Asylum Q3 July/August/September 2016

This section covers asylum applications, initial decisions, estimated final outcomes, resettlement, UASC, international comparisons, support, appeals, returns and age disputes.

Asylum applications in the UK from main applicants increased by 14% to 33,380 in the year ending September 2016. However, numbers of asylum applications in the third quarter of 2016 (7,146 in July to September) have been considerably lower than in the same quarter of 2015 (10,231 in July to September).

In the year ending September 2016, the largest number of applications for asylum came from nationals of Iran (4,822), followed by Iraq (3,127), Pakistan (2,937), Afghanistan (2,567), Syria (2,102) and Bangladesh (1,927). Most applications for asylum are made by people already in the country (89% of applications in the year ending September 2016) rather than immediately on arrival in the UK at a port.

Including dependants, the number of asylum applications increased by 14% to 41,280 in the year ending September 2016. There was around 1 dependant for every 4 main applicants. In 2015, around three-quarters (73%) of applicants were male and four-fifths (81%) were aged under 35.
There were 3,144 asylum applications from unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) in the year ending September 2016, a 15% rise compared to the year ending September 2015 (2,724). Overall, UASC applications represented 9% of all main applications for asylum.

There were 25,764 initial decisions on asylum applications from main applicants in the year ending September 2016, a decrease of 11% compared to the previous year. Of these initial decisions, 35% (8,964) were grants of asylum or an alternative form of protection, compared to 41% in the previous year. A separate Home Office analysis shows that for the years 2012 to 2014, 36% of decisions were granted initially, but this proportion rose to 49% after appeal.

Grant rates vary considerably between nationalities. For example, at initial decision, the grant rate for Iranian nationals was 37% (1,327 grants), compared with 12% (270 grants) for Iraqi nationals. Overall, there were 8,964 grants at initial decision for all nationalities in the year ending September 2016, which corresponds to a grant rate of 35%.

There were 1,704 grants of asylum or an alternative form of protection to Syrian main applicants at initial decision in the year ending September 2016. The grant rate for Syrian applicants was 86%, but some of those not granted will have been transferred to have their case assessed by another EU member state (third country), and other applicants may have been found not to be Syrian following investigation.

An additional 4,162 people (including dependants) were granted humanitarian protection under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) in the year ending September 2016. Since this scheme began in 2014, a total of 4,414 people have been resettled. In the year ending September 2016, an additional 715 people were also resettled in the UK under the Gateway Protection Programme and the Mandate Scheme.
Including dependants, the UK had the sixth highest number (41,000) of asylum applications within the EU in the year ending September 2016. Germany (781,000), Sweden (112,000) and Italy (108,000) were the 3 EU countries that received the highest number of asylum applications, together accounting for 70% of asylum applications in the EU in that period.

Nationalities applying for asylum
In the year ending September 2016, the largest number of applications for asylum came from nationals of Iran (4,822), followed by Iraq (3,127), Pakistan (2,937), Afghanistan (2,567), Syria (2,102) and Bangladesh (1,927). During this period, asylum applications from Iranian, Iraqi and Bangladeshi nationals more than doubled.

Resettlement
In addition to those asylum seekers who apply in the UK, resettlement schemes are offered to those who have been referred to the Home Office by UNHCR (The United Nations Refugee Agency).

On 7 September 2015, an expansion to the existing Syrian VPRS was announced. Through this expansion, it was proposed that 20,000 Syrians in need of protection will be resettled in the UK by 2020. A total of 4,414 people have been granted humanitarian protection under the Syrian VPRS since the scheme began, and in the 12 months to the end of September 2016, 4,162 people were resettled under the Syrian VPRS across 175 different local authorities. Around half (49%) of those resettled under the Syrian VPRS were under 18 years old (2,059), and around half (48%) were female (1,989).

Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children
A UASC is a person under 18, or who, in the absence of documentary evidence establishing age, appears to be under that age, is applying for asylum in his or her own right and has no relative or guardian in the United Kingdom.

