Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 581,072 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1960–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
In 2025, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 581,072. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.7% on the previous year and up 372.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 581,072 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 39,755, in 1988.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 14th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 167,000 | — |
| 1961 | 164,000 | -1.8% |
| 1962 | 160,000 | -2.4% |
| 1963 | 157,000 | -1.9% |
| 1964 | 160,000 | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 170,000 | +6.2% |
| 1966 | 167,000 | -1.8% |
| 1967 | 164,000 | -1.8% |
| 1968 | 161,000 | -1.8% |
| 1969 | 162,000 | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 162,000 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 150,000 | -7.4% |
| 1972 | 150,000 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 150,000 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 155,500 | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 153,000 | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 153,000 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 148,000 | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 150,000 | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 146,000 | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 148,000 | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 146,000 | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 143,000 | -2.1% |
| 1983 | 140,000 | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 135,000 | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 135,000 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 100,000 | -25.9% |
| 1987 | 100,000 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 39,755 | -60.2% |
| 1989 | 46,014 | +15.7% |
| 1990 | 43,625 | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 43,368 | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 64,717 | +49.2% |
| 1993 | 80,230 | +24.0% |
| 1994 | 85,159 | +6.1% |
| 1995 | 90,908 | +6.8% |
| 1996 | 98,577 | +8.4% |
| 1997 | 107,933 | +9.5% |
| 1998 | 121,715 | +12.8% |
| 1999 | 148,921 | +22.4% |
| 2000 | 186,247 | +25.1% |
| 2001 | 233,389 | +25.3% |
| 2002 | 260,687 | +11.7% |
| 2003 | 276,482 | +6.1% |
| 2004 | 298,826 | +8.1% |
| 2005 | 303,163 | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 301,537 | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 299,701 | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 292,081 | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 269,355 | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 238,133 | -11.6% |
| 2011 | 193,494 | -18.7% |
| 2012 | 149,790 | -22.6% |
| 2013 | 126,036 | -15.9% |
| 2014 | 117,226 | -7.0% |
| 2015 | 123,051 | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 118,973 | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 121,821 | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 126,708 | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 133,083 | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 132,304 | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 137,078 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 328,989 | +140.0% |
| 2023 | 448,620 | +36.4% |
| 2024 | 515,677 | +14.9% |
| 2025 | 581,072 | +12.7% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 581,072 is above the median for high income countries, which is 12,513, 46.4× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 581,072 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 62,365, 9.3× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +140.0% | 137,078 | 328,989 |
| 1988 | -60.2% | 100,000 | 39,755 |
| 1992 | +49.2% | 43,368 | 64,717 |
| 2023 | +36.4% | 328,989 | 448,620 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 163,200 | 157,000 | 170,000 | 10 |
| 1970s | 151,750 | 146,000 | 162,000 | 10 |
| 1980s | 113,277 | 39,755 | 148,000 | 10 |
| 1990s | 88,515 | 43,368 | 148,921 | 10 |
| 2000s | 272,147 | 186,247 | 303,163 | 10 |
| 2010s | 144,832 | 117,226 | 238,133 | 10 |
| 2020s | 357,290 | 132,304 | 581,072 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More social development data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0084 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 12.68 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 581,072 in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 581,072 in 2025.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 39,755 in 1988.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 14th out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 372.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Refugees under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) include individuals recognized under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, the refugee definition contained in the 1984 Cartagena Declaration on Refugees as incorporated into national laws, those recognized in accordance with the UNHCR Statute, individuals granted complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection. The refugee population also includes people in a refugee-like situation, which is a category that is descriptive in nature and includes groups of people who are outside their country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but for whom refugee status has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained. Refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestine Refugees, are not typically included in the statistics on refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the UNHCR.