More than 100,000 people claimed asylum in the UK last year, slightly down on the year before but still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, official figures show.
Government figures published on Thursday revealed that 100,625 people applied for asylum in 2025, down 4 per cent on 2024. This is more than double the number arriving in the pre-pandemic year 2019, when 45,537 people claimed sanctuary.
The number of people arriving to the UK on small boats rose by 13 per cent year-on-year to 45,774 – but this was still lower than the 2022 peak.
Small boat migrants accounted for 41 per cent of the total number of people claiming asylum last year, with Eritreans the most common nationality arriving in the UK after making the perilous journey across the Channel.
Home Office data revealed that migrants are now making the crossing in larger dinghies with an average of 71 people in each boat in the winter months last year.
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