Refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Refugees by country of asylum was 515,677 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom, 1951–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom is 515,677 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 14.9% on the previous year and up 339.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom peaked at 515,677 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 39,755 people, in 1988.
That places United Kingdom 16th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 208,000 people | — |
| 1952 | 200,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1953 | 192,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1954 | 182,000 people | -5.2% |
| 1955 | 175,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1956 | 182,000 people | +4.0% |
| 1957 | 179,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1958 | 175,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1959 | 170,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1960 | 167,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1961 | 164,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1962 | 160,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1963 | 157,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1964 | 160,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 170,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1966 | 167,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1967 | 164,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1968 | 161,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1969 | 162,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 162,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 150,000 people | -7.4% |
| 1972 | 150,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 150,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 155,500 people | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 153,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 153,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 148,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 150,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 146,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 148,000 people | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 146,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 143,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 140,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 135,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 135,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 100,000 people | -25.9% |
| 1987 | 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 39,755 people | -60.2% |
| 1989 | 46,014 people | +15.7% |
| 1990 | 43,625 people | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 43,368 people | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 64,717 people | +49.2% |
| 1993 | 80,230 people | +24.0% |
| 1994 | 85,159 people | +6.1% |
| 1995 | 90,908 people | +6.8% |
| 1996 | 98,577 people | +8.4% |
| 1997 | 107,933 people | +9.5% |
| 1998 | 121,715 people | +12.8% |
| 1999 | 148,921 people | +22.4% |
| 2000 | 186,247 people | +25.1% |
| 2001 | 233,389 people | +25.3% |
| 2002 | 260,687 people | +11.7% |
| 2003 | 276,482 people | +6.1% |
| 2004 | 298,826 people | +8.1% |
| 2005 | 303,163 people | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 301,537 people | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 299,696 people | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 292,076 people | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 269,350 people | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 238,128 people | -11.6% |
| 2011 | 193,489 people | -18.7% |
| 2012 | 149,782 people | -22.6% |
| 2013 | 126,036 people | -15.9% |
| 2014 | 117,226 people | -7.0% |
| 2015 | 123,051 people | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 118,973 people | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 121,821 people | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 126,708 people | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 133,083 people | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 132,304 people | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 137,078 people | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 328,989 people | +140.0% |
| 2023 | 448,620 people | +36.4% |
| 2024 | 515,677 people | +14.9% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 515,677 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 51.2× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 515,677 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68,603 people, 7.5× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +140.0% | 137,078 people | 328,989 people |
| 1988 | -60.2% | 100,000 people | 39,755 people |
| 1992 | +49.2% | 43,368 people | 64,717 people |
| 2023 | +36.4% | 328,989 people | 448,620 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 184,778 people | 170,000 people | 208,000 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 163,200 people | 157,000 people | 170,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 151,750 people | 146,000 people | 162,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 113,277 people | 39,755 people | 148,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 88,515 people | 43,368 people | 148,921 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 272,145 people | 186,247 people | 303,163 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 144,830 people | 117,226 people | 238,128 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 312,534 people | 132,304 people | 515,677 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 13 Jordan 643,641 people compare
- 14 Kenya 604,257 people compare
- 15 Democratic Republic of Congo 517,404 people compare
- 17 South Sudan 514,794 people compare
- 18 United States 435,333 people compare
- 19 Spain 429,333 people compare
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom?
- Refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom was 515,677 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 515,677 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 39,755 people in 1988.
- How does United Kingdom rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- United Kingdom ranks 16th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 339.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.