The number of refugees permitted to settle in the United Kingdom through official United Nations programmes has fallen sharply, declining by more than a quarter in just one year. New statistics from the Home Office show a significant contraction in these vital pathways, even as the government pledges to create fresh alternatives.
A Sharp Decline in Protected Arrivals
Official data for the year ending September 2025 reveals that only 7,271 individuals were granted protection in the UK via refugee resettlement schemes. This marks a substantial 26% decrease from the 9,872 people allowed entry under the same programmes in the previous year to September 2024.
Approximately half of those resettled in the latest period were Afghans whose lives were placed in immediate danger. This followed an accidental data breach by a UK defence official in London, which leaked the personal details of nearly 19,000 applicants and their family members to Afghanistan.
Government Pledges Amidst Pathway Suspensions
The concerning figures emerge just weeks after the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, defended a suite of hardline asylum policies. On 17 November, she announced plans to end permanent protection for refugees, instead reassessing claims every 30 months, and to escalate removals of failed applicants.
Alongside these measures, Mahmood stated the government would soon launch three new "safe and legal" routes for refugees to enter the UK. However, she indicated the scheme would begin by admitting only "a few hundred" people, describing the number as "modest." This announcement came after the suspension in September of a separate scheme allowing refugees to reunite with family members in the UK.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which Mahmood said would help identify candidates for the new routes, confirmed to the Guardian that it is still awaiting specific details on how these programmes will operate.
Criticism from Refugee Charities
The Refugee Council has responded with alarm to the latest statistics. Its chief executive, Enver Solomon, argued the data proves that existing safe routes are "disappearing just when they're most needed." He warned that the lack of legal alternatives forces desperate people towards smugglers and dangerous journeys, such as crossing the English Channel in small boats.
"The suspension of family reunion – a route that overwhelmingly helped women and children – only makes it harder for families to stay together safely," Solomon stated. He called on the government to clearly outline how many people it intends to assist annually and to commit to expanding safe routes, providing a genuine alternative to perilous journeys.
The detailed Home Office breakdown for the year shows the majority of resettlements occurred under specific Afghan schemes:
- 3,686 people arrived via the Afghanistan Response Route, established after the MoD data leak.
- 1,087 individuals were resettled under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) for translators and aides.
- 1,658 people came through the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
Beyond these, only 830 people were resettled via the UK Resettlement Scheme, which relies on UNHCR referrals. A separate Mandate Scheme, for refugees with close family already in Britain, saw just four arrivals, down from 23 the year before.
A Home Office spokesperson reiterated the government's commitment, stating: "This government committed to protecting genuine refugees who are fleeing war and danger. That is why as part of the most sweeping reforms to the asylum system in modern times, we will open new, legal and safe routes into the country to protect those in need."
