Accredited official statistics

About this release

Published 21 May 2026

Back to ‘Immigration system statistics, year ending March 2026’ contents page

The Home Office ‘Immigration system statistics quarterly release’ series gives an overview of work on immigration control, entry clearance, asylum and enforcement within the Home Office, including the work of UK Border Force, Immigration Enforcement and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). It helps inform users such as the government, Parliament, the media and the wider public, and supports the development and monitoring of policy.

This release includes the latest statistics for the year ending March 2026, on a range of topics including:

• How many people come to the UK each year?
• Why do people come to the UK - Work?
• Why do people come to the UK - Study?
• Why do people come to the UK - Family?
• How many people come to the UK via safe and legal (humanitarian) routes?
• What is being done to stop organised immigration crime?
• How many people come to the UK via illegal entry routes?
• How many small boat arrivals have claimed asylum or been referred to the National Referral Mechanism?
• How many people claim asylum in the UK?
• How many people are granted asylum in the UK?
• How many people are in the UK asylum system?
• How many people have their age assessed?
• How many indefinite leave (settlement and EUSS settled status) and citizenship grants have been issued in the UK?
• How many people are detained under immigration powers in the UK?
• How many people are returned from the UK?

The ‘Immigration system statistics’ release is an Accredited Official Statistics output produced to the highest professional standards and free from political interference. It has been produced by statisticians in Migration statistics within the Home Office in accordance with the Home Office’s ‘Statement of compliance with the code of practice for statistics’. The Head of Profession for Statistics reports to the National Statistician with respect to all professional statistical matters and oversees all Home Office Accredited Official Statistics products with respect to the Code of Practice, being responsible for their timing, content and methodology.

The Home Office ‘Immigration system statistics’ series forms part of a larger cross-government Statistical Service ‘Migration statistics transformation plan’ to meet changing user needs, and which will put administrative data at the core of evidence on migration. Improvements to this release, which are part of this programme of work, can be found in ‘Developments in migration statistics’.

1. Accredited Official Statistics

The Immigration system statistics and other migration statistics releases are ‘Accredited Official Statistics’ (formerly known as ‘National Statistics’) or ‘Official Statistics’. Where applicable, data tables contain the ‘Accredited Official Statistics’ logo. All other statistics are ‘Official Statistics’ (including ‘Official Statistics in Development’).

‘National Statistics’ is the legal term set out in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 for ‘Accredited Official Statistics’ that have been judged by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR), to comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics. This means these statistics meet the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value as set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics. Further information about accredited official statistics can be found on the OSR’s website.

The OSR undertook a full assessment of the Home Office immigration statistics in February 2012. The continued designation of these statistics as National Statistics was again confirmed in September 2018, following a further compliance check by the Office for Statistics Regulation.

Our statistical practice is regulated by the OSR which sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You are welcome to contact us directly via migrationstatsenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.

2. Changes to the release

2.1 Data system transition

The UK’s immigration system and the routes migrants can take to the UK are subject to change. New routes are reflected in Home Office caseworking and reporting systems. Any changes, including new routes or schemes, will be clearly signposted in relevant statistical publications.

Home Office IT systems are undergoing significant transformation, including the replacement of legacy case working systems, from which administrative data used in the migration statistics are derived. This case working system transformation, along with the supporting data infrastructure changes that must follow, will continue during 2026. We expect to maintain use of the core functions of the systems over this period, including the development and publication of new migration statistics.

In addition, published numbers may be revised in future quarters following this period of change. More information can be found in the user guide, Section 2.8.

2.2 Small boat arrivals with asylum claims and National Referral Mechanism referrals

The ‘How many people come to the UK via illegal entry routes?’ chapter has been split in 2. The ‘How many people come to the UK via illegal entry routes?’ chapter focuses on quarterly arrivals via illegal entry routes including small boat arrivals. Data on small boat arrivals’ asylum claims and National Referral Mechanism (NRM) referrals is published in a separate chapter, which will be updated annually, called ‘How many small boat arrivals have claimed asylum or been referred to the National Referral Mechanism?’. This change improves user experience by separating content that is updated quarterly on arrivals to the UK via illegal entry routes from annually updated information on what happens to small boat arrivals after arrival in the UK, whilst keeping underlying statistics unchanged.

2.3 Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) datasets

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) datasets now include a quarterly breakdown. Previously the data tables showed a running total of the number of ETA applications and outcomes from the launch of the scheme to the end of the most recent period.

