National statistics

Citizenship

Published 25 August 2016

Valid: 25 August 2016 to 30 November 2016

Data relate to the year ending June 2016 and all comparisons are with the year ending June 2015, unless indicated otherwise.

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1. Key facts

Applications for British citizenship increased by 7% in the year ending June 2016 to 146,999. This included a 14% increase in applications from EU nationals to 15,501, in part due to increases in applications from Polish nationals (up 9% to 4,246) and from Italian nationals (up 26% to 1,075).

There were 163,360 British citizenship decisions in the year ending June 2016, up by nearly half (46%) on the previous 12 months (112,090). The numbers granted British citizenship increased by 42% (+43,829 to 148,802) while refusals and withdrawals doubled (up 105% or 7,441 to 14,558). The corresponding fall in grant rates was from 95% to 91%. Higher numbers were refused or withdrawn, following the introduction of enhanced checks on cases requiring higher levels of assurance in April 2015, e.g. those cases with previous asylum refusals and cases with adverse immigration histories.

The 43,829 increase in grants of British citizenship reflects increases in numbers of people granted citizenship in all broad categories (residence, marriage, as children).

Variations in numbers of decisions can be affected by changes in resources and the mix of cases as well as policy changes and application levels in earlier periods.

2. Grants and refusals of citizenship

Year	Total decisions	Total grants	On basis of residence	On basis of marriage	As children	Other grounds	Refusals and withdrawals
Year ending June 2012	186,113	179,697	98,310	35,443	41,127	4,817	6,416
Year ending June 2013	211,891	204,509	111,593	42,058	45,781	5,077	7,382
Year ending June 2014	188,910	180,951	98,415	40,689	37,914	3,933	7,959
Year ending June 2015	112,090	104,973	51,554	21,480	27,691	4,248	7,117
Year ending June 2016	163,360	148,802	75,215	30,144	36,564	6,879	14,558
Change: latest year	51,270	43,829	23,661	8,664	8,873	2,631	7,441
Percentage change	+46%	+42%	+46%	+40%	+32%	+62%	+105%

Table notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2016, Citizenship tables cz 01 q and cz 02 q.
‘Other grounds’ includes Entitlement and Discretionary registration as an adult, Entitlement and Discretionary registration on other grounds and registration under Section 5 of the British Nationality Act 1981. See Table cz 07 and the user guide for more detail.

Total decisions in the year ending June 2016 rose by 46% (+51,270) mostly due to an increase in decisions made during the first 6 months of 2016 (+34,228 compared with the first 6 months of 2015), following increased applications in Q4 2015 and Q1 2016.

3. Long-term trends in applications for citizenship and grants and refusals

The chart below illustrates longer-term trends in applications for citizenship and grants and refusals.

Chart notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2016, Citizenship tables cz 02 and cz 03.

The number of grants in 2015 (118,053) was the lowest since 2001 (90,282).

Between 2009 and 2013 there was a general increase in applications for and grants of citizenship, which is likely in part to reflect increased grants of permission to stay permanently (known as settlement) up to 2010. After a period of residence those granted settlement become eligible to apply for citizenship. The peak in grants of citizenship occurred in 2013, when there were 207,989 grants, more than double the level seen in 2001 (90,282) and the highest annual total since records began in 1962.

There were also increases in British citizenship applications made in 2005 (211,911) and 2013 (232,262). The increase in 2005 may have reflected people anticipating the introduction of the Knowledge of Life in the UK test on 1 November that year. Similarly, the increase in 2013 may, in part, have been due to some people anticipating the rule change to the English language element of the Life in the UK test as of 28 October 2013. See the Policy and Legislative Changes Timeline for further information. Applications in 2014 fell to 127,259, a level not seen since 2004 (125,668). This may partly be due to the rule change to the English language element of the Life in the UK test as of 28 October 2013 and fewer grants of settlement since 2010. Quarterly application levels are also likely to have been influenced by rises in fees usually implemented in April (the beginning of the financial year).

Applications for British citizenship made in the year to June 2016 increased by 7% (+9,311) compared to the previous 12 months. Within this total, applications from EU nationals rose by 14% (+1,943). As the table below shows, EU nationals were 4% of the total in the year to June 2008 and 11% in the year to June 2016. Increases in applications from EU nationals in recent years are likely to reflect the immigration in previous years by EU nationals. The data show increased applications from nationals of Poland (up from 978 in the year to June 2010 to 4,246 in the latest 12 months) and Romania (up from 638 in the year to June 2012 to 1,921 in the latest 12 months).

Summary tables: Applications for citizenship, EU nationals

	Total applications	Non-EU	EU nationals	EU nationals as % of total
Year ending June 2008	142,251	137,208	5,043	4%
Year ending June 2009	171,714	166,061	5,653	3%
Year ending June 2010	200,360	192,104	8,256	4%
Year ending June 2011	209,934	200,760	9,174	4%
Year ending June 2012	191,698	182,285	9,413	5%
Year ending June 2013	187,335	173,786	13,549	7%
Year ending June 2014	193,282	174,308	18,974	10%
Year ending June 2015	137,688	124,130	13,558	10%
Year ending June 2016	146,999	131,498	15,501	11%
Change: latest year	+9,311	+7,368	+1,943
Percentage change	+7%	+6%	+14%

Table notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2016, Citizenship table cz 01 q a.
Series are based on current EU membership, i.e. Croatians included in EU total throughout.
See Table cz 01 q a and the user guide for more details.

Applications received from nationals of most EU states increased in the latter half of 2015, particularly in the fourth quarter of 2015. The increase may in part be due people anticipating a change in the rules. After 12 November 2015 a person applying for citizenship who is claiming to have permanent residence as an EEA national or the family member of an EEA national must provide a permanent residence card or a document certifying permanent residence as evidence that they meet the requirement to be free of immigration time restrictions.

Geographical region	2015 Q1	2015 Q2	2015 Q3	2015 Q4	2016 Q1	2016 Q2
Total EU	3,978	3,650	4,183	5,347	2,833	3,138
EU 14	1,330	1,254	1,528	1,659	1,044	1,303
EU 2	853	764	779	1,140	605	565
EU 8	1,740	1,580	1,807	2,473	1,148	1,214
EU Other	55	52	69	75	36	56
Other regions	35,644	32,164	30,190	35,651	38,221	27,436
Total all regions	39,622	35,814	34,373	40,998	41,054	30,574

Table notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2016, Citizenship table cz 01 q a.

4. Previous nationalities granted citizenship

The chart below shows the top 5 previous nationalities granted citizenship.
(Total number of grants in 2015 - 118,053)

Chart notes

Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2016, Citizenship table cz 06.

5. Data tables

Further data on British citizenship are available in Citizenship tables cz 01 to cz 10.
In addition to applications and detailed breakdowns of decisions, these include information on refusals, citizenship ceremonies attended and renunciations of citizenship.

New tables have been introduced providing breakdowns of quarterly applications for citizenship by nationality (cz 01 q a) and quarterly grants of citizenship by previous nationality (cz 06 q).

6. Background information

The figures in this section relate to the number of people who are granted or refused British citizenship.

The numbers of decisions made are not always fully comparable over time. This is because, as well as reflecting changes in the levels of those settling in the UK, the figures are influenced by policy and legislative changes; for example, when changes are made to English language requirements or the Life in the UK test. In addition, the level of decisions made may be affected by the resources available in the Home Office.

6.1 Migration Transparency Data webpage

A range of key input and impact indicators are currently published by the Home Office on the Migration transparency data webpage.