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New data from the UK Home Office shows that asylum applications have declined in the year leading up to March 2026, although overall numbers remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
According to figures reported by the BBC, a total of 93,525 asylum claims were submitted during the 12-month period, marking a 12% decrease compared to the previous year.
The data also highlights a sharp reduction in the number of asylum seekers being accommodated in hotels. The figure fell to 20,885, down from 30,657 in December 2025, and significantly lower than the peak of around 56,000 recorded in September 2023 under the previous Conservative administration.
Separate statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that net migration continues to ease. The UK population increased by 171,000 last year, the lowest net migration figure since 2012 when excluding pandemic-affected years.
Overall immigration in 2025 stood at just over 800,000 people, a 20% drop compared to the previous year, while 642,000 people left the country long-term during the same period.
Officials say the decline is largely linked to reduced arrivals from outside the European Union, particularly in work-related migration categories.
Policy changes introduced in early 2024—such as restrictions preventing overseas students and care workers from bringing dependents and higher salary requirements for skilled visas—have remained in place under the current Labour government and have since been expanded.
Further reforms have also been announced, including a requirement for migrants to demonstrate English proficiency up to A-level standard and an increase in the skilled worker visa salary threshold to £41,700.
Despite political claims of a so-called “Starmer exodus,” ONS data indicates that British emigration levels have remained relatively stable, with 257,000 nationals leaving in 2024 and 255,000 in 2023.
Meanwhile, opposition parties such as the Liberal Democrats argue that Brexit continues to influence migration patterns and have called for closer cooperation with European partners.
