Pakistan became the largest source of asylum seekers in the UK, surpassing Afghanistan, with the number of applications significantly rising in recent years, AFP reported.
Historically, the majority of asylum seekers were from Syria and Iran.
In response to the growing number of asylum seekers, the UK’s Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has pledged to address the backlog in asylum applications.
Finance Minister Rachel Reeves, in her Spending Review, announced measures that aim to save £1 billion annually by reducing the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers.
These funds, Reeves noted, will help expedite asylum applications, address more appeals, and ensure the return of individuals who do not have the legal right to remain in the country.
The number of asylum seekers in the UK has tripled in the past few years, with 84,200 asylum applications in 2024, up from an average of 27,500 annually between 2011 and 2020. This sharp increase has contributed to a backlog of applications, with many people waiting for decisions on their cases.
To further address the issue, the Labour government has begun formal talks with other countries to establish “return centres” outside the UK for those who have exhausted all legal options to remain.
Recent figures show that 11% of migrants in the UK were asylum seekers or refugees in 2023, a significant increase from just 6% in 2019. Furthermore, the number of people attempting to cross the English Channel in makeshift boats has risen dramatically since 2018, becoming a major concern for the UK government.
