Detention/Adults

The number of people entering detention in 2015 increased by 7% to 32,446 from 30,364 in the previous year. Over the same period there was a 12% increase in those leaving detention (from 29,674 to 33,189).

There was a continuing decline in the proportion of detainees being removed or voluntarily departing the UK on leaving detention, from the most recent peak in the year ending March 2011 of 64% to 45% in 2015. Conversely, there was an increase in the proportion of detainees granted temporary admission or release, from 28% to 43%, and an increase in the proportion of detainees granted bail, from 6% to 10%, over the same periods.

As at the end of December 2015, 2,607 people were in detention, 25% lower than the number recorded at the end of December 2014 (3,462). The fall may be partially attributed to the closure of Dover IRC in October 2015 and changes to the detained fast track asylum process.

Detention/Children

In the fourth quarter of 2015, 18 children entered detention, compared with 44 in the fourth quarter of 2014 and 67 in the fourth quarter of 2013. Of the 18 children, 9 were initially detained at Tinsley House (Family Unit) immigration removal centre (IRC), 8 at Cedars pre-departure accommodation (PDA) and 1 at Yarl’s Wood IRC.

Of the 20 children leaving detention in the fourth quarter of 2015, 11 were removed from the UK and 9 were granted temporary admission, temporary release or unconditional release. Of those leaving detention, all 20 had been detained for three days or less. The number of children removed from the UK on leaving detention has ranged from 2 out of 24 (8%) in the first quarter of 2011 to 23 out of 37 (62%) in the third quarter of 2011 and currently in this quarter 11 out of 20 (55%). There were no children in detention as at 31 December 2015.

The number of children entering detention in 2015 was the same as in the previous year (128). This was an 89% fall compared with the beginning of the data series in 2009 (1,119).

Lengths of Detention

During 2015, 33,189 people left detention. Of these, 62% had been in detention for less than 29 days, 18% for between 29 days and two months and 12% for between two and four months. Of the 2,521 (8%) remaining, 255 had been in detention for between one and two years and 41 for two years or longer.

Over a third (35%) of people leaving detention had been detained for seven days or less (11,535). Of these, 5,669 (49%) were granted temporary admission or release, 5,588 (48%) were removed, 64 (1%) were bailed and 61 (1%) were granted leave to enter or remain. Of the 296 detained for 12 months or more, 39% were removed, 32% were bailed and 24% were granted temporary admission or release.

As at 4 January 2016 there were 418 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.

Leaving Detention

Of the 33,189 people leaving detention in 2015, 15,086 were removed or voluntarily departed from the UK. Of the 15,086 people removed or who voluntarily departed from the UK: 70% (10,540) were subject to enforced removal; 19% (2,824) were refused entry at port and detained whilst travel arrangements were made; and 10% (1,568) were voluntary departures, where once the individual has been detained, they have decided to leave the UK and have made their own travel arrangements.

The figures in this topic brief relate to the number of people entering, leaving or in detention, solely under Immigration Act powers, at immigration removal centres (IRCs), short-term holding facilities (STHFs) and pre-departure accommodation (PDA).

Top Ten Nationalities Detained Q4 2015

10 Longest Recorded Lengths of Detention Q4 all Males

Removals

Enforced removals from the UK decreased by 5% to 12,056 in 2015 compared with the previous year (12,627). This is the lowest level since the series began in 2004.

The number of passengers refused entry at port and who subsequently departed has increased by 8% in 2015, to 17,279 from 15,993 for the previous year. While the figure is considerably lower than that in 2004 (36,167), the number refused entry at port and subsequently departing has been increasing slowly since 2012.

In 2015, provisional data show that 5,602 foreign national offenders (FNOs) were removed from the UK, using enforcement powers or via deportation. This was a 6% increase on the previous year (5,286) and the highest number since the series began in 2009.

Removals and voluntary departures by nationality

Top Ten Destination Countries for Enforced Removals

The highest number of passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departed was for United States nationals (1,813; 10% of the total), who have also shown the largest decrease compared with the previous year (-227; -11%). The second and third highest numbers were for Albanian (1,169; 7% of the total) and Brazilian nationals (874; 5% of the total). United States and Brazilian nationals 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. The first time that they can be refused entry will therefore be on arrival in the UK.

The largest increase compared with the previous year was for Iraqi nationals (+702; +949%) followed by Syrian nationals (+455; +183%). The large increase of Iraqi nationals refused entry at the border and subsequently removed may be related to higher than average levels of refusals for asylum and visa applications associated with this nationality. In addition, Border Force have been working closely with the French authorities to reinforce security and support traffic flow at the juxtaposed ports since June 2015, which may increase the number of those refused at the border.

The highest number of voluntary departures in 2015 was for Indian nationals (6,548; 24% of the total) and the second highest number was for Pakistani nationals (3,644; 14% of the total). Chinese nationals showed the largest decrease compared with the previous year (-452; -20%) followed by Pakistani nationals (-217;-6%). Nepalese nationals showed the highest increase (+313; +49%) followed by Bangladeshi nationals (+275; +21%).

For nationals of the European Union there were 20% more enforced removals (3,765) in 2015 compared with the previous 12 months (3,128); 26% more passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departed (1,779 compared to 1,409); and 54% more voluntary departures (714 compared to 463). Increases in the removals of EU nationals comprise the removal of more criminals and those not exercising Treaty Rights.

