Recent government data reveals a notable 21% drop in asylum applications in the UK, with a total of 85,891 applications made in the year to June. This decline marks the lowest figure since June 2022 and reflects ongoing government efforts to manage asylum claims, particularly those arriving via small boats across the English Channel, which comprised 40% of recent applications.
The Labour government, now in power since July 2024, attributes part of this decrease to successful strategies aimed at disrupting crossings upstream in Europe. Alongside the fall in applications, the backlog of asylum seekers awaiting initial decisions has also decreased significantly, down 56% to 40,168, the lowest since March 2019.
Moreover, the number of asylum seekers temporarily housed in hotels has halved year-on-year, aligning with Labour’s pledge to eliminate hotel use by the end of the current parliament in 2029. These changes have led to an 8% reduction in asylum-related government spending, which now stands at £4.36 billion.
Despite these positive trends, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has expressed concerns, scoring the government poorly on its treatment of migrants and asylum seekers. This highlights ongoing challenges in ensuring the rights and welfare of vulnerable populations amidst changing policies and public sentiment.
Source: Euronews