There were 3,144 asylum applications from UASC in the year ending September 2016, a 15% rise compared to the year ending September 2015 (2,724). Overall, UASC applications represented 9% of all main applications for asylum. Despite the recent increase in UASC applications, they remain below the peak of 4,060 in the year ending September 2008. The nationalities that lodged the highest numbers of UASC applications in the UK were Afghan (783), Iranian (435), and then Albanian (426). These 3 countries contributed to more than half (52%) of total UASC applications.

There were 2,050 initial decisions relating to a UASC in the year ending September 2016, 5% higher than the previous year (1,954). Of these decisions, 31% were grants of asylum or another form of protection, and 44% were grants of temporary leave (UASC Leave). In the previous year, 29% of initial decisions were grants of asylum or another form of protection, and 40% were grants of temporary leave. UASC applicants that are refused will include those from countries where it is safe to return children to their families, as well as some applicants who were determined to be over 18 following an age assessment.

On 21 April 2016, the government announced they will work with UNHCR to resettle children from the Middle East and North Africa region. The new scheme aims to support vulnerable and refugee children at risk and their families, with a view of resettling up to 3,000 individuals over the course of this parliament.

International comparisons
Figures in this section are based on data supplied by the individual countries to the Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC), UNHCR and Eurostat. Not all countries provide the latest data in time for each Immigration Statistics release. Where a figure is unavailable for a given month, we estimate it using the average of the last 3 months available, unless the time series is erratic, when we use the average of the last 12 months.

Including dependants, the total number of asylum applications to the EU in the year ending September 2016 was an estimated 1,422,000, an increase of 33% compared to the year ending September 2015 (1,068,000).
Top EU countries receiving asylum applications, year ending September 2016

Total nu mber of applications 1,422,000 including dependants;
Germany 781,000 – Sweden 112,000 – Italy 108,000 – France 88,000 – Austria 66,000 – UK 41,000

Currently recorded outcomes for 2015 applications
The outcomes for the 32,733 main applicants who applied for asylum in 2015, as with previous cohorts, will be updated in subsequent annual reports. However, as at May 2016, it is estimated that 10,319 (32%) main applicants had been granted asylum, humanitarian protection or discretionary leave, either at initial decision or after appeal; 9,168 (28%) were refused or withdrawn; and 13,246 (40%) were awaiting confirmation of an initial decision or appeal outcome.

Support provided to asylum seekers
At the end of September 2016, a total of 37,958 asylum seekers and their dependants were being supported in the UK under Section 95 (Immigration and Asylum Act 1999), compared with 31,896 at the end of September 2015. The majority (35,254) were supported in dispersed accommodation, with 93% located outside of London. An additional 2,704 were receiving subsistence-only support, with just over half (51%) of these located in London. Although the total figure has risen since 2012, it remains considerably below that for the end of 2003 (the start of the published data series), when there were 80,123 asylum seekers in receipt of Section 95 support.

Applications pending
At the end of September 2016, 25,902 applications (received since April 2006) from main applicants were pending a decision (initial decision, appeal or further review), 7% more than at the end of September 2015 (24,236). The number who had been awaiting an initial decision for more than 6 months increased by 128% (from 3,623 to 8,278) while those pending further review decreased by 46% to 4,729.

Asylum appeals
The HMCTS received 12,492 asylum appeals from main applicants in the year ending September 2016, an 11% fall compared with the previous year (14,085).

Appeal determinations have increased from 8,919 in the year ending September 2015 to 10,253 in the year ending September 2016. These figures remain below the peaks in the number of appeals and the number of determinations in the year ending June 2010, which were 16,560 and 16,032 respectively. In the year ending September 2016, the proportion of determined appeals that were dismissed was 53%, while 43% of appeals were allowed and 4% were withdrawn.

Returns
In the year ending September 2016, there were 2,522 enforced returns of people who had previously sought asylum (including dependants), down 36% from the previous year (3,947). In the same period there were 1,337 voluntary returns (excluding returns from detention) of people who had sought asylum at some stage, also down 23% from the previous year (1,743).

