In brief
- The Home Office published statistics for the year ending June 2026 on 27 August 2026.
- Work visas (including dependants) fell 18% to 235,000, and sponsored study visas fell 11% to 383,000.
- Family visas fell 19% to 58,000, and asylum claims fell 21% to 85,891 people.
- Small boat arrivals were 33,374, 23% lower than the year before.
- Settlement grants rose 24% to 199,628, and citizenship applications reached a record 315,224.
The Home Office published its quarterly immigration system statistics on 27 August 2026. They cover the year ending 30 June 2026 and compare it with the year before. The figures are already published and describe what happened in that period.
Headline figures
| Area | Year ending June 2026 | Change on previous year |
|---|---|---|
| Work visas (including dependants) | 235,000 | 18% fewer |
| Sponsored study visas | 383,000 | 11% fewer |
| Family visas | 58,000 | 19% fewer |
| People claiming asylum | 85,891 | 21% fewer |
| Small boat arrivals | 33,374 | 23% fewer |
| Settlement grants | 199,628 | 24% more |
| Citizenship grants | about 246,000 | 4% fewer |
| Citizenship applications | 315,224 | 17% more |
Work visas
The 235,000 work visas granted are 62% fewer than the peak in the year ending December 2023. This was the first full year since the work visa restrictions introduced in July 2025. Those included closing the overseas care worker route. Reported figures for Skilled Worker visas (excluding health and care) show a fall of 26% to 61,000.
Study and family visas
Study visa grants to main applicants fell 12% to 366,000. The number of dependants was stable. Overall, study grants are 41% below the peak in the year ending June 2023. See our guide to the Student visa.
The 58,000 family visas granted include routes such as the Spouse visa. The Home Office also recorded 2.2 million Visitor visas granted.
Asylum
The 85,891 people who claimed asylum (main applicants and dependants) is 21% fewer than a year earlier. It remains above the levels typically seen before 2021. The Home Office made about 116,000 initial decisions, up 2%. The grant rate at initial decision was 38%, down from 48% the year before.
At the end of June 2026, 40,168 people were waiting for an initial decision. That is 56% fewer than a year earlier and the lowest since June 2019. About 93,000 people were receiving asylum support, 12% fewer than a year earlier. Around 2,200 people were in immigration detention, 19% more.
Small boat arrivals
The Home Office recorded 33,374 arrivals by small boat, compared with 43,309 in the year ending June 2025. The average was 65 people per boat, up from 56. This number counts detected arrivals. It is different from the number of asylum claimants who arrived by small boat.
Settlement and citizenship
Settlement grants rose 24% from 161,585 to 199,628. This is the highest annual total since the year ending June 2011. The Home Office links the rise to more grants to people who were previously on work routes and to British National (Overseas) holders. See our pages on indefinite leave to remain (permanent settlement in the UK) and the British National (Overseas) visa.
Citizenship grants fell 4% to about 246,000, which the Home Office says is still high by historic standards. Applications rose 17% to 315,224, the highest on record. For the route itself, see British citizenship.
Since then
We have not seen any revision to the 27 August figures. On 29 September 2026 the Home Office said small boat arrivals so far this year were about 42% lower than at the same point last year. That figure is not part of the 27 August release.
How Garth Coates Solicitors can help
These figures describe the system as a whole and do not tell you how your own application will be decided. If you, your family or your business need advice on a visa, settlement or citizenship, you can request a consultation with our team.
This article is general information and was correct on 3 November 2026. It is not legal advice on your circumstances; immigration rules and fees change often. For advice on your case, request a consultation.
