
The number of people claiming asylum in the UK hit a record high last year, new figures have revealed.
A total of 108,138 people applied for asylum in the UK in 2024, according to data published by the Home Office on Thursday – the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001. The previous record was 103,081 in the 12 months to December 2002, while the latest number is up 18 per cent from 91,811 in 2023.