UK asylum claims fall 21% as hotel housing halves

The number of people seeking asylum in the United Kingdom fell by 21 percent over the past year, while small boat crossings and the use of hotels to house asylum seekers also dropped sharply, according to government figures released on Thursday. The data indicates that policies aimed at controlling the asylum system are having an effect, though officials stress there is more work to be done.

Home Office statistics for the year ending in June 2026 show that approximately 86,000 people claimed asylum, a significant decrease from the previous year. This total remains well above the levels recorded before 2021, driven by ongoing conflicts and instability in countries such as Sudan and Afghanistan. Just over half of the applicants arrived via illegal routes, with small boat crossings falling 23 percent to about 33,000. The government also reported a 56 percent reduction in the backlog of people waiting for an initial asylum decision, bringing the number down to 40,000.

A central achievement highlighted by ministers is the halving of asylum seekers housed in hotels. The figure dropped to just over 16,000, down from more than 32,000 a year earlier. The government is accelerating its...