Returns from the UK from 5 July 2024 to 18 May 2025
Updated 21 May 2025
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This note provides an overview of the number of foreign national offenders (FNOs) and others without lawful status who have been returned from the UK between 5 July 2024 and 18 May 2025. It is intended to provide the public with clear and timely statistics in an area of high public interest.
The next immigration system statistics quarterly release will be published on 22 May 2025, providing comprehensive statistics on the number of returns from the UK.
Returns
Between 5 July 2024 and 18 May 2025, a total of 29,867 returns were recorded (including both enforced and voluntary returns). This is a 12% increase on the 26,681 returns in the same period 12 months prior; in addition, the latest voluntary returns figures are subject to a recording delay, as detailed below.
The total number includes 7,893 enforced returns of people with no legal right to remain in the UK. This compares with 6,414 enforced returns in the same period 12 months prior, an increase of 23%.
Of the total returns since 5 July 2024, 4,436 were of foreign national offenders (FNOs). This is an increase of 14% compared to the 3,879 FNO returns in the same period 12 months prior (FNO returns include both enforced and voluntary returns).
Within the FNO returns, there have been 2,274 early removal scheme (ERS) returns, which is a 11% increase compared to the 2,050 in the same period 12 months prior.
Of the total returns since 5 July 2024, 8,511 were asylum related returns. This is an increase of 24% compared to the 6,842 asylum returns in the same period 12 months prior (asylum related returns include both enforced and voluntary returns).
From 5 July 2024 to 18 May 2025 there have been 57 charter flights for returns to countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, one more than the 56 in the same period 12 months prior.
Revisions to the statistics
The data and statistics contained within this notice are provisional and taken from live operational systems on 19 May 2025 and as a result, figures are subject to further revision and change.
Some individuals who have been told to leave the UK will not notify the Home Office of their departure from the UK. In such cases, it can take some time for the Home Office to become aware of such a departure and update the system. As a result, data for more recent periods will initially undercount the total number of returns and will increase as additional cases are retrospectively recorded. ‘Other verified returns’ (a subset of voluntary returns) are particularly affected by this. For this reason, comparisons of more recent periods to earlier periods should be made with caution.
The Home Office publishes comprehensive statistics on immigration enforcement activity, including the number of returns, in its immigration system statistics quarterly release.