The UK immigration statistics for 2019 have been published, and they show that more than half of all initial decisions made on asylum claims resulted in grants of asylum or other protection. Many more were also successful on appeal, meaning that most people claiming asylum in this country last year were able to prove that they had a very real reason to flee their homes and a genuine need for safety and protection. There was also an increase in the number of asylum claims in the UK, perhaps unsurprising considering the record numbers of people displaced worldwide. The key statistics include:
- 35,566 people claimed asylum in the UK in 2019 (excluding dependents), an increase of 21% on 2018
- 52% of all initial decisions made in 2019 resulted in grants of asylum, humanitarian protection or other form of leave to remain
- 44% of appeal decisions were successful (up from 40% in 2018), suggesting many initial asylum decisions are not correct
- 79% of decisions on applications from unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASCs) resulted in some form of protection
- 52% of those awaiting an initial decision have had to wait for more than six months
- 19,353 refugees have now been resettled in the UK under the government’s Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) – we are proud that Suffolk has played a part in this
- 7,083 family reunion visas were granted in 2019 (up 24% compared to 2018), although this remains a restrictive route to protection
