- New figures from the Home Office show asylum claims reached a record-breaking 111,000 in the year ending June 2025 – surpassing the previous peak of 103,000 in 2002
- Returns from the UK increased by 25%, but this amounted to just 9,100 people
- Small boat arrivals represented only 39% of asylum claims, with many arriving legally before claiming asylum – including 14,800 on study visas and 12,200 on work visas
- There have been over 51,000 small boat arrivals under the current government – an average of 124 per day. This rate could see an additional 181,000 migrants during this Parliament, taking the total under this government to over 230,000
Responding to new data released by the Home Office, CPS Research Director Karl Williams said:
‘While the government might be tempted to highlight the fact that the number of migrants being returned to their home countries is increasing back towards pre-Covid levels, ultimately these numbers – 9,100 in the year to June 2025 – are a drop in the ocean.
‘Around 111,000 people made asylum claims over the same period, the highest level on record, surpassing the previous peak of 103,000 in 2002.
‘Worryingly, this is not just driven by the small boats, which account for only 39% of claims in the last year. Many people are also arriving on legal routes only to then claim asylum at a later date. In the last year this included 14,800 migrants on study visas and 12,200 on work visas.
‘Nevertheless, it is the Channel crossings – and the migrant hotels – which worry the British public the most. So far Channel crossings have averaged 124 migrants per day under the current government. Were this rate to continue, around 230,000 migrants could arrive in small boats during this Parliament.
‘On current enforcement and removal trends, only a tiny proportion of these arrivals are likely to be removed in a timely fashion – or indeed at all.’
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Karl Williams is Research Director at the Centre for Policy Studies
- CPS research on migration include ‘Taking Back Control: Why Britain needs a better approach to immigration’, ‘Net Migration and Housing’, and ‘Stopping the Crossings
- For further information and media requests, please contact Melisa Tourt on 07399 251110 and [email protected]
- The Centre for Policy Studies is one of the oldest and most influential think tanks in Westminster. With a focus on taxation, economic growth, housing, immigration, and energy abundance, its goal is to develop policies that widen enterprise, ownership and opportunity.
Date Added: Thursday 21st August 2025
