Asylum Applications from main applicants increased by 38% to 34,687 in the year ending March 2016, the highest number of applications since the year ending September 2004 (36,305). The largest number of applications for asylum came from nationals of Iran (4,305), followed by Eritrea (3,321), Iraq (2,805), Sudan (2,769), Pakistan (2,669) and Syria (2,539). Including dependants, the number of asylum applications increased by 30% to 41,563 in the year ending March 2016. There was around 1 dependant for every 5 main applicants.

Most applications for asylum are made by people already in the country (91% of applications in the year ending March 2016) rather than immediately on arrival in the UK at a port. In 2014, two-thirds (66%) of applicants were male and over three-quarters (78%) of applicants were aged under 35.

In the year ending March 2016, the number of initial decisions on asylum applications increased by 3% to 26,618. Of these decisions, 40% (10,549) were grants of asylum or an alternative form of protection, the same proportion as the previous year. A separate Home Office analysis shows that for the years 2011 to 2013, 32% of decisions were granted initially, with this proportion rising to 45% after appeal.

Estimated figures show the UK had the ninth highest number (42,000) of asylum applications within the EU in the year ending March 2016, including dependants. Germany (562,000), Sweden (159,000) and Hungary (142,000) were the three EU countries that received the highest number of asylum applications, together accounting for 62% of asylum applications in the EU in that period. In the year ending March 2016, the largest number of applications for asylum came from nationals of Iran (4,305), followed by Eritrea (3,321), Iraq (2,805), Sudan (2,769), Pakistan (2,669) and Syria (2,539). In the same period, asylum applications from Iraqi nationals more than quadrupled to 2,805, from 695 in the year ending March 2015. Including dependants, the total number of asylum applications to the European Union in the year ending March 2016 was an estimated 1,392,000. This is more than double the number in the year ending March 2015 (684,000).

Resettlement: In addition to those asylum seekers who apply in the UK, resettlement schemes are offered to those who have been referred to the Home Office by UNHCR (the UN agency for refugees). In the year ending March 2016, a total of 2,441 people were resettled in the UK through this process. Of these, 1,667 were also granted humanitarian protection under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS). In the year ending March 2016, 49% (824) of those resettled under the Syrian VPRS were under 18 years old, and 49% (818) were female.

Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Child (UASC) is a person under 18, or who, in the absence of documentary evidence establishing age, appears to be under that age, is applying for asylum in his or her own right and has no relative or guardian in the United Kingdom. There were 3,206 asylum applications from UASC in the year ending March 2016, a 57% rise compared to the year ending March 2015 (2,046). Overall, UASC applications represented 9% of all main applications for asylum. Despite the recent increase in UASC applications, they remain below the peak of 4,060 in the year ending September 2008. The nationalities that lodged the highest numbers of UASC applications in the UK were Afghan (709), Eritrean (645) then Albanian (425). These three countries contributed to more than half (55%) of total applications. There were 1,982 initial decisions for UASC in the year ending March 2016, 19% higher than the previous year (1,671). Of these, 73% were grants, compared with 67% in the year ending March 2015.

Outcome for Asylum Applications: Of the 25,033 main applicants who applied for asylum in 2014, 20,585 initial decisions had been made as at August 2015 when the statistics were compiled, including 9,230 grants and 11,355 refusals. A total of 8,436 appeals were lodged against decisions made on applications from 2014. Of these, 42% (3,553) were dismissed, 19% (1,635) were granted asylum or another form of protection and 38% were either withdrawn or the outcome was unknown at the time the statistics were compiled.

The outcomes for the 2014 cohort, as with previous years, will be updated in subsequent annual reports. However, , as at August 2015, it is estimated that 10,865 (43%) main applicants had been granted asylum, humanitarian protection or discretionary leave either at initial decision or after appeal; 8,634 (34%) had been refused; and around a fifth (22%; 5,534) were awaiting confirmation of an initial decision.

Support Provided to Asylum Seekers: At the end of March 2016, 35,683 asylum seekers and their dependants were being supported in the UK under Section 95 (either in supported accommodation or receiving subsistence only support), compared with 30,476 at the end of March 2015. Although this number has risen since 2012, the figure remains considerably below that for the end of 2003 (the start of the published data series), when there were 80,123 asylum seekers in receipt of Section 95 support.

Applications Pending: At the end of March 2016, 26,492 applications (received since April 2006) from main applicants were pending a decision (initial decision, appeal or further review), 22% more than at the end of March 2015 (21,651). The number pending an initial decision for more than 6 months increased by 62% (from 3,127 to 5,059) while those pending further review decreased by 16% to 7,364.

