Commenting on the asylum statistics released today, Sir Andrew Green, Chairman Migrationwatch UK, said “This is bad news for the government. Asylum seekers are up by 13% and removals are down for the fourth successive quarter. It is increasingly clear that the governments present policies cannot reduce asylum claims to acceptable levels, especially as 70% are eventually refused permission to stay in Britain. Only one in five of those refused is actually removed.” Meanwhile, according to the UNHCR, the UK continues to receive the second largest number of asylum claimants in the Western world – after France but above the US and Germany.
Policy & legal framework
Return to the Migration Glossary Table of Contents The laws, rules, and policies that govern the UK immigration system, from primary legislation to operational guidance.
May 18, 2026