The asylum system, end to end

Stage by stage

Each stage is the latest official figure for that stage. The stages do not follow one set of people or cases; a decision this year is on a claim from an earlier year.

1. Arrival by small boat33,374 people Year ending June 2026 · down 22.9%
   People detected crossing the Channel; most claim asylum, but this is not a claim.
2. Application85,891 people Year ending June 2026 · down 20.9%
   Claims lodged (main applicants and dependants) in the year.
3. Waiting40,168 people Year ending June 2026 · down 55.8%
   People awaiting an initial decision at the end of the period; a stock, not a flow.
4. Initial decision115,872 people Year ending June 2026 · up 2.4%
   Decisions made in the year, on claims lodged in earlier periods.
5. Grant42,394 people Year ending June 2026 · down 20.7%
   Grants of protection or other leave at initial decision.
6. Grant rate38.1% Year ending June 2026 · down 10.1 points
   Grants as a share of initial decisions, not of claims.
7. AppealNot loaded
   Appeal outcomes are published by the Ministry of Justice and are not yet loaded.
8. Return12,568 returns Year ending June 2026 · up 13.9%
   Returns of people who had claimed asylum at some point; not a cohort of refused claimants.

Sources: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: illegal entry routes summary tables; Home Office, Immigration system statistics: asylum summary tables · each stage on its own latest period, as listed.

The queue awaiting an initial decision

Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: asylum summary tables · 2010 to Year ending June 2026.

Councils with the most supported asylum seekers

People in receipt of Home Office support (Section 95, Section 4 or Section 98) at the end of the quarter, by the council area where they are accommodated or registered. A council with no supported asylum seekers has no row in the source table.

Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: asylum seekers in receipt of support by local authority (Asy_D11) · 2026 Q2.

Leaving the country

Returns count people who leave; asylum-related returns are people who had claimed asylum at some point, not a cohort of refused claimants.

What the latest figures cover

One entry per series above: the period its latest published figure covers, oldest first. Series are published on different schedules, so the stages are not all on the same period.

1. Year ending June 2026Asylum backlog: 40,168Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: asylum summary tables · Year ending June 2026.
2. Year ending June 2026Asylum claims: 85,891Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: asylum summary tables · Year ending June 2026.
3. Year ending June 2026Asylum grant rate at initial decision: 38.1%Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: asylum summary tables · Year ending June 2026.
4. Year ending June 2026Asylum seekers accommodated in hotels: 16,021Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: asylum summary tables · Year ending June 2026.
5. Year ending June 2026Asylum seekers receiving support: 93,293Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: asylum summary tables · Year ending June 2026.
6. Year ending June 2026Asylum-related returns: 12,568Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: asylum summary tables · Year ending June 2026.
7. Year ending June 2026Initial decisions on asylum claims: 115,872Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: asylum summary tables · Year ending June 2026.
8. Year ending June 2026Small boat arrivals: 33,374Source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics: illegal entry routes summary tables · Year ending June 2026.