Asylum claims at record high but backlog is down

UK asylum claims reached a new record high according to the latest data, which also showed a drop in the backlog of cases awaiting a decision.

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Shabana Mahmood

A total of 110,051 people applied for asylum in the year to September 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001. This was up from the last 12-month peak of 109,142 in the year to June.

The latest figure is also 13% higher than the same point last year of 97,091, Home Office data showed.

The record level of applications comes as the backlog of people waiting for an initial decision on their claims dropped to 80,841 at the end of September. This was a fall of more than a third (39%) year-on-year, from 133,409 people at the end of September 2024.