UK net migration plummets by nearly 80% from 2023 peak

The United Kingdom has experienced a sharp decline in net migration, with the figure falling by nearly 80% from its peak of 944,000 in the year to March 2023. According to provisional data from the Office for National Statistics, net migration stood at 204,000 in the 12 months to June 2025, representing the lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Significant Drop in Immigration

The recent ONS data indicates that approximately 898,000 people immigrated to the UK between July 2024 and June 2025. This figure reflects a substantial decrease of more than 400,000 individuals compared to the previous year. The current net migration number is also nearly 70% lower than the preceding year's total of around 650,000, signaling a strong downward trend.

The Issue of Irregular Migration

Separate figures from the Home Office, cited by the BBC, highlight ongoing challenges with irregular migration. In the year ending September 2025, 51,000 arrivals were detected via illegal routes, including small boats and clandestine entries in lorries and vans. The vast majority of these, 46,000, were individuals who crossed the English Channel in small boats.

Primary Nationalities of Channel Crossings

The data on small boat arrivals reveals a specific pattern of nationalities. The top countries of origin for these migrants are Eritrea (17%), Afghanistan (13%), Iran (11%), Sudan (10%), and Somalia (8%). This composition underscores the role of global conflict and instability in driving irregular migration flows toward the UK.