Press Story

IPPR has responded to today’s migration and asylum statistics from the ONS and the Home Office which reveal that:

Net migration in the year ending June 2024 was 728,000, a drop of 178,000 compared to a year earlier. However, revisions to the previous figures by the ONS mean that estimates of recent levels of net migration are higher than previously thought, reaching a peak of 906,000 in the year ending June 2023. Net migration is expected to fall further in the next release, in particular due to falling numbers of health and care visas and student dependants.

The asylum backlog at the end of September 2024 was 97,170, 13 per cent higher than at the end of June 2024. This is in part driven by the seasonal pattern of small boat arrivals which tends to see large numbers of applications over the summer. While the pace of decision-making is expected to increase under the policies of the new government, there are still a large number of people in asylum accommodation, including 35,651 in hotels.

The number of small boat arrivals continues at a high rate. There were 25,244 arrivals in Jan-Sep 2024. The most common nationalities of arrivals were Afghan, Vietnamese, Iranian, Syrian and Eritrean.

Responding to the migration statistics, Marley Morris, IPPR associate director for migration, trade and communities, said: 

“Net migration is coming down from record highs as the previous government’s policies start to bite. We expect a further substantial fall in the next set of figures. But revisions to earlier estimates mean that last year’s peak in net migration is even higher than previously thought, at just over 900,000.

“The new government faces a tough set of choices on immigration. Further cuts to numbers could be challenging for recruitment in key sectors such as social care, as well as university finances. It will need a clear framework to work through these choices and manage the potential impacts.” 

On the asylum figures, Lucy Mort, IPPR senior research fellow, said:

“The government has inherited an asylum system in disarray. It has taken a vital first step in clearing the asylum backlog by fixing the block on processing caused by the previous government’s Illegal Migration Act. But the backlog is still too high and the costs of asylum accommodation are eye-watering.

"Wholesale asylum reform is needed. The government should reintroduce an improved streamlined asylum processing to help clear the backlog. And it should develop a new locally and regionally led approach to asylum accommodation to bring hotel use down, improve the quality of living conditions, and support community cohesion.”

ENDS

Marley Morris, associate director for migration at IPPR, and Amreen Qureshi, research fellow at IPPR, are available for interview

CONTACT

Liam Evans, Senior Digital and Media Officer: 07419 365 334 l.evans@ippr.org

Georgia Horsfall, Digital and Media Officer: 07931 605 737 g.horsfall@ippr.org

NOTES TO EDITORS

IPPR’s report ‘Transforming asylum accommodation’ sets out how ending outsourcing and empowering regional bodies can cut costs and improve conditions - https://www.ippr.org/articles/transforming-asylum-accommodation
IPPR (the Institute for Public Policy Research) is an independent charity working towards a fairer, greener, and more prosperous society. We are researchers, communicators, and policy experts creating tangible progressive change, and turning bold ideas into common sense realities. Working across the UK, IPPR, IPPR North, and IPPR Scotland are deeply connected to the people of our nations and regions, and the issues our communities face. We have helped shape national conversations and progressive policy change for more than 30 years. From making the early case for the minimum wage and tackling regional inequality, to proposing a windfall tax on energy companies, IPPR’s research and policy work has put forward practical solutions for the crises facing society. www.ippr.org