Home Office

Many visa routes, such as those for family and skilled work, are intended to allow a path to settlement in the UK. Other routes, such as those for study and temporary work, are intended for visa holders to be able to come to the UK for a specific, time-bound purpose, and therefore do not count towards the qualifying period for settlement.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on initial decisions on asylum claims by nationality is published in table Asy_D02 of the 'Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets' and data on asylum-related returns by nationality is published in Ret_04 of the ‘Returns summary tables’.

Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of each workbook. The latest data relates to the year ending June 2024.

Data up to September 2024 will be released on 28 November 2024. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

The Home Office also publishes data on asylum appeals by nationality in tables Asy_D06 and Asy_D07 of the ‘Asylum appeals lodged and determined detailed datasets’. Appeals data for April 2023 onwards is not available due to ongoing work on a new case working system. Updated data will be included in a future edition of the Immigration System Statistics release.

The government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly, and fairly including reducing the use of hotels over time. Additionally, the government will be reviewing current Home Office arrangements to ensure efficiency and deliver value for money.

Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Home Office remains committed to engaging with local authorities and key stakeholders as part of the process to accommodate asylum seekers.

The government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly, and fairly including reducing the use of hotels over time. Additionally, the government will be reviewing current Home Office arrangements to ensure efficiency and deliver value for money.

Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Home Office remains committed to engaging with local authorities and key stakeholders as part of the process to accommodate asylum seekers.

The financial requirements for the Family Immigration Rules include the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) which is currently set at £29,000 and is intended to maintain the economic wellbeing of the UK whilst respecting family life.

The Home Secretary has announced her intention to commission the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules. Conducting a review of the financial requirements across the family routes will ensure we have a clear and consistent system.

There will be no changes to the current threshold of £29,000, or the ways in which the MIR can be met, until the MAC review is complete.

This government understands the devastating impact terrorism has on individuals and their families and is determined to make sure victims and survivors receive the support they deserve

Since October 2020, the government has funded support services to provide practical and emotional support to victims and survivors of attacks. The services include a 24/7 support line, mental health assessments and referrals and access to long-term peer support networks.

The Home Office has reviewed the support provisions and is considering options for future improvements.

Overseas students who successfully complete an eligible course in the UK are entitled to remain on a graduate visa for two years after their studies end, or three for PHDs, to work, live and contribute to society.

The Home Office keeps visa fees under review but has no current plans to reduce fees for overseas graduates. The Home Office does not make a profit from fees and any income from fees set above the cost of processing are utilised for the purpose of running the Migration and Borders system. Taking this approach helps to meet the costs of maintaining an effective Migration and Borders system which benefits everyone.

The Government have also been clear that net migration is too high and must be reduced. Employers are encouraged to look to the domestic labour market to nurture and develop the skills they need where they can.

Overseas students who successfully complete an eligible course in the UK are entitled to remain on a graduate visa for two years after their studies end, or three for PHDs, to work, live and contribute to society.

The Home Office keeps visa fees under review but has no current plans to reduce fees for overseas graduates. The Home Office does not make a profit from fees and any income from fees set above the cost of processing are utilised for the purpose of running the Migration and Borders system. Taking this approach helps to meet the costs of maintaining an effective Migration and Borders system which benefits everyone.

The Government have also been clear that net migration is too high and must be reduced. Employers are encouraged to look to the domestic labour market to nurture and develop the skills they need where they can.

For the safety and security of those we accommodate and our staff, the Home Office does not comment publicly on sites which may or may not be utilised to accommodate asylum seekers. Should a decision be made to use a site then the local MP will be notified in writing.

There have been 31 tragedies, since August 2019, where 97 people are confirmed to have died and at least 14 people have been reported as missing at sea, presumed dead, as a result of or linked to attempting these dangerous crossings.

Numbers of fatalities

A total of eight minors are reported to have died in the fatal incidents that have occurred this year. Prior to this, the only known minor fatalities occurred as a result of an incident in October 2020 when an entire family group, including 3 children, died following the capsizing of a migrant vessel.

Almost all fatalities have occurred in French Territorial Waters (TTW). There has been one incident (on 14 December 2022), involving the deaths of 4 people, which undoubtedly took place within UK TTW. However, an earlier tragedy – the loss of 27 people in a single incident in November 2021 – was proven after investigation to have partially occurred within UK TTW. It is subject to an ongoing Art.2 Human Rights Inquiry led by Sir Ross Cranston.

In accordance with the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered.

Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in different areas is routinely published by the Government in table ASY D_11 here:

Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Home Office does not publish asylum support data disaggregated by method of arrival.

Individuals granted asylum have access to the labour market and to mainstream services that support their integration, including benefits and healthcare. We are working across Government to ensure these services meet the needs of all newly granted refugees.

Migrant Help or their partner organisation support all individuals when they receive a decision on their asylum claim.  This support includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing.

We continue to work with colleagues at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to understand rough sleeping and homelessness pressures within local authorities (LAs). In our continued commitment to supporting LAs and statutory partners in planning for move on, we have shared enhanced data sets (The Place Based Visibility tool - PBVT) which we are continuing to develop further. The PBVT is complimented by the Discontinuation Prediction Tool (DPT) which is shared weekly; this data provides real time view of discontinuation notices likely to be served in the next following 4-6 weeks and the volume of people (including whether it is families, single males or single females) who may seek LA assistance following a positive decision.

Where a decision is made on an individual's asylum claim, the Asylum Accommodation Support Contract (AASC) provider notifies the relevant local authority within 2 days of notification by the Home Office.

The level of risk for LGBT+ individuals within immigration detention is subject to ongoing monitoring. As set out in Detention Services Order 02/2016 ‘Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Detainees in the Detention Estate’, Immigration Removal Centre suppliers undertake regular equality monitoring and trend analysis for residents with protected characteristics.

The Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly, and is reviewing the current arrangements for accommodation to ensure efficiency and value for money, including reducing the use of hotels.

The Government’s first duty is to protect our national security and keep our country safe. We keep potential threats to the UK under constant review and, where necessary, we use all the tools at our disposal to mitigate these threats including at the border and those seeking to enter the UK through irregular means.

As a matter of long-standing policy, we do not comment on the detail of security and intelligence issues.

The DBS measures its progress using a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) and targets agreed by its Board. The KPIs are grouped into four themes: quality, timeliness, value for money, and people. There is a strong focus on the quality and timeliness of its products and services as these are the issues that customers tell DBS are important to them and it is these that ensure the DBS supports the safeguarding of vulnerable groups including children, as effectively as possible. The 2024/25 DBS Business Plan can be viewed at: DBS business plan: 2024-25 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The most recent quarterly datasets showing statistics against internal performance standards can be viewed at: DBS dataset 1: DBS checks, the DBS Update Service, and disputes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The data applies to DBS checks, the Update Service, and disputes.

British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) status holders may apply for a BN(O) visa which entitles them and their dependent family members to reside in the UK. After completing 5 years’ qualifying residence in the UK, and being free from immigration time restrictions for a further year, BN(O) visa holders and their dependent family members may apply for British citizenship.

The findings of the independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Telford exposed shocking cases of the most vulnerable in our society being abused and let down by adults who were supposed to protect them. The Government recognises the important role local inquiries like this, and others in Rotherham, Oldham and elsewhere, play in improving our response to child sexual abuse and exploitation.

The report of the independent inquiry in Telford did not make any direct recommendations for national government. However, we review the findings of all local inquiries, and other reports such as the Final Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and HMICFRS’ inspection of policing’s response to group-based child sexual exploitation, to ensure we are constantly reviewing and updating national policies.

At a national level, the Government continues to drive national action to better safeguard children, provide support and care to victims and survivors, and ensure perpetrators face the full force of the law. This includes funding the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce, which is giving practical, expert, on the ground support for local forces investigating child sexual abuse, with a focus on complex and organised child sexual exploitation; and the Tackling Organised Exploitation programme, which is helping forces to uncover more of this offending.

As you know, I have had contact with Telford survivors and will ensure that their voices are part of any future progress.

His Majesty’s Passport Office must satisfactorily complete its checks upon an applicant’s nationality, identity, and eligibility before a passport can be issued, and will request additional evidence as necessary to support the completion of these checks.

The evidence required will change depending upon individual circumstances, and whether it is an application for a first passport or a renewal. Further information about the information needed when applying for a first passport can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-adult-passport/what-documents-you-need-to-apply

The Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) target is to issue 85% of Basic checks within 2 days, 85% of Standard checks within 3 days, and 80% of Enhanced checks within 14 days.

DBS publishes its performance data every quarter. The most recent data for April to June 2024 records the following performance for all applications processed within England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man:

Basic check target attained with an average of 88.1%. The 85% target was met on day 2 and the average turnaround time was 0.7 days.

Standard check target attained with an average of 88.2%. The 85% target was met on day 3 and the average turnaround time was 1.4 days.

