Detention: The number of people entering detention in the year ending March 2014 increased to 30,113, up 5% on the previous year (28,733). There was a continuing decline in the proportion of detainees being removed to 56% in the year ending March 2014 compared with 60% in the previous 12 months. There was an increase in the proportion of detainees granted temporary admission or release from 33% to 37%.  As at the end of March 2014, 2,991 people were in detention, 5% higher than the number recorded at the end of March 2013 (2,853). In the first quarter of 2014, 19 children entered detention in immigration removal centres, short-term holding facilities and pre-departure accommodation, which, together with the figure for the first quarter of 2011, is the lowest since the series began in 2009.Of the 19 children leaving detention in the first quarter of 2014, 6 were removed from the UK and 13 were granted temporary admission or release. During the year ending March 2014, 29,801 people left detention. Of these, 18,115 (61%) had been in detention for less than 29 days, 5,703 (19%) for between 29 days and two months and 4,127 (14%) for between two and four months. Of the 1,856 (6%) remaining, 175 had been in detention for between one and two years and 39 for two years or longer.

Removals and Voluntary Departures Enforced removals from the UK decreased by 12% to 12,621 in the year ending March 2014 compared with the previous 12 months (14,283). This represents the lowest figure since the series began in 2004. There were 4,416 enforced removals of people who had sought asylum at some stage, down 12% from the previous year (5,011). The number of passengers refused entry at port and who subsequently departed has increased by 3% in the year ending March 2014, to 14,265 from 13,833 for the previous 12 months; however the long-term trends show levels decreasing since 2004. In the year ending March 2014, there was an increase of 25% in total voluntary departures, to 37,227, compared with the previous year (29,883). This category has represented the largest proportion of those departing from the UK since the end of 2009.The highest number of enforced removals in the year ending March 2014 were for nationals of Pakistan (1,794; 14% of the total). The second highest were for nationals of India (1,255; 10% of the total). 4,573 foreign national offenders (FNOs) were removed, down 2% from the previous year (4,684), year ending March 2014.















Asylum: There were 23,731 asylum applications in the year ending March 2014, a rise of 1,101 (+5%) compared with the previous 12 months. The number of applications remains low relative to the peak number of applications in 2002 (84,132), and similar to levels seen since 2006 (23,608).The number of initial decisions on asylum applications has decreased by 14% to 15,209 in the year ending March 2014. Of these decisions, 36% (5,433) were grants of asylum, a form of temporary protection or other type of grant. At the end of March 2014, 19,685 of the applications for asylum received since April 2006 from main applicants were pending a decision (initial decision, appeal or further review). This was 38% more than at the end of March 2013. The HM Courts and Tribunals Service received 7,521 asylum appeals from main applicants in the year ending March 2014, a fall of 9% compared with the previous 12 months. At the end of March 2014, 25,355 asylum seekers were being supported while their asylum claim was finally determined (under Section 95). The number of failed asylum seekers and their dependants receiving support (under Section 4) was 4,854.In the year ending March 2014, the largest number of applications for asylum were from nationals of Pakistan (3,285), followed by Iran (2,233), Sri Lanka (1,813) and Syria (1,722). The 1,101 increase in applications in the year ending March 2014 compared with the previous 12 months was driven by rises from a number of nationalities, in particular from Eritrea (+802), Syria (+559), and Albania (+474). While Eritrea saw the largest increase in applications, it remains fifth for overall numbers of asylum applications.















Asylum Support At the end of March 2014, 25,355 asylum seekers and their dependants were being supported under Section 95. According to previously published figures, there were 80,123 asylum seekers in receipt of Section 95 in December 2003 (the start of the published data series). There is a high concentration of those supported under Section 95 in a few local authority areas. For example, at the end of December 2013 the 5 local authorities with the greatest number (Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff and Middlesbrough) accounted for 27% of the total, while 75% of all those seeking asylum and supported under Section 95 were in 30 local authorities.   Published 22 May 2014. Read the full report here