Author
Overview of statistical practice
Statistics on asylum are published as part of a package of immigration statistics on a quarterly basis by the National Statistics authority,[1] using Home Office administrative sources. Where statistics are not made available, they are requested directly from the Home Office using a Parliamentary Question.[2] Difficulties have also been encountered with regard to Home Office responses to freedom of information (FOI) requests.[3] The numbers include dependants.
Applications and granting of protection status at first instance: 2020
| First time Applicants[4] | Pending (and pending appeal) at end of 2020 [5] | Refugee status | Subsidiary protection | Rejection | Refugee rate[6] | Sub. Prot. rate | Rejection rate | |
| Total | 36,041 | 64,895 | 7,546 | 1,012 | 6,675 | 34% | 5% | 30% |
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Breakdown by countries of origin of the total numbers
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| Iran | 4,199 | 6,056 (333) | 1,363 | 3 | 364 | 78% | 0.2% | 21% |
| Iraq | 3,281 | 5,244 (846) | 356 | 91 | 871 | 25% | 6% | 62% |
| Albania | 3,071 | 8,163 (328) | 395 | 4 | 540 | 40% | 0.4% | 55% |
| Eritrea | 2,604 | 3,044 (67) | 827 | 1 | 46 | 95% | 0.1% | 5 % |
| Sudan | 2,153 | 2,215 (65) | 817 | 2 | 56 | 93% | 0.1% | 6% |
| Syria | 1,746 | 2,205 (26) | 551 | 6 | 19 | 95% | 1% | 3% |
| Afghanistan | 1,546 | 2,894 (333) | 554 | 10 | 336 | 61% | 1% | 37% |
| Pakistan | 1,525 | 3,889 (352) | 268 | 1 | 540 | 30% | 0.1% | 61% |
| India | 1,046 | 2,119 (158) | 6 | 1 | 547 | 1% | 0.2% | 94% |
| Vietnam | 2,818 | 982 (128) | 313 | 9 | 148 | 64% | 2% | 30% |
Source: National Statistics Authority; Home Office. All percentages are calculated from total decisions omitting inadmissibility decisions and withdrawn claims.
Gender/age breakdown of the total number of applicants: 2020
| Number | Percentage | |
| Total number of applicants | 36,041 | – |
| Men | 20,671 | 57 |
| Women | 7,707 | 21 |
| Children | 5,348 | 15 |
| Unaccompanied children | 2,291 | 5 |
Source: UK government statistical data release February 2021.
Comparison between first instance and appeal decision rates: 2020
| First instance | Appeal | |||
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| Total number of decisions[7] | 15,788 | – | 3,784 | |
| Positive decisions[8] | 9,048 | 57% | ||
|
7,546 | 48% | 1,481 | 39% |
|
1,012 | 6% | ||
|
92 | 0.6% | ||
| Negative decisions[9] | 6,750 | 43% | 1,882 | 50% |
Source: UK government statistical data release February 2021. The figures relating to appeal refer to number of cases, not individuals (i.e. they do not include dependants), while the percentage of appeals does not include withdrawn appeals.
[1]National Statistics Authority, available at: https://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/. See also Home Office, Immigration Statistics, available at: https://bit.ly/3awmb9O .
[2]Parliament, Parliamentary Questions, available at: http://bit.ly/2kL0olB.
[3]See e.g. Information Commissioner, Decision FS50646722, 12 January 2017, available at: http://bit.ly/2kQ5TiU.
[4]No information on subsequent applicants is available.
[5]Pending initial decisions. Number in brackets is number of additional cases pending an appeal
[6]All percentages are calculated from total decisions omitting inadmissibility decisions and withdrawn claims.
[7]Excludes withdrawn claims and inadmissibility decisions
[8]Includes grants of other leave.
[9]The total of refusals and grants of UASC leave.