Understanding the Growing Challenge of Asylum Seekers in the UK

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has underscored that “stopping the boats” coming to the UK is a top priority. Recent government figures reveal a staggering 175,000 people awaiting decisions on their asylum claims in the UK, reflecting a 44% increase since June 2022.

As of 29 August 2023, 20,101 individuals had crossed the English Channel this year, including 3,824 in June, marking a record high for any June on record. Notably, small boat arrivals constituted approximately 45% of asylum applications in the UK in 2022. In total, 45,755 migrants crossed the Channel in 2022, the highest number since data collection began in 2018. This surge has brought the total number of individuals who have made this perilous journey since 2018 to over 100,000.

Moreover, the European Union has witnessed a notable increase in migrants arriving, with 176,100 migrants reaching EU borders in the first seven months of 2023, according to Frontex, the EU’s border agency. This represents a 13% rise compared to the same period in 2022, marking the highest January-to-July total since 2016. The majority of these arrivals occurred via the Mediterranean, with Italy receiving the highest number.

The influx of asylum seekers has been a long-standing challenge in the UK. In the first half of 2023, more than 36,000 people sought asylum, with 89,000 applying for asylum in the entire year of 2022. This contrasts with the early 2000s when annual applications, including dependents, peaked at about 103,000, primarily driven by conflicts in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Iraq. After a significant drop to a 20-year low of 22,600 claims in 2010, numbers began to rise again in the 2010s, largely due to the Syrian refugee crisis.

In the first half of 2023, the largest group of asylum seekers came from Afghanistan, totaling 3,366 applicants. The next largest group, with just over 3,200 applications, came from Iran, followed by India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Notably, in 2022, the highest number of asylum seekers arrived from Albania, accounting for nearly 16,000 people, including dependents. Approximately 67% of them arrived on small boats. Ukrainian refugees who came to the UK after Russia’s invasion of their country are not included in these figures, as they have distinct legal pathways for seeking refuge.

Several legal routes have been established for Ukrainian refugees, such as the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Homes for Ukraine scheme. As of 22 August 2023, 238,300 visas had been issued under these schemes, with 185,000 Ukrainians having arrived in the UK by 21 August 2023. Specific arrangements also exist for Afghan refugees and certain Hong Kong citizens.

One pressing issue in the UK’s asylum system is the substantial backlog of more than 175,000 claims. Delays have resulted in the majority (80%) of individuals in the backlog waiting for over six months for an initial decision. During this waiting period, people are not permitted to work, though after 12 months, they can request permission to take jobs listed on the UK shortage occupation list. Many asylum seekers are temporarily housed in hotels, incurring an estimated daily cost of £6 million.

Furthermore, concerns have been raised regarding the conditions of accommodation for some asylum seekers. Those briefly housed on the Bibby Stockholm barge were evacuated after traces of Legionella bacteria were discovered on board. Additionally, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has expressed apprehensions about potential fire risks on the ship.

The Home Office in the UK holds the authority to remove individuals who have no legal right to stay in the country. In the year leading up to March 2023, the UK returned a total of 3,354 individuals who had previously sought asylum, reflecting a 68% increase compared to the previous year. A significant portion of these enforced returns involved foreign national offenders, with nearly half (46%) being EU nationals. Albanians and Romanians accounted for 25% and 18% of all enforced returns, respectively.

In 2022, the UK ranked as the fifth highest in Europe for asylum applications, following Germany, France, Spain, and Austria. Germany received a quarter of all first-time asylum applications within the EU that year, with 217,735 applications. France followed with 137,510 applications, Spain with 116,135, and Austria with 106,380.

In 2022, the UK authorities made initial decisions on 18,699 asylum applications, approving 76% of them. During the same period, Germany made 197,540 asylum decisions, granting more than 50% of them, while France also surpassed a 50% approval rate with 129,735 decisions.

To clarify terminology, an asylum seeker is an individual who applies for protection in another country to escape persecution or the fear of persecution. If their application is approved, they are granted the right to stay in the host country. If their application is denied, they may be subject to removal.

In contrast, a migrant is someone who has left their country of origin but has not claimed asylum. Migrants may depart their countries for work or study. An illegal migrant, on the other hand, is an individual who entered the UK without legal authorization, such as a visa or prior permission, or someone who initially entered legally but remained in the country after their visa expired.

The challenge of asylum seekers and immigration is a complex issue with significant human and administrative dimensions, and it continues to be a pressing concern for the UK and other European nations.