Accredited official statistics

How many people are detained or returned?

Updated 27 November 2020

Back to ‘Immigration statistics, year ending September 2020’ content page.

This is not the latest release. View latest release.

Data on immigration detention relate to the year ending September 2020 and all comparisons are with the year ending September 2019, unless indicated otherwise. Data on returns are published a quarter behind and relate to the year ending June 2020 to allow more time for returns to be recorded on the system and ensure the published figure is an accurate representation of the number of returns. See the user guide for more details.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. A range of restrictions relating to the outbreak began on 12 March 2020, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advised against all non-essential overseas travel on 17 March 2020, and advised all British travellers to return to the UK on 23 March 2020, the same day as the first UK lockdown measures were announced.

Restrictions were put in place across Europe and other parts of the world in the run up to the UK outbreak, which will also have impacted travel to the UK prior to these dates. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the UK immigration system, both in terms of restricting migrant movements to and from the UK and also operational capacity.

Year ending comparisons that follow will include impacts resulting from the restrictions put in place during this period of the pandemic.

This section contains data on:

• Individuals detained in the Home Office detention estate and HM Prisons solely under Immigration Act powers. The detention estate comprises immigration removal centres (IRC), short-term holding facilities (STHF) and pre-departure accommodation (PDA)
• Returns of people who do not have any legal right to stay in the UK

1. Immigration detention

Table 1: People entering, leaving and in detention under immigration powers in the UK, year ending September 2019 to year ending September 2020¹

Year	Entering detention	Leaving detention	In detention 2
Year ending September 2019	24,468	24,601	1,826
Year ending September 2020	17,219	18,040	990
Change: latest year	-7,249	-6,561	-836
Percentage change	-30%	-27%	-46%

Source: Immigration detention – Det_D01, Det_D02 and Det_D03
Note:

1. Detained under immigration powers in either the immigration detention estate or a prison.
2. Data on those in detention are as at 30 September.

The number of people entering detention in the year ending September 2020 was 17,219, 30% fewer than the previous year. Although in part affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, this continues a general downward trend since 2015 when the number entering detention peaked at over 32,000.

More than four fifths (83%) of those entering detention in year ending September 2020 were non-EU nationals. The number of non-EU nationals entering detention fell from a peak of 29,424 in the year ending September 2015 to 14,317 in the year ending September 2020.

The number of EU nationals entering detention had gradually increased between 2009 and 2017, peaking at 5,319. However, numbers have since fallen to 2,902 in the year ending September 2020, down 45% on the 2017 peak.

Albanians were the most common nationality entering detention in the latest year, accounting for 13% of the total (2,209), although this was a 34% decrease on the previous year. Iranian nationals were the next most common nationality entering detention, at 1,819 in the latest year, a decrease of 27% from the preceding year.

As at 30 September 2020, there were 990 people in immigration detention (including 434 detained in prison), up from 698 at the end of June 2020, but 46% less than at 30 September 2019 (1,826). This reduction is due to fewer people being detained in Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of people detained in prisons under immigration powers has increased by 43% from 304 at 30 September 2019 to 434 at 30 September 2020.

In 2019, one person died while being detained under immigration powers. This number does not include any persons who may have died while being detained under immigration powers in prison.

We have made changes to the published data on deaths in detention, to reflect a more comprehensive definition. The data now include those who died after leaving detention, as a result of an incident that occurred while in detention. The data are included in table Det_05b in the Detention summary tables.See the user guide for more details.

In 2019, two detainees absconded while being detained solely under immigration powers in detention. This number does not include those who absconded from prisons while detained solely under immigration powers.

Figure 1: People entering detention under immigration powers in the UK, year ending September 2011 to year ending September 2020¹

Source: Immigration detention – Det_D01
Notes:

1. Prior to July 2017, those entering detention in prisons would not be counted in the entering figures until they entered the detention estate. These cases are now included when entering immigration detention in prison. This means those entering through prisons will be recorded earlier than previously, and those who were not moved from the prison to the detention estate would not previously have been counted.

1.1 Leaving detention

In the year ending September 2020, 18,040 people left the detention estate (down 27%). Nearly a half (48%) had been detained for seven days or less, compared with 39% in year ending September 2019, and three-quarters (76%) detained for 28 days or less. There has been an increase in the proportion of people leaving detention within 28 days since mid-2018, when around two-thirds left detention within 28 days.

Two per cent of detainees (437) leaving detention in the year ending September 2020, had been detained for more than six months. The Home Office would usually only detain someone for more than six months if they are a foreign national offender (FNO), or if they have subsequently claimed asylum while in detention.

Figure 2: People leaving immigration detention, by length of detention¹, year ending September 2016 to year ending September 2020

Source: Immigration detention – Det_D03
Notes:

1. Data from July 2017 includes those leaving detention through HM Prisons. Data are not directly comparable with previous years. See the user guide for more details.
2. ‘ < ’ means ‘less than.

Of those leaving detention in the year ending September 2020, 69% received bail (either Secretary of State (SoS) or Immigration Judge (IJ)), 30% were returned from the UK to their country of origin or another foreign country, and 2% left for other reasons (including being granted leave to enter or remain in the UK).