Age disputes
Some asylum applicants claim to be children but there may be doubts as to whether this is in fact the case. In the year ending September 2016, 1,000 asylum applicants had their age disputed and 933 were recorded as having an age assessment. Of those who completed age assessments in the year ending September 2016, 67% were assessed to be over 18, despite claiming to be a child when the age dispute was raised.
Dependants
Including dependants, the number of asylum applications increased by 14% from 36,360 in the year ending September 2015 to 41,280 in the year ending September 2016. This is an average of 1 dependant for every 4 main applicants. In the same period, 6,267 initial decisions were made relating to dependants. Of these, 1,583 (25%) were grants of asylum or an alternative form of protection, and 4,684 (75%) were refusals.

Source Home Office, 01/12/2016, http://tinyurl.com/AsylumQ3-20116

Detention Q3 July/August/September 2016

The number of people entering detention in year ending September 2016 decreased by 9% to 29,762 from 32,742 in the previous year.

Over the same period there was a 7% decrease in those people leaving detention (from 32,509 to 30,195). The proportion of detainees being returned or voluntarily departing the UK on leaving detention declined slightly from 47% in the year ending September 2015 to 46% in year ending September 2016. Conversely, the proportion of detainees granted temporary admission or release (TA/TR) increased slightly from 42% to 43%.

As at the end of September 2016, 2,998 people were in detention, 15% lower than the number recorded at the end of September 2015 (3,531). The fall may be partially attributed to the closure of Dover Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) in October 2015, temporary closure of Tinsley House IRC from July 2016, as well as changes in the number of people requiring detention.

  Entering detention     Leaving detention        In detention
        29,762                         30,195                   2,998

People leaving detention by nationality
In the year ending September 2016, 30,195 people left detention. Indian nationals accounted for the highest number of people leaving (3,086), a decrease of 2% compared with year ending September 2015 (3,137).

EU nationals leaving detention
In year ending September 2016, 4,361 EU nationals left detention, 31% more than in year ending September 2015 (3,321). The largest number was Romanian nationals (1,448; 5% of the total of all nationalities leaving detention). The second and third largest groups were Polish nationals (1,077; 4%) and Lithuanian nationals (571; 2%) respectively.

The proportion of EU nationals being returned or voluntarily departing the UK on leaving detention in year ending September 2016 was 90%, compared with 38% for non-EU nationals.

Reasons for people leaving detention

The decline in the proportion of detainees being returned or voluntarily departing the UK on leaving detention has slowed and slightly reversed as compared to the previous quarterly figure but still remains lower, from the most recent peak in the year ending March 2011 of 64% to 46% in year ending September 2016. Conversely, over the same period, the proportion of detainees granted TA/TR increased from 28% to 43%, and the proportion of detainees granted bail increased from 6% to 10%.
Length of detention

During year ending September 2016, 30,195 people left detention. Of these, 63% had been in detention for less than 29 days, 19% for between 29 days and 2 months, and 12% for between 2 and 4 months. Of the 1,836 (6%) remaining, 203 had been in detention for between 1 and 2 years, and 37 for 2 years or longer.

In the same period, over a third (36%) of people leaving detention had been detained for 7 days or less (10,789). Of these, 52% (5,565) were returned; 46% (4,936) were granted TA/TR; and the remaining 3% were bailed (54), granted LTE or LTR (45), or released for other reasons (189). Of the 240 detained for 12 months or more, 35% were returned, 35% were bailed and 29% were granted TA/TR.

As at 30 September 2016, the longest length of time a person had been currently detained for was 1,241 days 3.4 year.

Children in detention
There were 93 children entering detention in year ending September 2016, 49% lower than the previous year (182). This was a 92% fall compared with the beginning of the data series in 2009 (1,119).
Of the 96 children leaving detention in year ending September 2016, 62 were granted TA/TR and 28 were returned from the UK. Of those leaving detention, 90 had been detained for 7 days or less, 3 for between 8 and 14 days, 1 for between 15 and 28 days and 2 for over 2 months. There were no children in detention as at 30 September 2016.

Immigration detainees in prisons
As at 03 October 2016, there were 442 detainees held in prison establishments in England and Wales solely under immigration powers as set out in the Immigration Act 1971 or UK Borders Act 2007.

