UK asylum claims fall 21% to 85,891 in year to June
Official figures show 85,891 people claimed asylum in the United Kingdom in the year ending June 2026, a fall of 21% on the previous year. The Home Office stresses that claims remain above the levels typically seen before 2021, even after falling from a peak of 109,662 in the year ending September 2025. The figures cover main applicants and their dependants.
Two routes now almost level
Illegal entry routes remained the most common route into the asylum system, accounting for just over half, 52%, of claimants. Within that total, 40%, or 33,949 people, arrived on small boats. Almost as many, 41% or 34,999 people, had previously held a visa or other leave before claiming asylum. Claims from people who had held a study visa fell by more than a third, while claims from people who had held a work visa rose by 16%, driven by Graduate visa holders, whose claims more than doubled to 5,130.
Which nationalities claimed most
Pakistan, Eritrea, Iran, Sudan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh together accounted for almost half, 46%, of claimants. Syrian claims saw the largest numerical fall, dropping 73% to 1,398 following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. Afghan claims fell by a quarter to 5,952, but Afghanistan remained among the largest nationalities claiming asylum.
Decisions, backlog and grant rate
The Home Office made 115,872 initial decisions in the year, broadly unchanged on the previous year. The number of people awaiting an initial decision fell 56% to 40,168, the lowest level since June 2019. The overall grant rate fell to 38%, down from 48% the previous year. The grant rate for Syrian nationals fell from 98% to 10%, and for Pakistani nationals from 46% to 25%.
This is general information about published statistics only, not personal immigration advice. Immigration rules and statistics change, so check the official GOV.UK page before acting on any individual case.
