Pakistan is among the top five countries of origin for asylum seekers in the United Kingdom during the 2024–25 period, alongside Afghanistan, Iran, Bangladesh, and Syria, according to data released by the UK Home Office.
In 2024 alone, Pakistani nationals submitted 11,048 asylum applications, accounting for 10.1% of all claims made that year. The data also highlighted a notable surge in asylum applications from Syria, which rose to 6,175 (5.6% of the total), up from 4,232 (4.5%) in 2023–24.
Despite the rising numbers, the United Kingdom ranked 17th in Europe for asylum applications per capita, indicating a moderate share relative to its population size.
The report further revealed a significant backlog in asylum processing, with 109,536 individuals awaiting an initial decision on their applications as of the end of March 2025.
In a separate release, the Home Office noted a slight decrease in enforced returns of individuals without legal residency rights. Between January and March 2025, 2,312 people were removed from the UK, compared to 2,365 in the previous quarter (October–December 2024).
These figures come amid ongoing debates over the UK’s immigration policy and the operational capacity of its asylum system.
