UK Embraces Danish Hardline Asylum Model
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced plans to implement a Denmark-style asylum system in the United Kingdom, marking a significant shift in immigration policy. The controversial reforms aim to deter illegal immigration and streamline deportations, mirroring the approach taken by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen since 2019.
Comparing Asylum Numbers: UK vs Denmark
The most striking difference lies in application trends. While Denmark has a population of just 6 million people - comparable to Yorkshire - its asylum claims have dramatically decreased under Frederiksen's government. In the two years before her election, Denmark averaged 57 applications per 100,000 people, nearly identical to Britain's 55.
Since then, a dramatic divergence has occurred. UK applications have almost trebled to 145 per 100,000, while Denmark's fell by a third. This contrasts sharply with the rest of Europe, where EU asylum applications rose by two-thirds over the same period.
Professor Michelle Pace from Roskilde University told Sky News: 'The numbers have fallen because Denmark is not a welcoming place. That has been made absolutely clear by the Mette Frederiksen government.'
Different Migration Routes and Application Outcomes
The routes migrants take to each country vary significantly. In the UK, political attention focuses heavily on small boat crossings, with 190,000 people arriving via this route since 2018, including nearly 40,000 in 2025 alone.
However, new data reveals that 250,000 people were identified as potential visa overstayers in the four years before 2020 - significantly more than small boat arrivals. In Denmark, four in five illegal migrants are visa overstayers rather than asylum seekers.
Denmark has also become more likely to refuse asylum claims than Britain, reversing 2010s trends. Mihnea Cuibus from Oxford University's Migration Observatory noted that between 2020 and 2023, the UK had some of Europe's highest asylum grant rates.
Deportation Strategies and Humanitarian Concerns
One key aspect of Mahmood's plan involves changing how the European Convention on Human Rights is interpreted in migration cases. The reform would mean only people with immediate family in the UK could argue their 'right to family life' would be breached by deportation.
Denmark has achieved remarkable success in removals, with 46% of the 10,000 people ordered to leave between June 2021 and June 2025 actually departing. This significantly exceeds the EU average of 21%.
The Danish system relies heavily on voluntary returns, which cost approximately £3,000 per person compared to £15,000 for enforced removals. However, Denmark's methods have drawn criticism, including the use of 'departure centres' described by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture as having a 'carceral environment.'
Professor Pace warned that Denmark's policies violate international humanitarian law and that the UK should consider alternative models like Spain's, which she describes as less xenophobic and more forward-thinking in addressing labour shortages.
