May 16, Kathmandu- Government figures show that the number of asylum seekers in the UK has risen sharply in recent years, with tens of thousands of applications for immigration still awaiting decisions.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Thursday the start of formal talks with various countries to create “return centres” outside the UK for those who have exhausted all legal avenues to remain in the UK.

The application rejection rate was 88 percent in 2004 and 24 percent in 2022 and 53 percent in 2024.

Between 2004 and 2021, nearly three-quarters of asylum seekers' initial requests were rejected. After that, they re-applied the government's decision and one-third of them succeeded in getting refugee status.

The application rejection rate was 88 percent in 2004 and 24 percent in 2022 and 53 percent in 2024.

Between 2004 and 2021, nearly three-quarters of asylum seekers' initial requests were rejected. After that, they re-applied the government's decision and one-third of them succeeded in getting refugee status.

In 2024, more than 9,000 people whose applications for asylum were rejected were ordered to leave the country. This number is 36 percent more than in 2023. In 2024, about two lakh 24 thousand 700 cases were heard and 87 thousand 200 of them were waiting for initial decision, while one lakh 37 thousand 500 applications were waiting for further legal continuation after initial rejection.

This number has been decreasing since 2022 but is four times higher than in 2014 because of longer waits for initial decisions and a greater number of people facing deportation.

The number of people crossing the Channel on makeshift boats, which did not exist before 2018, has increased sharply in recent years.

Between 2018 and December 2024, 148,000 migrants risked their lives to reach the UK coast by crossing the English Channel, according to government figures.

Of these, 95 percent applied for asylum. This number is 29 percent of all asylum seekers in the period from 2018 to December 2024.

About 13,000 migrants have crossed the Channel in 2025, which is more than the same period in 2024.

The largest group of asylum seekers in 2024 was from Pakistan. In previous years, the largest numbers of migrants had come from Syria and Iran.