Asylum appeals: The HM Courts and Tribunals Service received 12,799 asylum appeals from main applicants in the year ending March 2016, a 15% rise compared with the previous year (11,082). Appeal determinations have increased from 6,885 in the year ending March 2015 to 8,847 in the year ending March 2016. These figures remain below the peaks in the number of appeals and the number of determinations in the year ending June 2010, which were 16,560 and 16,032 respectively. In the year ending March 2016, the proportion of determined appeals that were dismissed was 56%, while 39% of appeals were allowed and 5% were withdrawn.

Age Disputes: Some asylum applicants claim to be children but there may be doubts as to whether this is in fact the case. In the year ending March 2016, 954 asylum applicants had their age disputed and 843 were recorded as having an age assessment. Of those who completed age assessments in the year ending March 2016, 69% were assessed to be over 18, despite claiming to be a child when the age dispute was raised.

Dependants: Including dependants, the number of asylum applications increased by 30% from 32,036 in the year ending March 2015 to 41,563 in the year ending March 2016. This is an average of 1 dependant for every 5 main applicants. In the same period, 7,095 initial decisions were made relating to dependants. Of these 1,861 (26%) were grants of asylum, or an alternative form of protection, and 5,234 (74%) were refusals.

People Entering Detention: The number of people entering detention in year ending March 2016 increased by 4% to 32,163 from 30,902 in the previous year.

Over the same period there was an 8% increase in those people leaving detention (from 30,326 to 32,610). There was a continuing decline in the proportion of detainees being removed or voluntarily departing the UK on leaving detention in the year ending March 2015 of 51% to 45% in year ending March 2016. Conversely, there was an increase in the proportion of detainees granted temporary admission or release (TA/TR), from 39% to 44%.

As at the end of March 2016, 2,925 people were in detention, 16% lower than the number recorded at the end of March 2015 (3,483). The fall may be partially attributed to the closure of Haslar IRC in April 2015 and Dover IRC in October 2015, and changes to the detained fast track asylum process, as well as changes in the numbers of people requiring detention.

People Leaving Detention by Nationality: In the year ending March 2016, 32,610 people left detention. Pakistani nationals accounted for the highest number of people leaving (3,302), a decrease of 25% compared with year ending March 2015 (4,409). EU nationals leaving detention: 3,913 nationals of the European Union left detention in year ending March 2016, 41% more than in year ending March 2015 (2,779). The largest number was of Romanian nationals (1,162; 4% of the total of all nationalities leaving detention). The second and third largest groups were Polish nationals (986; 3% of the total) and Lithuanian nationals (570; 2% of the total).

The proportion of EU nationals being removed or voluntarily departing the UK on leaving detention in year ending March 2016 was 89%, compared with 39% for non EU nationals.

Reasons for People Leaving Detention: There was a continuing decline in the proportion of detainees being removed or voluntarily departing the UK on leaving detention, from the most recent peak in the year ending March 2011 of 64% to 45% in year ending March 2016. Conversely, there was an increase in the proportion of detainees granted temporary admission or release, from 28% to 44%, and an increase in the proportion of detainees granted bail, from 6% to 9%, over the same period. Information from a one-off exercise on people removed or who voluntarily departed from the UK on leaving detention, by removal or departure type can be found in Immigration Statistics October to December 2015, detention topic. In 2015, of the 15,086 people removed on leaving detention, 70% were enforced removals, 19% were refused entry at port and subsequently removed and 10% left voluntarily.

Length of Detention: During year ending March 2016, 32,610 people left detention. Of these, 63% had been in detention for less than 29 days, 18% for between 29 days and two months and 11% for between two and four months. Of the 2,325 (7%) remaining, 249 had been in detention for between one and two years and 43 for two years or longer. In the same period over a third (36%) of people leaving detention had been detained for seven days or less (11,635). Of these, 49% (5,748) were granted temporary admission or release, 48% (5,593) were removed, and the remaining 3% were bailed (72) or granted leave to enter or remain (51). Of the 292 detained for 12 months or more, 38% were removed, 35% were bailed and 24% were granted temporary admission or release.

Children in Detention: The number of children entering detention in year ending March 2016 was 110, 24% lower than the previous year (144). This was a 90% fall compared with the beginning of the data series in 2009 (1,119). Of the 113 children leaving detention in year ending March 2016, 33 were removed from the UK and 77 were granted temporary admission or temporary release. Of those leaving detention, 104 had been detained for seven days or less, two for between 8 and 14 days, four for between 15 and 28 days, two for between 29 days and 2 months and one for over 3 months. There were no children in detention as at 31 March 2016.

Immigration Detainees in Prisons: As at 28 March 2016, there were 363 detainees held in prison establishments in England and Wales solely under immigration powers as set out in the Immigration Act 1971 or UK Borders Act 2007.

