The immigration statistics for the final quarter of 2018 (Q4) have been released today. Key asylum figures are below, looking at figures form both the last quarter and the last year (2018), and you can find the data tables here.
Applications:
- In 2018 there were 29,380 asylum applications, compared to 26,547 in 2017, representing an increase of 11%.
- In Q4 of 2018 there were 8,639 applications, compared to 7,444 in Q3 2018, representing an increase of 16%.
- Although this remains below levels seen in 2015 and 2016 during the European migration crisis, the number of applications in the latest quarter was the highest level since 2015 quarter 4, with notable increases in applications from Iranians, Iraqis and Albanians.
- The total number of asylum applications to the EU in 2018 was an estimated 612,600, down 11% from the previous year, following the 45% fall in 2017. In the latest statistics, the UK received the 6th highest number of applications of all the EU member states.
- There were particularly notable increases in asylum applications to the UK from:
- Eritrean nationals, up 1,073 (nearly doubled) to 2,158
- Iranian nationals, up 757 (29%) to 3,327
- Albanian nationals, up 571 (40%) to 2,001
Decisions:
- There were 21,119 initial decisions in 2018 and 33% were granted asylum or other forms of protection (6,933), of which 5,558 were grants of asylum (26%) and 688 were grants of HP/ DL (3%). This compares to 21,269 initial decisions in 2017 of which 32% granted some form of protection (6,779).
- There were 4,806 initial decisions in Q4 2018 and 40% were granted asylum or other forms of protection (1,1915). This compares to 5,100 initial decisions in Q3 2018 of which 36% were granted some form of protection (1,832).
- There were particularly notable increases in asylum applications to the UK from:
- Eritrean nationals, up 1,073 (nearly doubled) to 2,158
- Iranian nationals, up 757 (29%) to 3,327
- Albanian nationals, up 571 (40%) to 2,001
Pending cases:
- There were 29,016 cases pending initial decision at the end of 2018, of which 42% (12,213) were more than 6 months old. This compares to 11,538 pending cases at the end of Q3 2018.
Appeals:
- There were 11,292 appeals received in 2018 and 11,422 appeals determined, of which 38% (4,379) were allowed. This compares to 11,134 appeals received in 2017 and 14,299 appeals determined, of which 35% were allowed (5,074).
- In Q4 2018, there were 2,265 appeals received and 2,707 appeals determined, of which 38% were allowed (1,027).
Asylum Support:
- At the end of 2018, there were 44,258 asylum-seekers supported under section 95 support (41,209 in dispersed accommodation and 2,949 subsistence only), up 9% from the previous year.
- At the end of 2018, there were 4,026 people receiving section 4 support.
Resettlement
- In 2018, 5,806 people were provided protection under resettlement schemes (7% fewer than the previous year).
- The Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) accounted for three-quarters (4,407) of those resettled in the UK in 2018. Since it began in 2014, 14,945 people have now been resettled under the scheme.
- A further 688 were resettled under the Vulnerable Children Resettlement Scheme (VCRS) over the last year.
- Of those resettled under the VPRS and VCRS in 2018, 130 refugees were resettled in the UK through the Community Sponsorship scheme. Since the scheme began in July 2016, 219 refugees have been resettled by community sponsor groups.
Dublin Regulation
- In 2018, there were 1,940 requests from other member states to transfer individuals into the UK under the Dublin Regulation, and 5,510 requests from the UK to transfer individuals out of the UK to other member states.
- Over the same period, there were 1,215 transfers into the UK under the Dublin Regulation. The majority (946) of these transfers came from Greece.
- There were 209 transfers out of the UK under the Dublin Regulation. A quarter of these (51) were transfers to France.
