Monitoring UK Migration Statistics: Net Migration, Visas, Asylum, and Small Boats

UK net migration has fallen to its lowest point since 2012, excluding the period during the pandemic. This report examines how these figures compare with other significant migration indicators, such as the number of visas issued, asylum claims, and arrivals via small boats. Continue reading to access the most recent data and find answers to frequently asked questions on these topics.

Production Team: Rob England, Libby Rogers, Jess Carr, Aidan McNamee, John Walton, Becky Dale, Allison Shultes, Chris Kay, Steven Connor, and Scott Jarvis. Graphics: Jez Frazer, Zoe Bartholomew, and Joy Roxas.

About the Data

It is important to note that data from government and official sources may be subject to revision between publications. This page reflects the figures as they appeared in the most recent available release.

Immigration, Emigration, and Net Migration

• The reported UK net migration figure may not precisely match immigration minus emigration, as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) releases it as a rounded figure.
• The ONS updates its estimates for immigration and emigration on a biannual basis.
• Net migration adheres to the international definition of a long-term migrant: "A person who moves to a country other than that of their usual residence for at least a year."

Visas for Legal Migration

• Scope of Data: The total visa entries count only includes granted visas. It excludes transit and visitor visas where the UK is not the final destination.
• Timing: Visa statistics record the date permission was granted, not the date of arrival or whether the individual actually entered the UK.
• Multiple Visas: If an individual receives more than one visa within the reported year, each is counted individually.
• Work Visas: This category covers new permissions granted to individuals or extensions of existing ones. It encompasses various categories, including seasonal work, health and care, domestic workers, and youth mobility visas.
• Study Visas: This includes all individuals sponsored by approved UK educational institutions, as well as those holding short-term study visas.
• Family Visas: These allow individuals to enter or remain in the UK to live with close relatives already resident there. This includes joining a spouse, partner, child, or parent, or coming to care for a relative.
• "Other" Category: This includes visas that do not fall under work, study, or family routes. It covers humanitarian programs such as the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme and the British National (Overseas) route, as well as family permits for nationals from European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) countries.

Asylum Applications and Accommodation

• Hotel Accommodation: Home Office data for asylum seekers housed in hotels is categorized under "contingency accommodation - hotel."
• Other Accommodation: This category comprises all non-hotel contingency accommodation, along with initial, dispersal, and "other" types of housing.
• Distribution Scale: To illustrate how evenly accommodation is spread, a scale compares each local authority’s proportion of people in a specific accommodation type against the UK-wide average for that same type:
  • Less than half: More than 50% below the average share.
  • Lower than: Between 25% and 50% below the average share.
  • About the same as: Within 25% of the average share.
  • Higher than: Between 25% and 100% above the average share.
  • More than double: More than 100% above the average share.
• Backlogs: Figures for individuals waiting for an initial asylum decision include both main applicants and their dependants.
• Appeals: Data on open appeals against refused asylum applications refers to individuals. The Ministry of Justice publishes these appeal statistics every three months, on a schedule distinct from other government asylum data. This also accounts for a small number of appeals regarding the revocation of protection.

Small Boat Crossings and Other Irregular Arrivals

Figures regarding small boat crossings and the average number of people per vessel are derived from Home Office daily data. Entering the UK without authorization constitutes an offense under immigration law; however, asylum seekers are typically not prosecuted if they claim asylum upon arrival.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-26 13:34:24 UTC