Refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Refugees by country of asylum was 515,677 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
515,677 people
Change on year
up 14.9%
World rank
16th
of 183 countries
All-time high
515,677 people
in 2024
All-time low
39,755 people
in 1988
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1951–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 515,677 people. 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 515,677 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 39,755 people, in 1988.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 16th of 183 countries on this measure, 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 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% |
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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 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 of America 435,333 people compare
- 19 Spain 429,333 people compare
More population data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1791 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.1389 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1791 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.21 million people (2100)
- Population density 307.14 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.169 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.2666 Percent per annum (2030)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Refugees by country of asylum in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 515,677 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 39,755 people in 1988.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 16th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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
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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.