Key Highlights
- UK asylum claims drop slightly in 2025 as small boat arrivals rise by 13%
- Albanian nationals made up the majority of returns last year with 61% — but numbers have declined over the past year
- Total grants of British citizenship down to second-highest level since 2005
- A total backlog of asylum claims falls for fourth quarter in a row, to 64,426
The Numbers Game: Asylum Claims and Small Boat Arrivals
Just over 100,000 people claimed asylum in the UK in the year to December – slightly down on the previous year, according to new Home Office figures. This might seem like a small drop, but it reflects a broader trend: a decline in claims from those arriving via all other routes.
Small boat arrivals, however, have seen an uptick. Around 41,000 people arrived in the UK via small boats, which is a rise of 13% on the previous year but 9% lower than the peak in 2022. This trend is mirrored by the increase in returns: there were 2,550 returns of people who arrived in the UK on small boats – a 10% increase from the previous year.
Demographics and Nationalities
The most common nationality of those arriving was Albanian nationals, making up 61% of the returns. However, this number has declined over the last calendar year. Turkish and Iraqi nationals are the next two most common nationalities returned, combined they make up 15% of small boat returns in the year ending December 2025.
Asylum Hotel Backlog Declines
The overall backlog of people waiting for a decision on their asylum claim has fallen for the fourth quarter in a row, to 64,426. This is the lowest level the backlog has been since 2020, and comes as the number of applications fell in 2025 while processing levels remained high.
Of the 108,000 applications processed in 2025 – relating to 135,000 people – 42% were granted refugee or protection status, and 58% were refused. Refused applicants can appeal their decision, and the number of outstanding appeals has been rising in recent years, creating pressure elsewhere in the system.
Student Visa Numbers Increase
The number of people who do not have a legal right to stay in the UK being returned to another country increased. In the year to December 2025, there were 426,471 sponsored study visas granted. The top three nationalities were: India (28%), China (13%), and Nigeria (9%).
Meanwhile, family visa applications saw a decrease in grants. There were 66,610 visas granted to family members, with the top nationalities being the same as for study visas.
Ashamed of Past Success?
The drop in asylum claims is partly due to fewer students claiming asylum. This has contributed to the overall decrease since the end of 2021. Additionally, there was an increase in the number of people who do not have a legal right to stay being returned.
In the year to December 2025, there were 426,471 sponsored study visas granted – up by 3% compared to the previous year.
Ministers have pledged to end the use of asylum hotels by the end of this parliament, arguing they are significantly more expensive than longer-term housing. As of December 2025, 30,657 people were staying in hotels, down from 38,054 compared to the previous year.
These figures reflect a complex and evolving landscape of immigration policy. While small boat arrivals have risen, there is also a trend towards fewer asylum claims overall. The backlog numbers suggest that processing has been efficient despite the drop in applications.
