The latest figures on immigration to the UK show a sharp decline in net migration, which is now at its lowest point since 2012, excluding the pandemic years.
Data released by the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office covers the most recent changes in visas, small boat arrivals, asylum hotel use and overall migration levels. Several key metrics used to measure migration policy are heading in the direction the government (and much of the public) would like, but some are moving faster than others. Here’s what the headline figures tell us.
Migration levels continue to fall
Net migration – the number of people coming to the UK, minus the number leaving – fell to 171,000 in 2025. This is around half of its 2024 level and 82% lower than the historical high recorded in early 2023. The sharp decline results primarily from lower immigration of workers and the family members of international students. This followed the introduction of a suite of policies by the last Conservative government (who had previously liberalised the immigration system under Boris Johnson) to restrict immigration. The current Labour government has maintained these policies and brought in further restrictions.
However, while migration of groups that make positive or broadly neutral economic contributions, such as migrant workers, has fallen, asylum-related migration has remained at similar levels since late 2022.
Since refugees have lower employment rates and often need a lot of support from the state, this means that the composition of recent migration has become less favourable from an economic perspective. This is a challenge for the government: the categories of migration it would most like to reduce for both political and economic reasons are the ones that are more difficult to influence through immigration policy.
Will this decline in net migration continue? Probably in the short term, as visa grants have continued to decline since 2025, while emigration (people leaving the UK) remains high. But this is likely to be temporary. Once people who arrived earlier in the decade have left, emigration is likely to decline, so the net migration figure is expected to tick back up.
Nearly one in five of the UK population is now foreign-born
While net migration is on a downward trajectory, it is still positive, meaning that the foreign-born population in the UK continues to grow. New estimates show it rose from about 10.7 million to 13.1 million between the last census (in March 2021 for England,
Wales and Northern Ireland, and March 2022 for Scotland), and June 2024. As a result, the non-UK-born now make up 19% of the population (up from 16% at the census).
Looking at the figures in more detail, the role of the post-Brexit immigration system becomes clear. Growth in the foreign-born population was driven entirely by an increase in the non-EU-born population (up by 2.5 million), while the number of EU-born residents fell by around 200,000.
The post-Brexit system was more liberal for non-EU migrants — at least until early 2024, when the Conservatives rolled back changes they had introduced in 2021. But it was — and remains — significantly more restrictive for EU citizens compared to free movement.
The asylum backlog – and those in hotels – has declined
The number of people claiming asylum fell by 12% in the year ending March 2026 (to 94,000), although the figure remains high by historical standards. This decline was driven in large part by a reduction in asylum claims from Syrian nationals after the fall of the Assad regime.
Additionally, the backlog of initial asylum applications has declined because the Home Office is making decisions more quickly. As a result, the government has made progress towards its goal of closing all asylum hotels by 2029.
The number of asylum seekers living in hotels fell by 9,800 to 20,900 in the first three months of 2026 — the lowest level since December 2022. Reducing hotel use matters to the government because the high cost of hotels has contributed to record asylum spending in recent years.
Jane Rix/Alamy
However, it could be difficult for the government to keep up the same pace of reduction. This is because a growing share of applicants are not waiting for an initial decision from the Home Office, but have been refused asylum and are waiting for an appeal in the courts. People waiting for their appeal to be heard are still entitled to asylum accommodation.
The rate of asylum applicants who are granted refugee status has declined in recent years, from 76% in 2022 to 39% in the year ending March 2026. Reducing the appeals backlog is more difficult because appeals require judges, with more training than Home Office case workers who make the initial decisions. The government has plans to change this, but the timelines and outcomes remain unclear.
Applications for UK citizenship reached a record high
Home Office statistics also showed that more people living in the UK are choosing to stay for the long term. Applications for UK citizenship reached a record high of more than 300,000 in the year ending March 2026.
In one sense, the increase in citizenship applications isn’t a huge surprise – non-EU migration rose in the late 2010s, and many of these people are now reaching the point where they can apply for citizenship. But the increase has been sharper than expected, particularly among US and EU citizens.
One potential explanation for this is the government’s plans, as well as proposals from other parties, to restrict permanent status and citizenship. In other words, some people may feel it is better to apply for citizenship now rather than risk tougher requirements later.