Source UK Home Office: 01/12/2016
http://tinyurl.com/DetentionQ3-2016

Number of recorded 'Hunger Strikes' (Food Refusals) Q3 2016

Number of Attempted Suicides Q3 2016

Enforced Removals- Q3 July/August/September 2016

[As a result of feedback from users, Home Office statisticians have revised the existing terminology and category groupings and a number of new categories have been devised. The underlying statistics collected have not been changed as a result of these clarifications.]
Charter Flights Q3 /July/August/September 2016
1. Number of males removed 368
2. Number of females removed 16
3. Number of escorts 814
4. Number of flights in total 10
5. Number flights to each country / number removed to each country
Destination Number of Flights Returnees
Albania 3 flights 140 persons removed
Jamaica 1 flight 42   persons removed
Nigeria/Ghana 2 flights 78 persons removed
Pakistan 4 flights 124 persons removed

Enforced returns from the UK decreased by 9% to 12,521 in the year ending September 2016 compared with the previous year (13,799). This includes 11,001 enforced removals and 1,520 other returns from detention. For more information see the user guide.

In the year ending September 2016, there were 25,306 voluntary returns (excluding returns from detention) compared to 27,117 in the previous year.

The number of passengers refused entry at port and who subsequently departed increased by 7% in year ending September 2016 to 18,065 from 16,887 in year ending September 2015. The number of passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departed has been increasing since 2012.

In the year ending September 2016, provisional data show there were 5,825 returns of foreign national offenders (FNOs), using enforcement powers or via deportation. This is the second highest number since the series began in 2009 and reflects increasing use of other forms of FNO returns, including those where an offence was committed outside the UK.

Returns by nationality
The highest number of enforced returns in the year ending September 2016 was for Albanian nationals (1,551; 12% of the total), of which 1,480 (95%) were returned home. The second highest number were Romanian nationals (1,516; 12% of the total), of which 1,428 (94%) were also returned home; Romanian nationals have also shown the largest increase (+538; +55%) compared to the previous 12 months. Some of these returns may relate to specific enforcement activity related to specific groups of individuals from these countries.

The largest number of passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departed were United States (US) nationals (1,671; 9% of the total), of which 1,036 (62%) were returned home. US citizens (and Brazilian nationals, the third largest number) who are not coming to the UK for work or for 6 months or more do not need to apply for, and be issued with, a visa prior to arrival; therefore, the first time that they can be refused entry will be on arrival in the UK. The second largest number was Iraqi nationals (1,519; 8% of the total) who were also the nationality recording the largest increase compared with the previous year (+1,341; +753%). Of the 1,519 Iraqi nationals, 1,490 (98%) were returned to an EU member state.

There were 25% more enforced returns (4,539) of EU nationals in the year ending September 2016 compared with the previous 12 months (3,619), and 20% more EU nationals refused entry at port and who subsequently departed (2,195 compared to 1,830).

Returns by ‘harm’ assessment
A harm matrix was introduced in 2007 to assess whether the Home Office was removing the most harmful people; ‘higher harm’ assessments include people who have committed serious criminal and immigration offences. More information on the harm matrix is available in the user guide.
In the year ending September 2016, 22% (2,453) of the 11,001 enforced removals were assessed as ‘highest harm’, compared with 18% (2,228) in the preceding year. In the same period, only 1% (175) out of the 26,826 voluntary returns (including returns from detention) were assessed as ‘highest harm’.

Foreign national offenders
The Home Office also removes FNOs using enforcement powers or via deportation. In the year ending September 2016, provisional data show that 5,825 FNOs were returned compared to 5,729 in the previous year (up 2%). This is the second highest number since the series began in 2009 and reflects increasing use of other forms of FNO returns, including those where an offence was committed outside the UK.
Background information

The figures in this section relate to numbers of people, including dependants, leaving the UK either voluntarily when they no longer had a right to stay in the UK or where the Home Office has sought to return them to their own country, an EU Member State, or a third country where they are permanently admissible. While individuals refused entry at port and who subsequently departed have not necessarily entered the country, their return requires action by the UK Border Force and Home Office, such as being placed on a flight, and is therefore included above.

Source UK Home Office, 01/12/2016
http://tinyurl.com/ForcedRemovalsQ3-01-12-2016