Asylum in the UK: The facts behind the headlines

Most of us want the same things:

  • safe communities
  • fair systems
  • honest information
  • and people to be treated with dignity

But conversations about asylum can often feel confusing, emotional or polarised.

This page brings together clear facts, straightforward explanations and trusted information about asylum in the UK and Wales — to help people feel better informed about what’s really happening.

Because understanding the bigger picture helps all of us have calmer, more constructive conversations.

The number of people seeking asylum in the UK has decreased

There were 76,714 asylum applications (relating to 93,525 people) in the UK in the year to March 2026, a 9% decrease from the previous 12 months.

The top six countries of origin of people seeking asylum were Pakistan, Eritrea, Iran, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sudan.

In terms of the number of asylum applications per head of population, the UK ranks 15th highest in Europe.

Why do people seek asylum?

People seek asylum because they believe returning home would put them in danger.

Many are fleeing:

  • war and armed conflict
  • political persecution
  • torture
  • religious persecution
  • trafficking
  • violence against women and girls
  • threats linked to sexuality, ethnicity or beliefs

For many families, leaving home is not a decision made lightly. It often means leaving behind careers, homes, loved ones and communities in search of safety.

Most people would hope for protection if their own family faced similar circumstances.

Around half of asylum claims are granted protection at the initial decision stage

39% of initial decisions made in the year to March 2026 were grants of protection, meaning those people were confirmed to be refugees or received humanitarian protection status.

A total of 48,581 people were granted protection as a result of an asylum claim, a 5% increase from the previous year.

How do people arrive in the UK?

Many people ask why some asylum seekers risk dangerous journeys, including crossing the Channel in small boats.

For people fleeing war, persecution or violence, there is currently no general visa they can apply for simply because they need safety.

Unlike tourists, students or workers, people escaping danger often cannot safely access the documents, embassies or official processes needed to travel through regular routes.

Some people are forced to leave quickly. Others may already be in danger because of their political views, religion, ethnicity, sexuality or the conflict happening around them.

This means many people seeking asylum have very limited safe and legal ways to reach a country where they can ask for protection.

UK Government figures show that:

  • just over half of people claiming asylum arrived through irregular routes, including small boat crossings

  • 39% had previously arrived legally with a visa or other permission to enter the UK

Under international law, people have the right to seek asylum, including if they arrive through irregular routes.

There is no single “type” of asylum seeker. People arriving in the UK include families, children and people escaping very different situations around the world.

The asylum system exists to assess these claims and decide who needs protection.

How does the system work?

When someone applies for asylum, the Home Office looks at their case and decides whether they qualify for protection under UK and international law.

In 2025:

  • Around 128,000 initial asylum decisions were made in the year ending March 2026.

  • Around 39% of applicants were granted protection at the first decision stage.

This means tens of thousands of people were recognised as unsafe to return home.

Some people who are refused asylum at first decision go on to appeal.

Appeals are an important part of the asylum system because these decisions can be life-changing and complex. In some cases, new evidence becomes available, legal mistakes are identified, or the Home Office later changes its original decision.

At the end of March 2026, 48,758 people were waiting for an initial asylum decision, a reduction of 55% compared with the previous year and the lowest level since 2019.

While the backlog of initial decisions has reduced significantly, delays have increasingly shifted into the appeals system.

Refusals are often overturned on appeal

The proportion of asylum appeals allowed in 2025 was 39% (almost unchanged from the previous year). An increasing number of appeals however are being withdrawn before the courts make a decision.

In the last three months of 2025, over 40% of appeals that were “disposed” of had been withdrawn. In most cases, this will be because the Home Office is reconsidering the initial refusal.

When  Home Office reconsiderations are included, the overall success rate (allowed appeals plus withdrawals) at the end of 2025 was up to 66%.

The increase in asylum decisions over the last year has led to a sharp rise in the number of asylum appeals being lodged. 17,882 appeals were submitted between October and December 2025, the most for a quarter on record.

At the end of 2025, 80,333 appeals were waiting to be heard (relating to over 100,000 people), nearly double compared to a year earlier (when it was 41,987).

The Government has announced that it plans to replace the immigration tribunal with a new “independent body” that will process appeals and this was included in the Immigration and Asylum Bill announced during the King’s Speech. It is not clear however how the Home Office will improve its own decision making to reduce the number of asylum claims needlessly going into the appeal process.

People seeking asylum can be detained indefinitely

The UK Government has the power to detain people seeking refuge in our country. Sometimes, this even includes children. There is no maximum time limit in place for people held in immigration detention, meaning people are held indefinitely.

The latest statistics show that 22,586 people were detained in immigration removal centres during the year ending March 2026, including 13,354 people seeking asylum (a 10% increase on the previous year).

Children can be detained, and there were 44 occurrences of children (17 and under) entering immigration detention in the twelve months to March 2026, which includes three children under the age of four years old.

What about asylum accommodation?

People seeking asylum who do not have somewhere safe to live can receive accommodation and basic financial support while their case is being processed.

At the end of March 2026:

  • Around 97,500 people were receiving asylum support across the UK at the end of March 2026.

In Wales:

  • around 3,535 people were receiving asylum support

People receiving asylum support usually receive accommodation and around £49 per week for essentials like food, toiletries and clothing.

Most people waiting for an asylum decision are not allowed to work while their claim is being processed.

Many people are surprised by how small the numbers are in Wales, particularly when compared with public perceptions or media coverage. Having accurate local information can help communities feel more informed and less anxious about what is happening in practice