Enhanced check target not attained with an average of 75.1%. The 80% target was met on day 21 and the average turnaround time was 12.4 days.

The government is considering a range of appointments following the election. When there are appointments to announce, this will be done in the usual way.

The Government has committed to restoring confidence in policing, so it is vital that we rebuild the connection between the police and the communities they serve.

Research shows there is strong evidence that community engagement is important for building trust in the police and that higher visibility of local police increases public confidence, see for example the Home Office Public perceptions of policing: A review of research and literature.

That is why the Government has committed to strengthening neighbourhood policing as part of its Safer Streets Mission. We will be working with policing to introduce a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, restoring patrols to town centres, recruiting thousands of extra police officers, PCSOs and Special Constables, and providing every community with a named local officer to turn to.

Strong and consistent leadership is essential in ensuring high standards in police forces. In the absence of a permanent Chief Constable, regulations allow for an acting Chief Constable to be in place on an interim basis, in order to provide for consistency in leadership.

The recruitment of Chief Constables is a matter for locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). Schedule 8 to the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 sets out the requirements that PCCs must follow when appointing a Chief Constable. This includes a requirement for the local Police and Crime Panel to review and report on the proposed appointment, as well as the Panel’s right to veto the proposed appointment with a two-thirds majority. PCCs should use the national guidance set out by the College of Policing for appointing chief officers, which includes advice on encouraging applications and generating a strong and diverse pool of applicants.

The use of bleed control kits is determined at the local level and the Government does not provide specific funding for bleed control kits.

Where decisions have been made by police forces to deploy bleed control kits, these would have been done as part of their operational decision making, including how to allocate resources based on their local knowledge and experience.

The UK Government’s response to modern slavery and human trafficking is compliant with both domestic and international obligations, including those set out in the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (ECAT).

This response includes the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract (MSVCC) which identify and support victims respectively.

This Government is committed to tackling modern slavery and human trafficking, in line with our international and domestic legal obligations. I will update on future policies in due course and am committed to taking an approach that puts victims first.

Tackling the illegal sales of knives online is a very important part of the Government’s mission to make our streets safer and reduce knife crime we will make further announcements in due course about our review into this area.

Certain sections of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 are currently being reviewed by the Government in line with commitments made in Parliament when the Act was passed. In addition, the entirety of the Act will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny. This usually occurs between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent.

The Home Secretary, alongside others, has received a Prevention of Future Deaths report from the Senior Coroner for Surrey regarding the deaths at Epsom College in February 2023. The Government will be responding to the Coroner’s recommendations in due course.

The Home Secretary, alongside others, has received a Prevention of Future Deaths report from the Senior Coroner for Surrey regarding the deaths at Epsom College in February 2023. The Government will be responding to the Coroner’s recommendations in due course.

The Government is committed to tackling all forms of modern slavery; ensuring that victims, regardless of their nationality and immigration status, are provided with the support they need to begin rebuilding their lives and that those responsible are prosecuted.

The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the UK’s framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery, of all nationalities, and ensuring they receive the appropriate support. If a First Responder thinks that modern slavery has taken place, the individual should be referred to the NRM so that the relevant competent authority can fully consider the case in line with the published Statutory Guidance. If an adult potential victim does not consent to entering the NRM, the first responder must notify the Home Office (in England and Wales) via a Duty to Notify (DtN) report.

The statistics for the NRM are published quarterly here: National Referral Mechanism statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

It is vital that the police can capture data relating to non-crime hate incidents when it is proportionate and necessary to help prevent serious crimes which may later occur.

We are carefully considering how best to protect individuals and communities from hate whilst balancing the need to protect the fundamental right to free speech, and ensuring the police can spend their time dealing with issues that matter most to communities.

We will set out next steps in due course.

The Government is committed to rolling out a network of Young Futures Hubs which will bring together local services to improve the delivery of support for young people at risk of being drawn into crime or facing mental health challenges.

We will require input and expertise from across the sector to design these hubs and will be engaging with local communities, the police, charities and other key partners over the coming weeks to seek views on the design of the programme and explore options for their delivery. This will include considerations around their location and how best to engage with those young people who would benefit most from the support.

This Government will treat tackling violence against women and girls as a national emergency and will use every tool to target perpetrators and address the root causes of violence on our streets.

We want women to feel safe and will use every lever to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, across the whole of government, with policing and other experts.

