In 2024, approximately 766,000 people from outside the European Union migrated to the United Kingdom, compared with 122,000 people from European Union countries, and 60,000 British nationals.

In the twelve months to December 2024, approximately 948,000 people migrated to the United Kingdom, while 517,000 emigrated away from the country, resulting in a net migration figure of 431,000.

Estimates for UK immigration, emigration and net migration, year ending June 2012 to year ending December 2024. These are official statistics in development. To access the most up-to-date data for each time period, please use the most recently published dataset.

In 2024, the net migration figure for British citizens in the United Kingdom was negative 17,000, compared with negative 96,000 for citizens of European Union countries, and 544,000 for non-EU citizens.

UK residents by broad country of birth and citizenship groups, broken down by UK country, local authority, unitary authority, metropolitan and London boroughs, and counties. Estimates from the Annual Population Survey.

Annual mid-year data on internal migration moves for England and Wales, by local authority, region, single year of age, five-year age group and sex. Data on internal migration moves between local authorities and regions and internal migration moves into and out of each local authority in England and Wales. Also including a lookup table listing each local authority in England and Wales, the region it is located within, its local authority code and region code.

In 2024, approximately 948,000 million people migrated to the United Kingdom, while 517,000 people migrated from the UK, resulting in a net migration figure of 431,000. There have consistently been more people migrating to the United Kingdom than leaving it since 1993 when the net migration figure was negative 1,000. Although migration from the European Union has declined since the Brexit vote of 2016, migration from non-EU countries accelerated rapidly from 2021 onwards. In the year to June 2023, 968,000 people from non-EU countries migrated to the UK, compared with 129,000 from EU member states. Immigration and the 2024 election Since late 2022, immigration, along with the economy and healthcare, has consistently been seen by UK voters as one of the top issues facing the country. Despite a pledge to deter irregular migration via small boats, and controversial plans to send asylum applicants to Rwanda while their claims are being processed, Rishi Sunak's Conservative government lost the trust of the public on this issue. On the eve of the last election, 20 percent of Britons thought the Labour Party would be the best party to handle immigration, compared with 13 percent who thought the Conservatives would handle it better. Sunak and the Conservatives went on to lose this election, suffering their worst defeat in modern elections. Historical context of migration The first humans who arrived in the British Isles, were followed by acts of conquest and settlement from Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Danes, and Normans. In the early modern period, there were also significant waves of migration from people fleeing religious or political persecution, such as the French Huguenots. More recently, large numbers of people also left Britain. Between 1820 and 1957, for example, around 4.5 million people migrated from Britain to America. After World War Two, immigration from Britain's colonies and former colonies was encouraged to meet labour demands. A key group that migrated from the Caribbean between the late 1940s and early 1970s became known as the Windrush generation, named after one of the ships that brought the arrivals to Britain.

In 2020/21 there were approximately 696,000 Polish nationals living in the United Kingdom, the highest non-British population at this time. Indian and Irish were the joint second-largest nationalities at approximately 370,000 people.

This dataset contains information from the Office for National Statistics internal migration data for Wales, showing the origin and destination of each migration flow by sex and broad age group between each of the local authorities in Wales and also the UK countries. Data for flows to and from Scotland and Northern Ireland (and hence the UK as whole) prior to 2011-2012 are not available on this origin-destination basis, although from 2011-2012, the whole of the UK is covered. Data are available split by sex for 2011-2012 onwards only, prior to that data are only available for persons. Note that data for Wales as a whole will not be the sum of individual local authority data as moves between local authorities within Wales will not contribute to the flows into or out of Wales.

Included is a short survey. Home Office statistics are keen to engage with users of these statistics, any comment or feedback will be gratefully received.

Immigration Statistics, October to December 2014: data tables.

Tables previously listed under ‘Before entry’ are now included in files for ‘Sponsorship’, ‘Visas’ and ‘Admissions’ (‘Passengers initially refused entry by country of nationality’).

This release presents immigration statistics from Home Office administrative sources, covering the period up to the end of September 2014. It includes data and analysis on the topics of:

• work
• study
• family
• visas
• admissions
• asylum
• extensions of stay
• settlement
• citizenship
• detention
• removals and voluntary departures

Further information

• User Guide to Home Office Immigration Statistics
• Policy and legislative changes affecting migration to the UK: timeline

If you have feedback or questions, our email address is MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.

This release replaces the previous annual and quarterly publications Control of Immigration Statistics and the annual British Citizenship, following a public consultation. Each topic now has its own entry, links to these related reports can be found under the "additional links" section. The statistics in this topic briefing cover: applications, issues and refusals of entry clearance visas; and non-asylum passengers initially refused entry at ports. Prior to travel to the United Kingdom, a person may be required to apply for and be issued with an entry clearance visa, depending on their nationality, purpose of visit and intended length of stay. On arrival at UK ports or a juxtaposed control in France or Belgium, before being admitted to the country, all individuals have to satisfy a Border Force Officer that they have the right to enter the country. From Q2 2014 this dataset has been split into two sections: Vol 1 is now the Immigration Statistics: Sponsorship data tables, and Vol 2, 3 and 4 are now the Immigration Statistics: Entry clearance visas granted outside the UK

In 2024, over ****** working visas granted for workers from India, the most of any nationality. Workers from Pakistan were granted more than ****** visas in the same year and were the second-most common nationality for visas being granted.

Of the almost more than *** million applications to the European Union settlement scheme in the United Kingdom, Romanian nationals had the highest number of applications at **** million, followed by Polish nationals at **** million applications.

This table contains 25 series, with data for years 1955 - 2013 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 items: Canada ...) Last permanent residence (25 items: Total immigrants; France; Great Britain; Total Europe ...).

This release replaces volumes 2, 3 and 4 of Immigration Statistics: Before entry. Volume 1 of this section is now titled Immigration Statistics: Sponsorship data. The statistics in this topic cover: applications, issues and refusals of entry clearance visas; and non-asylum passengers initially refused entry at ports. Prior to travel to the United Kingdom, a person may be required to apply for and be issued with an entry clearance visa, depending on their nationality, purpose of visit and intended length of stay. On arrival at UK ports or a juxtaposed control in France or Belgium, before being admitted to the country, all individuals have to satisfy a Border Force Officer that they have the right to enter the country.

Migration indicators from ONS and DWP.

The table below details the sources of the datasets available and the dates of their next update.

Migration Statistics Quarterly Report Statistical bulletins, ONS

26 November 2020

National Insurance numbers issued to overseas nationals, Stats-Xplore, DWP.

26 November 2020

Population Estimates for UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, ONS

June 2021

Local area migration indicators suite, ONS.

TBA

Internal migration - Detailed estimates dataset by origin and destination local authorities, sex and single year of age, ONS.

June 2021

Population of the UK by country of birth and nationality, ONS.

November 2020

Short term international migration for England and Wales – accompanying data

Discontinued - latest available data for 2017