Net migration to the UK fell by nearly 50% to 171,000 last year, according to official figures released on Thursday, providing a boost for Keir Starmer’s government. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showed the difference between arrivals and departures was at its lowest level since 2021, down 48% year on year from 331,000 in 2024 and extending a sharp decline from a record peak of 944,000 in 2023.
The fall was driven primarily by a 47% drop in non-EU nationals arriving for work-related reasons. Restrictions on family members of international students also contributed, with an 87% decline since 2023. These measures were introduced by the previous Conservative government and tightened further under Labour’s home secretaries, Yvette Cooper and Shabana Mahmood.
Separate Home Office statistics showed that the number of asylum seekers housed in hotels fell by 35% year on year to 20,885 at the end of March. However, asylum claims remained high at 94,000 in the year to March, down 12% but still elevated compared with previous years. Grant rates for initial asylum claims fell from 49% to 39% over the same period.
Ben Brindle, a researcher at the University of Oxford’s Migration Observatory, noted that while overall migration is down, the economic impact depends on who is migrating. He highlighted a challenge for the government: categories of migration it would most like to reduce, such as asylum, are less amenable to policy, while skilled worker and student partner migration—which have positive economic impacts—have fallen.
Refugee charities warned that safe and legal routes into the UK have halved to 3,600. Jon Featonby of the Refugee Council said the decline in resettlement figures is worrying, as it may drive desperate families towards dangerous journeys. Meanwhile, a thinktank found that public perception of net migration remains at odds with reality, with many believing it is rising despite the drop.
Prime Minister Starmer said the figures show his government is delivering on its promise to restore border control. Home Secretary Mahmood acknowledged there is still work to do, announcing a skills-based migration system to end reliance on cheap overseas labour. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp urged further action, noting that Britons are leaving in large numbers and non-EU immigration remains too high.
