A record number of migrants have claimed asylum over the past year, heaping more pressure on Britain’s overwhelmed system.
A total of 111,084 people claimed asylum in the UK in the year ending June 2025, 14% more than in the year ending June 2024, and 8% more than the previous peak of 103,081 in 2002.
And the asylum crisis is costing taxpayers a staggering £4.76 billion.
Home Office figures show this has fallen from £5.38bn.
But the statistics – released today – show the asylum backlog is falling.
As of June 2025, 90,712 people were awaiting an initial decision, down 17% on March and down almost 24% compared with the end of June 2024.
The number of people claiming asylum has almost doubled since 2021 and half of those making claims “arrived through irregular routes”.
The UK received the fifth largest number of asylum seekers in Europe, behind Germany, Spain, Italy and France.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Under Labour we now have record numbers claiming asylum. The vast majority should never qualify and most will cost the taxpayer a huge sum of money.
“Our streets are becoming more dangerous yet this disaster gets worse. The public are right to be very angry with both Labour and the Tories for what they have done to us.”
Yvette Cooper MP, Labour’s Home Secretary,responding to today’s immigration statistics, said: “We inherited a broken immigration and asylum system that the previous Government left in chaos. Since coming to office we have strengthened Britain’s visa and immigration controls, cut asylum costs and sharply increased enforcement and returns, as today’s figures show.
“The action we have taken in the last 12 months – increasing returns of failed asylum seekers by over 30%, cutting asylum costs by 11%, reducing the backlog by 18% and our forthcoming plans to overhaul the failing asylum appeal system – are crucial steps to restoring order, and putting an end to the chaotic use of asylum hotels that we inherited from the previous government.
“At the same time, we are bringing legal migration back under control, with a 48% reduction in work visas this year – and further stronger visa controls and higher skill requirements introduced through our White Paper expected to bring those overall numbers down further.
“As we roll out further reforms, including the new pilot with France, new counter terror powers to strengthen border security, and new asylum reforms later this year (including reforms to speed up the persistent delays in the appeals system), we will continue to take the serious steps required to restore order, control and fairness to the system and to continue building the foundations of a new and stronger approach.”