To make our streets safe, we must drastically reduce serious violent crime and violence against women and girls, increase confidence in the police, stop young people falling into crime, and make our criminal justice system work for victims.

No one should ever have to face the risk of violence or harassment when travelling. This government is taking action to make sure our transport network is safe for all. The Department for Transport is working closely with transport partners, including the British Transport Police, on a range of initiatives to address the problems faced by different users, including women and girls, on the transport network.

The build of the Croasdale Extended Area Services (EAS) mast was completed in November 2023. Since then work has been underway to complete power and network connections to the mast, and it is now envisaged that all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), as part of the Shared Rural Network programme, will be able to activate their services by end of July 2025.

This Government will treat tackling violence against women and girls as a national emergency and will use every tool to target perpetrators and address the root causes of violence on our streets.

We want women to feel safe and will use every lever to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, across the whole of government, with policing and other experts.

To make our streets safe, we must drastically reduce serious violent crime and violence against women and girls, increase confidence in the police, stop young people falling into crime, and make our criminal justice system work for victims.

No one should ever have to face the risk of violence or harassment when travelling. This government is taking action to make sure our transport network is safe for all. The Department for Transport is working closely with transport partners, including the British Transport Police, on a range of initiatives to address the problems faced by different users, including women and girls, on the transport network.

The use of bleed control kits is determined at the local level and the Government does not provide specific funding for bleed control kits.

Where decisions have been made by police forces to deploy bleed control kits, these would have been done as part of their operational decision making, including how to allocate resources based on their local knowledge and experience.

This Government will treat tackling violence against women and girls as a national emergency and will use every tool to target perpetrators and address the root causes of violence on our streets.

We want women to feel safe and will use every lever to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, across the whole of government, with policing and other experts.

To make our streets safe, we must drastically reduce serious violent crime and violence against women and girls, increase confidence in the police, stop young people falling into crime, and make our criminal justice system work for victims.

No one should ever have to face the risk of violence or harassment when travelling. This government is taking action to make sure our transport network is safe for all. The Department for Transport is working closely with transport partners, including the British Transport Police, on a range of initiatives to address the problems faced by different users, including women and girls, on the transport network.

The Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee is supported by a commitment to introduce additional 13,000 police personnel into neighbourhood policing. This will be achieved through the recruitment of thousands of additional Police Constables, Police Community Support Officers, and Special Constables, as well as the redeployment of thousands of current Police Constables, into neighbourhood policing roles across England and Wales.

This will provide every community a named local officer to turn to and ensure that there is appropriate resource to tackle the crimes that most impact communities, including anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.

We want to deliver this additional support as quickly as possible and are working at pace alongside policing partners to devise the right model for implementation. We will set out further plans shortly.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.

​We will put thousands of new neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities, and provide residents with a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong.

​We will also crack down on those causing havoc on our high streets by introducing tougher powers via a Crime and Policing Bill, including a new Respect Order to tackle repeat offending.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission.

​We will put thousands of new neighbourhood police and community support officers into local communities and provide residents with a named officer they can turn to when things go wrong.

​We will also crack down on those causing havoc on our high streets by introducing tougher powers via a Crime and Policing Bill, including a new Respect Order to tackle repeat offending.

This Government will continue to invest in improving productivity and efficiency with new technology for policing.

Funding for future financial years will be agreed as part of the ongoing Spending Review.

The Home Office does not issue guidance on police use of water cannons.

The Home Office works across government to tackle modern slavery in supply chains and holds regular discussions with other government departments on legislative and non-legislative measures to enhance our approach.

The Home Office is currently updating the Section 54 statutory guidance to support businesses with more practical guidance on how to tackle modern slavery in their supply chains. We are setting up the Forced Labour Forum, which will include representatives from government, civil society organisations, businesses and academics to ensure the guidance is fit for purpose and is applicable across sectors.

The Government is committed to improving our response to modern slavery and will set out next steps more broadly in due course.

This Government will treat tackling violence against women and girls as a national emergency and will use every tool to target perpetrators and address the root causes of violence on our streets.

We want women to feel safe and will use every lever to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, across the whole of government, with policing and other experts.

To make our streets safe, we must drastically reduce serious violent crime and violence against women and girls, increase confidence in the police, stop young people falling into crime, and make our criminal justice system work for victims.

No one should ever have to face the risk of violence or harassment when travelling. This government is taking action to make sure our transport network is safe for all. The Department for Transport is working closely with transport partners, including the British Transport Police, on a range of initiatives to address the problems faced by different users, including women and girls, on the transport network.