housing asylum seekers after a local council challenged the arrangement, prompting other councils to consider legal action.

The numbers show a system under pressure but moving toward faster decisions. If the pace of removals and decisions can be sustained, the backlog may continue to shrink, easing demand on local services over time. Yet the social costs persist. The ongoing reliance on hotel accommodation highlights budget strains and political risk as parties argue over who bears responsibility for the system’s flaws. The data also reflect a larger pattern: migration remains a political flashpoint, even as policy shifts promise tighter controls and greater enforcement. The real test will be whether faster processing translates into real stability for asylum seekers and communities alike.

Highlights

Policy choices will shape lives and the costs of keeping the system afloat.