Basic Facts & Figures
- There are approximately 20 million people of concern to UNHCR worldwide, including refugees (around 9 million), returnees, asylum seekers and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). (2006, UNHCR)
- Compared to the size of the national population, the main refugee hosting countries by the end of 2006 were Pakistan, Iran and the USA. It is estimated that Pakistan and Iran host one in every five refugees in the world. (UNHCR)
- The UK plays host to approximately 3% of the worlds refugees and ranks 8th in Europe for the number of refugees we house per capita.
- The largest groups of asylum seekers who came to the UK at the beginning of 2007 were from: Afghanistan, Iran, China, Somalia and Eritrea Pakistan. (Home Office). In 2006 6 out of the top 8 countries of refugees coming to the UK were in conflict.
- 25,715 people made applications for asylum in the UK in 2005, a minute proportion of the total number of people entering the Uk in 1 year. (The Home Office)
- There are currently 10 immigration detention centres across the UK and around 2000 places for asylum seekers, despite the fact that claiming asylum is not a crime. 1950 asylum seekers were detained at the end of 2004, including children in families. There were also 14,905 removals, 2,320 of which were dependents.
- A single person applying for asylum receives approximately £40 per week to live on which is 30% below the poverty line (remember it is illegal for an asylum seeker to work so they have no other form of income).
