Asylum applications down 10%

Figures show a decrease in asylum applications

The number of asylum applications made in June was down 10% compared with the same period last year.

According to newly-published Home Office figures, officials received 5,300 new applications last month.

That compares with 5,900 in June 2000.

Provisional figures say initial decisions were made on 8,205 applications, further reducing the backlog of cases to 24,315, or a quarter of its 100,000 peak at the beginning of last year.

More refugees were given either asylum status or exceptional leave to remain than at any time in the past 12 months.

Figures show 10% of applicants were given asylum and 17% were granted exceptional leave.

Figures down

That was still far lower than in April and May last year when the figures each topped 20%.

Meanwhile the number of applicants who won asylum status on appeal dropped slightly to 610, or 17% of the total number of appeals received by the Immigration Appellate Authority.

Afghan nationals were the largest group in last month's applications, totalling 910 - that compares with 365 last June.

Somali nationals were the second largest group with 505 applications.

Actual numbers of asylum seekers are higher than those shown in statistics because they do not include dependants such as spouses, children or other family members.