UK Asylum Statistics: 2nd Quarter (April/May June ) 2006

1,105 more families her to stay

Detention passes the 2,500 mark

5,070 failed asylum seekers removed (38% were voluntary returns)

5,490, asylum applications, 15% lower than previous quarter

The Home Office published today (Tuesday 22nd August 2006) their asylum statistics for April/May June. As ever a mixture of good new, more families get ILR under the family amnesty and bad news, detention and deportations up, asylum applications down.

Download the Statistics: asylumq206.pdf

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*Family ILR Exercise (1,105 more families gain ILR)
* There were 60,395 main applicants identified for consideration as at 30 June 2006. Of these 24,030 were granted ILR, 7,860 were considered on another Family ILR application, 19,680 were refused and 8,340 were found to be ineligible. There were 15 main applicants awaiting an initial examination and 460 awaiting a decision.

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* Principal applicants removed in Q2: 4,480; 5,070 including dependants

* In Q2, there were 4,480 principal applicants removed from the UK, 3% higher than in Q1 (4,330), and 36% more than in Q2 2005 (3,285).

* Including dependants, 5,070 asylum seekers were removed in Q2, 3% higher than in Q1 (4,930), and 35% more than in Q2 2005 (3,765).

* The five nationalities accounting for the highest number of removals (principal applicants) were Iraqi, Turkish, Serbian & Montenegrin, Afghan and Pakistani.

* 1,900 asylum seekers were removed under Assisted Voluntary Return schemes (1,635 principal applicants and 270 dependants), 38% of the 5,070

Top 10 asylum removal nationalities (principal applicants) Q2 2006
Iraq 690
Turkey 480
Serbia & Montenegro 310
Afghanistan 265
Pakistan 240
Sri Lanka 210
Iran 195
Nigeria 190
Albania 140
India 125
Other nationalities 1,645
Total 4,480

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Detention passes the 2,500 mark
Detention continues to rise: 2,540 persons were record as being in detention of whom 1,825 were asylum seekers a 12% increase on the previous quarter.

Asylum detainees as at 24 June 2006: 1,825 detainees who had claimed asylum at some stage

* As at 24 June 2006, 1,825 persons who had sought asylum at some stage were being detained in the UK solely under Immigration Act powers. This accounted for 72% of all detainees (compared with 1,745 persons as at 25 March). This excludes persons detained in police cells and those detained under both criminal and immigration powers.

* 1,660 were held at Immigration Service Removal Centres, 45 at Immigration Short Term Holding Facilities and 120 at prison establishments.

* The nationalities accounting for the highest number of asylum detainees were Afghan (155), Turkish (140) and Chinese (135). 90% of asylum detainees as at 24 June 2006 were male.

* As at 24 June 2006, 15 people detained solely under Immigration Act powers were recorded as being less than 18 years old. 10 of these had been in detention for less than one month, and the remainder between one and two months.

Top 10 asylum detained nationalities Q2 2006
Afghanistan 155
Turkey 140
China 135
Eritrea 125
India 120
Nigeria 120
Pakistan 95
Sri Lanka 75
Jamaica 65
Iraq 60
Other nationalities 735
Total 1,825

55 asylum seekers had been detained for more than 12 months
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* Asylum Applications in Q2: 5,490, 15% lower than previous quarter

* The number of applications for asylum in the UK, excluding dependants, was 15% lower in Q2 (5,490) compared with Q1 (6,455), and 12% less than Q2 2005 (6,215).

* Including dependants, the number of applications to the UK decreased by 15% in Q2 (6,380) from Q1 (7,530).

* Including dependants, the number of applications to the rest of the EU15* fell by 20% in Q2 (30,585) from Q1 (38,335(R)).

Top 10 applicant nationalities Q2 2006
Afghanistan 580
China 535
Eritrea 535
Iran 495
Somalia 420
Zimbabwe 365
Pakistan 225
Nigeria 220
Sudan 180
India 175
Other nationalities 1,760
Total 5,490

* Afghan nationals accounted for the highest number of applications, 11% higher than Q1. Applications also increased in Q2 for nationals of China (18%).

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*The Family ILR Exercise, announced by the Home Secretary on 24 October 2003, allows certain asylum-seeking families who have been in the UK for four or more years to stay. To qualify, the main applicant of the family unit must have applied for asylum before 2 October 2000 and must have had at least one dependant aged under 18 (other than a spouse) in the UK on 2 October 2000 or 24 October 2003.

The exercise will not apply to a family where the principal applicant or any of the dependants

* have a criminal conviction;

* have been subject of an anti-social behaviour order or sex offender order;

* have made (or attempted to make) an application for asylum in the UK in more than one identity;

* should have their asylum claim considered by another country (i.e. they are the subject of a possible third country removal);

* present a risk to security;

* fall within the scope of Article 1F of the Refugee Convention; or

* whose presence in the UK is otherwise not conducive to the public good. Statistics for the Family ILR Exercise are cumulative from the start of the exercise (i.e. 24 October 2003). It is therefore not necessarily meaningful to compare statistics for the exercise with other asylum statistics.

End of Bulletin:

Source for this Message:
Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND)