UK Grants Record 200,000 Migrants Settlement in One Year

The Home Office reported that one migrant is being granted British citizenship or settlement every minute, with 140,122 foreign nationals receiving indefinite leave to remain (ILR) or citizenship in the three months ending June 2026. Over the full year, nearly 200,000 people were granted ILR, marking a 16-year record.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that control of the asylum system is being restored, citing a reduction in the number of asylum seekers staying in hotels. However, critics, including Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp, argue that the government is simply relocating these individuals into private rentals.

Robert Bates of the Centre for Migration Control described the current settlement numbers as unsustainable, warning they could lead to a financial catastrophe costing the state hundreds of billions of pounds. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Justice is appealing an Information Commissioner's order to release conviction data by nationality. Victims' families and the Centre for Migration Control argue this appeal blocks transparency regarding crimes committed by foreign nationals.