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: 2021
| Applicants in year | Pending at end of year | Refugee status | Subsidiary protection | Rejection | Refugee rate | Sub. Prot. rate | Rejection rate | |
| Total | 56,495 | 100,564 | 11,893 | 942 | 5,118 | 65% | 5% | 28% |
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Breakdown by countries of origin of the total numbers
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| Iran | 10,446 | 13,529 (225)[4] | 2,462 | 10 | 288 | 89% | 0.4% | 10% |
| Iraq | 7,721 | 11,352 (716) | 555 | 159 | 815 | 36% | 10% | 53% |
| Eritrea | 5,019 | 6,457 (32) | 1,487 | 3 | 43 | 97% | 0.2% | 3% |
| Albania | 4,754 | 11,821 (282) | 418 | 6 | 338 | 53% | 0.8% | 43% |
| Syria | 3,895 | 4,781 (14) | 1,233 | 4 | 4 | 98% | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Afghanistan | 3,088 | 4,755 (188) | 792 | 29 | 175 | 78% | 3% | 17% |
| Sudan | 2,385 | 3,542 (35) | 891 | 1 | 52 | 94% | 0.1% | 5.5% |
| Vietnam | 1,844 | 3,763 (141) | 530 | 1 | 224 | 69% | 0.1% | 29% |
| Pakistan | 1,159 | 4,087 (333) | 453 | 1 | 372 | 52% | 0.1% | 43% |
| India | 1,125 | 2,256 (153) | 3 | 0 | 296 | 1% | 0% | 95% |
Source: National Statistics Authority; Home Office. All percentages are calculated from total decisions omitting inadmissibility decisions and withdrawn claims. If percentages do not add up to 100 it is because the remainder were granted other types of leave.
Gender/age breakdown of the total number of applicants: 2021
| Number | Percentage | |
| Total number of applicants | 56,495 | 100% |
| Men (incl. children) | 45,124 | 80% |
| Women (incl. children) | 11,147 | 20% |
| Children | 6,215 | 11% |
| Unaccompanied children | 3,762 | 7% |
Source: National Statistics Authority; Home Office
[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] Numbers in brackets claims with an initial decision awaiting further review.