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UK Net Migration Falls to 171,000 in Year to December 2025
Official figures show long-term net migration to the United Kingdom dropped sharply to 171,000 in the 12 months ending December 2025. The decline follows tighter visa rules introduced by both the previous Conservative and current Labour governments.
May 21, 1:30 PM·1m read3 sources
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Long-term net migration to the United Kingdom fell to 171,000 in the 12 months to the end of December 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics. The figure marks a drop from 331,000 the previous year and returns to levels last seen before the post-Brexit immigration system began in 2021.
The ONS released the data on Thursday. It also noted that the total is the lowest recorded since the COVID-19 pandemic period, excluding that exceptional time.
Those steps included banning most international students from bringing dependents and raising salary thresholds for skilled worker visas.
Mahmood welcomed the fall but said more work remains. She stated that the government must restore order and control to the borders while still welcoming contributors. >"We will always welcome those who contribute to this country and wish to build a better life here.
" — Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood, 21 May 2026 (Al Jazeera) Employers and economists have raised concerns about possible labour shortages in care and hospitality sectors. The British Future think tank described the drop as one of the sharpest on record, while noting that public perception often differs from the data.
The ONS figures also showed a one-third reduction in the number of asylum seekers living in hotels in the 12 months to March 2026, alongside a 3 percent rise in small boat arrivals over the same period.
