FOI/2022/4620
You asked
I would like to know the number of Migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants that have moved into the UK from 2012 to 2022.
We said
Thank you for your request.
In terms of overall migration, our best estimate of Long-Term International Migration to March 2020 is from our Migration Statistics Quarterly Report series, and are based on the International Passenger Survey. You can find inflow, outflow and net migration figures for the UK, 2010 to 2020, in Table 1 of this dataset. This will include years 2012 to 2020.
Beyond March 2020, our best estimates are administrative-based migration estimates for June 2020 to June 2022 (our latest estimates). The datasets are found on this page.
Please note that the methods and data used in the 2010 to March 2020 estimates are different from those used in the later series. Therefore, direct comparisons should not be made.
In terms of asylum seekers, you can find estimates of inflow, outflow and balance of asylum seekers, for years 2010 to 2019, in this dataset (see columns J, K and L in Table 1.01). Please take note of note 8 in this dataset, which states that 'asylum seeker adjustments' are based on Home Office data.
From the period June 2020 onwards, only some asylum seekers are included in ONS estimates. These will be from people who apply for asylum after previously holding a long-term visa. Further research will look to understand how we can include all asylum seekers who meet the definition of long-term migration. This will include those asylum seekers who arrive via clandestine irregular means.
In terms of refugees, the ONS does not, strictly speaking, publish data on 'refugees'. However, you might find it helpful to see column N ("Resettled persons adjustment") in this dataset. Per note 9 in Table 1.01, this adjustment is based on Home Office data on people who resettled in the UK under various resettlement schemes from October 2015 onwards. Therefore, you can see the resettled persons adjustment (in column N) for years 2015 to 2019 (inclusive).
For 2022, please see the year-ending June 2022 long-term international migration provisional estimates where you will find (under section 4: Migration events) estimates of the number of Ukrainians arriving in the UK, and those arriving under the Afghan Resettlement Programme. This may not be a complete picture of those who resettle in the UK up to the year-ending June 2022. Again, please note that these estimates refer to 'resettled persons', not 'refugees'.
Information on strengths and limitations of the data sources for our latest long-term migration estimates (from June 2020 onwards) are included in this methodology article.
You can find more information about asylum seekers and/or refugees by visiting the Home Office's asylum and resettlement datasets, or by contacting the Home Office's migration statistics team (migrationstatsenquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk).
When accessing any of our files please read the 'notes, terms and conditions' contained within them.
If you need anything further, please do not hesitate to contact us.