The harm matrix was introduced in 2007 for monitoring the Public Service Agreement (PSA) that then was applied to measure performance in removing the most harmful people first. However, interest in this topic remains despite PSAs being abolished; ‘higher harm’ assessments include people who have committed serious criminal and immigration offences.

In 2015, 12,056 enforced removals and 26,900 voluntary departures were subject to an assessment for a harm rating, of which 19% (2,333) and 1% (203) respectively were assessed as ‘highest harm’. This is compared to the previous year, with 15% (1,860) of enforced removals and 1% (212) of total voluntary departures being assessed as ‘highest harm’.

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 remove them. While individuals removed at a port of entry have not necessarily entered the country, their removal requires action by the UK Border Force and Home Office, such as being placed on a return flight, and is therefore detailed above.

The numbers of people leaving the UK by the various types of departure (enforced removals; refused entry at port and subsequent departures; and voluntary departures) are given above. The voluntary departures figures for the latest period are provisional and rely upon retrospective data-matching exercises that result in future upward revisions.

Asylum

Asylum applications from main applicants increased by 29% to 32,414 in 2015, the highest number of applications since 2004 (33,960). The largest number of applications for asylum came from nationals of Eritrea (3,729), followed by Iran (3,248), Sudan (2,918) and Syria (2,609). Including dependants, the number of asylum applications increased by 20% from 32,344 in 2014 to 38,878 in 2015, around 1 dependant for every 5 main applicants.

Grant rates vary between nationalities; for example, at initial decision, the grant rate for Syrian nationals was 85%, compared with 21% for Pakistani nationals. The overall grant rate at initial decision for all nationalities was 39% in 2015.

Most applications for asylum are made by people already in the country (91% of applications in 2015) rather than on arrival in the UK at a port. Applicants tend to be young and male.

In 2015, the number of initial decisions on asylum applications increased by 46% to 28,950. Of these decisions, 39% (11,419) were grants of asylum or an alternative form of protection, compared with 41% (8,150) in the previous year. A separate Home Office analysis shows that for the period 2011-13, 32% of decisions were granted initially, with this proportion rising to 45% after appeal.

In addition, a total of 1,864 people were resettled in the UK in 2015. Of these, 1,194 (1,337 since the scheme began) were granted humanitarian protection under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS). On 7 September 2015, the Prime Minister announced an expansion to the existing Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. Through this expansion, it is expected that 20,000 Syrians in need of protection will be resettled in the UK by 2020. A total of 1,085 people arrived in the UK having been granted humanitarian protection under the Syrian VPRS in the last quarter of 2015.

Estimated figures show the UK had the ninth highest number (39,000) of asylum applications within the EU in 2015, including dependants. Germany (431,000), Sweden (163,000) and Hungary (163,000) were the 3 EU countries that received the highest number of asylum applications, together accounting for 62% of asylum application in the EU.

In 2015, the largest number of applications for asylum in the UK came from nationals of Eritrea (3,729), followed by Iran (3,248), Sudan (2,918) and Syria (2,609). In the same period, asylum applications from Sudanese nationals more than doubled to 2,918, from 1,449 in 2014.

World events have an effect on who applies for asylum at any particular time. For example, the number of applicants from Syria increased sharply following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in early 2011. The 2,609 applications for asylum from Syrian nationals in 2015 compares with only 355 in 2011. In addition, increasing numbers of people have sought asylum from Eritrea, mirroring concern over human rights within that country. In 2015, there were 3,729 asylum applications from nationals of Eritrea compared to 797 in 2011.

The grant rate at initial decision for Eritrean nationals has fallen recently, coinciding with the publication of updated country information and guidance on illegal exit and national service in Eritrea in March 2015. In 2015, the proportion of initial decisions for Eritrean nationals that were grants of asylum or an alternative form of protection was 48%, compared with 87% in the previous year. This has been reflected in an increase in the number of appeals lodged by Eritrean nationals, from 172 in 2014 to 1,718 in 2015. Of appeals determined in 2015, 80% of those by Eritrean nationals were allowed, an increase from the 44% allowed in the previous year.

Grant rates for asylum, humanitarian protection, discretionary leave or other grants of stay vary considerably between nationalities. For example, 85% of the total decisions made for nationals of Syria were grants, compared with 21% for Pakistani nationals.

At the end of 2015, 34,363 asylum seekers and their dependants were being supported in the UK under Section 95 (either in supported accommodation or receiving subsistence only support), compared with 29,753 at the end of 2014. Although this number has risen since 2012, the figure 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.

At the end of 2015, 26,409 of applications received since April 2006 from main applicants were pending a decision (initial decision, appeal or further review), 15% more than at the end of 2014 (22,974). The number pending an initial decision for less than or equal to 6 months increased by 68% (from 8,640 to 14,485) but was largely balanced by the 57% decrease of initial decisions which had been pending for more than 6 months, which fell to 3,626 from 8,427 in 2014.

Since January 2014, the Home Office has reallocated resources to this area of work and this is reflected in the 46% (9,168) rise in the number of initial decisions on asylum applications for 2015.

The HM Courts and Tribunals Service received 14,041 asylum appeals from main applicants in 2015, a 70% rise compared with 2014 (8,241) reflecting the higher number of decisions in this period.

Appeal determinations have increased from 6,178 in 2014 to 9,115 in 2015. This remains below the peaks in the number of appeals in 2009 (14,340) and the number of determinations in 2010 (14,723). In 2015, the proportion of determined appeals that were dismissed was 59%, while 35% of appeals were allowed and 5% were withdrawn.