Hajra Naz
In 2024, more Pakistanis applied for asylum in the UK than any other nationality. They even passed countries like Afghanistan, Syria, and Iran.
This shows a big change in who is coming to the UK and why.
The number of asylum seekers is rising fast. Last year, over 84,000 people applied. That’s more than three times the yearly average from 2011 to 2020.
The UK’s system is struggling to keep up. Many people are still waiting for a decision.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government is talking to other countries about setting up offshore return centers. These centers would take people whose asylum requests were denied.
By the end of 2024, there were 224,700 asylum cases still open. About 87,200 of them were waiting for a first decision. The rest were appeals or follow-ups after being refused.
Read More: Government Bans Passport Issuance for Deported Pakistanis
Even though the numbers dropped a bit since 2022, they are still four times higher than in 2014.
The rejection rate has also changed. In 2024, 53% of first-time asylum requests were rejected. That’s up from 24% in 2022 but still lower than 88% back in 2004.
Most people who get rejected try to appeal. About 75% file appeals, and one-third of them win.
The UK has also increased deportations. Over 9,000 people were sent back in 2024 — a 36% increase from the year before.
Another major issue is people crossing the English Channel in small boats. Since 2018, around 148,000 people have made that dangerous journey. Most of them asked for asylum.
That route alone makes up almost one-third of all asylum applications in recent years.
So far in 2025, over 13,000 migrants have already crossed the Channel. That’s more than this time last year. The crisis isn’t slowing down.
