UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Net migration to the UK falls 69% to 204,000 in a year, the lowest annual increase since 2021, amid fewer arrivals for work and study.
As reported by The Independent, new ONS data shows UK net migration dropped by 445,000 in the year to June, as fewer people arrived for work or study.
What did ONS say about UK net migration falling to its lowest since 2021?
The Office for National Statistics says net migration to the UK fell to around 204,000 in the year to June, marking a 69% drop compared with the previous year and the lowest level since 2021.
Since peaking in 2023, net migration to Britain has been on a downward trend, with ONS projections revealing 944,000 people were added to the population in the year ending March 2023.
According to updated figures released last week, net migration to the UK reached a higher peak than previously estimated and has since dropped sharply.
New data released Thursday showed that 204,000 people were added to the UK population in the year to June 2025, falling about two-thirds from the 649,000 recorded in June 2024.
The sharp drop in net migration has been driven largely by a decline in non-EU arrivals, while EU and British citizens continue to leave the country at higher rates.
New ONS projections reveal that around 70,000 EU nationals left the UK in the year to June, continuing a decline since the Brexit referendum, while some 109,000 British nationals also departed.
The Home Office reports that 36,273 asylum seekers were living in hotels at the end of September, marking a 13% increase since June.
What did Shabana Mahmood say about falling net migration?
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated,
“Net migration is at its lowest level in half a decade and has fallen by more than two-thirds under this government.”
She added,
“But we are going further because the pace and scale of migration has placed immense pressure on local communities. Last week, I announced reforms to our migration system to ensure that those who come here must contribute and put in more than they take out.”
What did Sunder Katwala say about net migration falling and the political debate?
Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, said,
“Net migration is falling, with today’s figures likely to show another drop towards pre-Brexit levels of around 300,000 – yet our political debate hasn’t caught up. As numbers move closer to ‘normal’ levels, politicians can’t just keep competing over who will cut them further.”
He added,
“The risk for Keir Starmer’s government, which is promising to get a grip on numbers, is that constant crisis messaging only reinforces the public belief that asylum and immigration are out of control.”
What did the latest survey reveal about public views on immigration policy?
The new research showed that government plans to restrict settlement and benefits for migrants are stricter than most of the public would prefer.
The survey reveals that half of the respondents (50%) believe migrants in graduate-level jobs should become eligible for settlement within five years, while 53% say mid-skilled workers should wait less than 10 years.
According to the latest survey, 56% of people are dissatisfied with the government’s handling of immigration, up from 48% last summer but still lower than the 69% recorded under the previous Conservative government in February 2024.
Among those dissatisfied, nearly three-quarters (73%) said the primary reason is,
“The government is not doing enough to stop migrant channel crossings.”
The other major reasons given are
“being too generous to migrants/asylum seekers (65%) and allowing too many people to claim asylum in Britain (63%).”
How many illegal migrants are there in the UK?
There were 49,341 detected irregular arrivals to the UK in the 12 months to June 2025, which is a 27% increase from the previous year. The vast majority of these arrivals (88%, or 43,309 people) came to the UK via small boats crossing the English Channel.
More than half of the detected irregular arrivals were from five nationalities: Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Sudan, and Syria. Afghans were the most common nationality among small boat arrivals.
Which changes are coming to the UK immigration system?
Shabana Mahmood, under the leadership of the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, has made the following changes to the UK’s immigration system:
- The settlement period for migrants is now 10 years.
- Benefits-dependent migrants face a 20-year wait.
- Illegal migrants may wait up to 30 years to settle.
- NHS workers and top talent can settle faster.
- Settlement requires work, good character, and integration.
- Immediate family and some visa holders keep a 5-year route.
- The Earned Settlement model focuses on character, contribution, integration, and residence.