The latest data released this morning indicates a significant decline in the number of individuals housed in asylum hotels, reaching the lowest level in a year and a half. According to figures from the Home Office, there were 30,657 people accommodated by the end of 2025, marking a 19% decrease compared to the previous year. The Government has made a commitment to close all asylum hotels by the end of the current Parliamentary term, although Keir Starmer is advocating for an earlier timeline.
In September 2023, under the tenure of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, the number of migrants in such accommodations peaked at over 56,000. Home Office data also reveals a substantial reduction in the asylum backlog over the past year, with a 48% decrease in the number of individuals awaiting initial decisions. However, there has been a notable increase in rejected applications from countries like Afghanistan and Iran, as highlighted by human rights organizations.
As of December, there were 64,000 people within the asylum system, corresponding to 49,000 cases, which represents a 63% decrease from the peak in June 2023 during the Conservative administration led by Mrs. Braverman. Additionally, by the end of the year, 107,000 individuals were receiving asylum support, showing a 5% decline from 2024. The number of asylum applications decreased slightly in 2025, with 100,625 individuals seeking sanctuary, a 4% drop from the previous year.
The data indicates that 42% of asylum applications were approved, reflecting a decrease from the preceding year’s 47%, but still higher than the approval rates from the decade leading up to 2019, which ranged between 23% and 41%. Amnesty International UK’s Refugee and Migrant Rights Director, Steve Valdez-Symonds, expressed concerns over the sharp decline in asylum grant rates, emphasizing the implications of the Government’s approach on vulnerable individuals seeking asylum.
Migrants arriving by small boats accounted for 41% of asylum claims, while an additional 11% arrived through unauthorized means like lorries, shipping containers, or without proper documentation. The issuance of visas for individuals relocating to the UK saw a notable decrease in 2025, with 809,000 non-visit visas issued for reasons including work, family, or humanitarian cases, down from 956,000 in 2024.
According to the Home Office data, there were 46,000 identified arrivals via illegal routes such as small boats, indicating a 13% increase from the previous year but a 9% decrease from the peak in 2022. Louise Calvey, Director of Asylum Matters, raised concerns about the declining numbers of people moving to the country and highlighted the value that migrants bring economically and culturally.
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson criticized the Conservative and Nigel Farage’s approach, calling for collaborative efforts with neighboring countries to enhance returns agreements and establish a more functional and equitable asylum system.
