UK Records 111,000 Asylum Applications, 32,000 in Temporary Accommodation

Britain has recorded a historic high of 111,084 asylum applications in the year ending June 2025, marking a 14 percent increase from the previous year and surpassing the previous peak of 103,000 set in 2002. Nearly 39 percent of applicants arrived via small boats crossing the English Channel, with an additional 11 percent entering clandestinely, such as hidden in lorries. The surge in asylum seekers has led to a rise in the number housed in temporary accommodations, with over 32,000 individuals currently placed in hotels, an 8 percent increase year-on-year. This influx has sparked widespread protests and legal challenges, including a High Court injunction ordering the removal of asylum seekers from a hotel in Essex, and ongoing resistance from councils across the political spectrum. The issue remains politically contentious, with Labour councils considering legal action against the government's hotel housing policies, while Conservative leaders call for stronger measures against irregular migration. The top nationalities arriving via small boats include Afghans, Eritreans, Iranians, and Syrians, highlighting ongoing migration pressures faced by the UK government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer's administration.