Hunger Strikes in Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) Q1 2016

Self-Harm in Immigration Detention Jan/Feb/Mar 2016

Number of individuals at risk of self-harm Jan/Feb/Mar 2016

20 longest recorded lengths of detention under Immigration Act powers, by gender, as at 31 March 2016

Enforced Removals from the UK decreased by 8% to 11,637 in year ending March 2016 compared with the previous 12 month period (12,661).
In the year ending March 2016, there were 13,193 enforced returns. This includes 11,637 enforced removals and 1,556 other returns from detention.
The number of passengers refused entry at port and who subsequently departed has increased by 9% in year ending March 2016, to 17,752 from 16,302 in year ending March 2015. The number of passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departing has been increasing slowly since 2012.

In the year ending March 2016, provisional data show there were 5,692 returns of foreign national offenders (FNOs), using enforcement powers or via deportation. This was an 8% increase on the previous year (5,277).

Asylum and Non-Asylum Enforced Removals: In the year ending March 2016, there were 2,811 enforced removals of people who had previously sought asylum, down 36% from the previous year (4,383). This figure is 76% lower than the peak in 2004 (11,743) when this data series began. This long-term decrease in the enforced removal of those who had sought asylum reflects the lower number of asylum applications since 2002. Of the 11,637 total enforced removals, 76% were non-asylum cases (8,826), up from the previous year (8,278) but down from the peak of 10,070 in 2008.

Returns by Nationality: The highest number of enforced removals in the year ending March 2016 was for Albanian nationals (1,288; 11% of the total) who have also shown the largest increase (+296; +30%) compared to the previous 12 months. The second highest was for Romanian nationals (1,169; 10% of the total) some of which may relate to specific enforcement activity related to groups of individuals from these countries who have also shown the third largest increase (+255; +28%).

The highest largest number of passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departed was for were United States nationals (1,755; 10% of the total), who have also shown although their number also showed the largest decrease compared with the previous year (-263; -13%). United States citizens (and Brazilian nationals, (thenationals, the fourth largest number) nationals who are not coming to the UK for work or for 6 months or more do not need to apply for, and be issued with, a visa prior to arrival. Therefore the first time that they can be refused entry will therefore be on arrival in the UK.

The second highest largest number was for were nationals of Iraq (1,207; 7% of the total) who were also the nationality recording which was also the largest increase compared with the previous year (+1,130; +1,468%). The large increase of in Iraqi nationals refused entry at the border and subsequently removed may be related to higher than average levels of refusals for asylum and visa applications associated with this nationality. In addition, Border Force have been working closely with the French authorities to reinforce security and support traffic flow at the juxtaposed ports since June 2015, which may have also resulted in an increase in the number of those refused at the border.

The highest number of voluntary returns in the year ending March 2016 was for Indian nationals (6,920; 25% of the total), which also showed the largest increase (+596; +9%), and the second highest number was for Pakistani nationals (3,677; 13% of the total). Chinese nationals showed the largest decrease compared with the previous year (-225; -11%) followed by United Arab Emirates nationals (-103; -70%).

For nationals of the European Union there were 25% more enforced removals (4,019) in the year ending March 2016 compared with the previous 12 months (3,218); 27% more passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departed (1,935 compared to 1,526); and 41% more voluntary returns (695 compared to 492). Increases in returns of EU nationals are accounted for by the return of more criminals people convicted of criminal offences and those not exercising their Treaty Rights.

Returns by ‘Harm’ Assessment: The A harm matrix was introduced in 2007 for monitoring the Public Service Agreement (PSA) that then and was applied introduced to measure performance assess whether the Home Office was in removing the most harmful people first. However, interest in this topic remains despite PSAs being abolished; ‘higher harm’ assessments include people who have committed serious criminal and immigration offences. More information on the harm matrix is available in the User Guide to Home Office Immigration Statistics. In the year ending March 2016, 11,637 enforced removals and 28,236 voluntary returns were subject to an assessment for a harm rating, of which 20% (2,346) and 1% (195) respectively were assessed as ‘highest harm’. This is compared to the previous year, with 16% (1,965) of total enforced removals and 1% (204) of total voluntary returns being assessed as ‘highest harm’.

Foreign National Offenders: The Home Office also removes foreign national offenders (FNOs) using enforcement powers or via deportation. In the year ending March 2016, provisional data show that 5,692 FNOs were returned, an 8% increase on the previous year (5,277). This number has been steadily increasing since the year ending March 2013 (4,720) and is now the highest number since the series began in 2009.

1. Number of males removed   438

2. Number of females removed   23

3. Number of escorts    875

4. Number of flights in total   10

5.  Destination Countries        
      Albania                 4 Flights             190 Returnees
      Nigeria/Ghana     2 Flights              78   Returnees
      Pakistan                4 Flights             193  Returnees

No children were removed on any of the flights

Source Freedom of Information request by ‘No-Deportations;