State of the nation: the UK asylum system

Facts and figures about refugees in the UK

To help separate fact from fiction, it makes up-to-date facts and figures on the asylum system more accessible to everyone including journalists, researchers, the refugee, asylum and anti-trafficking sectors, and the public. 

By visualising data in a way that is easier to understand, the report will be a useful tool in supporting evidence-based policy change and properly informed debates by addressing misinformation so that the UK asylum and modern slavery systems can provide protection to those who need it. 

The British Red Cross is the largest independent provider of support to people seeking asylum, refugees and survivors of trafficking in the UK. We provide emergency help, one-to-one support and casework, and special services for children and families all across the country. You can see data in the report on the support we have provided in the last 12 months.

Facts at a glance

• People seeking asylum made up less than 7 per cent of the 1.16 million people migrating to the UK in 2022.
• There were 63,253 asylum applications relating to 84,425 people in the year ending December 2023. In the same period, 736 people were resettled here safely. 
• 9,764 family reunion visas were granted in 2023. This is the highest in any 12-month period since 2010 and more than five times higher than 2022.
• The asylum backlog is 128,786, a 237 per cent increase in the last five years.
• In 2014, nearly 9 in 10 people who applied for asylum received a decision within six months. At the end of 2022, just over 1 in 10 did. In September 2023, 75 per cent of the people in the asylum backlog were waiting more than six months for an initial decision. 
• In 2023, 24 per cent of asylum claims were withdrawn. This is the highest number of withdrawals in a 12-month period. 
• In 2023, British Red Cross refugee support teams have supported 7,951 main clients experiencing destitution. Including dependants, we have supported 13,259 people. 

Sources: UNHCR Global Trends 2022, Home Office, ONS. All stats are for the year ending December 2023 unless stated otherwise.

About this report

Hosted on Flourish, this report includes a series of interactive charts on various parts of the UK asylum system, pulling together publicly available data in one place and presenting it in an accessible way. 

If you would like to know more about this or see the underlying data, please contact advocacy@redcross.org.uk. 

For media enquiries, please contact press@redcross.org.uk and 020 7877 7557.