2.4 Age assessment statistics

Statistics on age assessments (for asylum seekers whose claimed age is doubted and who have no credible or documentary proof of age) were paused after June 2024. Following a review of the methodology and accuracy of the data, these statistics are being resumed in this quarters release.

In addition, this release includes newly collected statistics on age assessments: a breakdown of assessments by type/organisation, and whether earlier decisions are later overturned by subsequent assessments. These new statistics allow for a clearer understanding of the end-to-end age assessments system.

For further information, see the ‘How many people have their age assessed?’ chapter.

2.5 Asylum seeker route of entry by nationality

Statistics on the route of entry for all asylum seekers in the UK was published for the first time in the year ending June 2025 release. This included a breakdown in the asylum summary tables of the most common nationalities on each route. Following increased demand by users for more comprehensive breakdowns of entry route data by nationality, we have introduced a full nationality breakdown into detailed data table Asy_D01a.

2.6 Return of small boat arrivals by nationality

Following increased demand by users for more comprehensive breakdowns of data on returns of small boat arrivals by nationality, we have introduced an extended nationality breakdown including the top 10 most common nationalities into the returns summary table Ret_06b. This expands existing statistics on the total number of returns of small boat arrivals by quarter’.

2.7 Foreign National Offenders in the Immigration System

As set out in the Home Office’s intention to publish statement in April 2025, additional statistics on FNOs leaving immigration detention and FNOs returned from the UK, including breakdowns by most common nationality, offence group and sentence length group, have been published following improvements to FNO data collection and infrastructure that have enhanced data quality.

3. Migration Statistics User Forum

The Migration Statistics User Forum has been established for discussion of international migration statistics, allowing users to discuss their need for and use of the data, and for producers to consult on presentation and provide information on proposed changes or improvements to the statistics. The forum is a user-led group with over 200 members and affiliated to the wider Statistics User Forum established by the Royal Statistical Society. The forum meets annually at its conference, usually held in autumn. Home Office Analysis and Insight uses this forum to communicate with migration statistics users, including providing information on new data and publications.

Details of the next annual conference, any other events and information relating to migration publications will be sent to members of the forum via its distribution list. The distribution list is available to join through the MIGRATION-STATS JISCmail list.

4. Other Home Office research and statistics

‘Migration analysis at the Home Office’

This page provides a hub for collections and the latest updates relating to published statistics, research and evaluation on migration.

‘Developments in migration statistics’.

In recent years Home Office statisticians have introduced a wide range of changes to the UK migration statistics. These include developments in the department’s range of official statistics, research and analysis using Home Office and other data sources.

‘Monthly entry clearance visa applications’.

Statistics on visa applications for people coming to the UK for work and study.

‘Statistics relating to passenger arrivals since the COVID-19 outbreak’.

Statistical reports showing the impact of COVID-19 on the immigration system.

‘Migrant journey’.

Formerly known as ‘Statistics on changes in migrants’ visas and leave status’, this release explores migrants’ journeys through the UK’s immigration system.

‘Migration transparency data’.

Performance data related to areas in the Home Office business plan, and data on borders and immigration activity, which has been regularly requested from the Home Office by the Home Affairs Select Committee.

‘Analysis of migrants use of the Graduate route’.

This report looks at who entered the Graduate route and what they did after. It includes insights on their earnings by linking Home Office records to HMRC data.

‘Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme Statistics’.

Provides statistics on the Ukraine Family Scheme and the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme. The Ukraine Family Scheme allows applicants to join family members or extend their stay in the UK. The Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme allows Ukrainian nationals and their family members to come to the UK if they have a named sponsor under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

5. Other migration outputs

‘Migration Advisory Committee’ (MAC) is an independent, non-statutory, non-time limited, non-departmental public body that advises the government on migration issues. It publishes a range of reports on migration.

‘International migration’ (ONS).

Tool to locate the datasets for all ONS international migration outputs and for updates to international migration outputs.

‘Statistics at DWP’ (DWP).

Research and statistics on migration to support Home Office policy development and operational activity.

6. Further information and feedback

If you have any comments, or suggestions for the development of this report, please provide feedback by emailing MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please include the words ‘PUBLICATION FEEDBACK’ in the subject of your email.

Press enquiries should be made to:

Home Office Press Office
Peel Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Tel: 0300 123 3535

The Home Office Responsible Statistician is Jack Cooper

The Home Office Migration Statistics mission statement is:

We produce timely, accurate and objective statistics on immigration to support effective delivery of Home Office objectives and to inform government, Parliament and the public.