The proportion of people who were returned from the UK to their country of origin or another foreign country on leaving detention has fallen from 63% in the year ending September 2011 to 30% in the year ending September 2020. Non-EU nationals were more likely to be returned on leaving detention than EU nationals (58% compared with 42%).

Among the top 10 nationalities leaving detention in the year ending September 2020, there were differences in whether people were granted bail or returned from the UK. For example, 99% (563) of Eritreans and 97% (692) of Sudanese nationals were granted bail. However, 89% (981) of Romanians and 86% (735) of Brazilians were returned from the UK. Changes in the overall proportion of people who receive bail or who are returned from the UK will therefore, partly reflect changes in the mix of nationalities who are detained, and any barriers to them being returned to their country of origin, people with no right to remain in the UK.

Figure 3: Top 10 nationalities¹ leaving detention by reason for leaving², year ending September 2020

Source: Immigration detention – Det_D03
Notes:

1. Top 10 nationalities in the most recent year.
2. Other reasons for leaving detention include being sectioned under the Mental Health Act, entering criminal detention, being granted leave to enter or remain in the UK, and detained in error. See the user guide for more details.

2. Returns

In November 2020, Home Office statisticians revised the published timeseries on returns. The published data now show more voluntary returns and fewer enforced returns than previously published. Further details on the reasons for the revision can be found in the returns section of the user guide.

In the year ending June 2020, enforced returns from the UK decreased to 5,208, 34% lower than the previous year and the lowest number since in the timeseries began in 2004. The fall was largely accounted for by the decrease in enforced returns of people who were in detention prior to their return (down 35% to 3,474). Although the number of enforced returns has been declining since 2013, the fall in the latest year was larger due to very few returns in the latest quarter (April to June), which occurred as a result of to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the same period, there were 8,254 voluntary returns. Although these data are not directly comparable over time (as voluntary returns are subject to upward revision, as in many cases, it can take time to identify people who have left the UK without informing the Home Office), the numbers recorded have shown a downward trend since 2016.

There were 13,436 passengers who were refused entry at port and subsequently departed, 33% lower than year ending June 2019. The number of port refusals in the latest quarter (April to June) fell significantly as fewer passengers arrived in the UK as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Figure 4: Returns from the UK, by type of return¹, year ending June 2011 to year ending June 2020

Source: Returns – Ret_D01
Notes:

1. ‘Voluntary returns’ include ‘verified returns’ which are subject to upward revision (particularly for the last 12 months) as in some cases it can take time to identify people who have left the UK without informing the Home Office. Provisional data are denoted with an ‘X’ in the chart.

Table 2: Returns from the UK, by type^1,2 of return, for EU and non-EU nationals³, year ending June 2016 to year ending June 2020

Returns	Year ending June 2016	Year ending June 2017	Year ending June 2018	Year ending June 2019	Year ending June 2020	Change: latest year	Percentage change
Enforced returns	2,327	12,007	10,708	7,895	5,208	-2,687	-34%
EU	4,166	5,023	4,248	3,510	2,566	-944	-27%
Non-EU	8,161	6,984	6,460	4,385	2,642	-1,743	-40%
Voluntary returns	30,562	24,790	18,044	14,060	8,254	:	:
EU	878	1,011	460	200	66	:	:
Non-EU	29,684	23,779	17,584	13,860	8,188	:	:
Refused entry at port who subsequently departed	18,737	17,571	18,783	19,987	13,436	-6,551	-33%
EU	2,424	3,027	3,778	3,258	1,719	-1,539	-47%
Non-EU	16,313	14,544	15,005	16,729	11,717	-5,012	-30%

Source: Returns – Ret_D01
Notes:

1. ‘Enforced returns’ cover enforced removals from detention, non-detained enforced removals and other returns from detention where the Home Office will have been required to facilitate or monitor the return.
2. ‘Voluntary returns’ are subject to significant upward revision as matching checks are made on travellers after departure. ‘Voluntary returns’ also include a variety of departures, including assisted voluntary returns, controlled returns and other verified returns (for example, through data matching). These data are not comparable over time, hence comparisons with the previous 12 months for voluntary returns have not been included in the table.
3. EU nationals may be returned for abusing or not exercising Treaty rights or for deportation on public policy grounds such as criminality.

The number of enforced returns of non-EU nationals has fallen since 2013 from 12,675 to 3,720 in 2019. There has been a further drop to 2,642 in the year ending June 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Enforced returns of EU nationals have also decreased, after peaking at 5,023 in the year ending June 2017, having fallen since then to 2,566 in the year ending June 2020.

As a result of these differing trends, the proportion of enforced returns accounted for by EU nationals has increased from 7% in 2010 to 49% in the year ending June 2020.

Figure 5: Enforced returns from the UK, for EU and non-EU nationals¹, year ending June 2011 to year ending June 2020

Source: Returns – Ret_D01
Notes:

1. EU nationals may be returned for abusing or not exercising Treaty rights or for deportation on public policy grounds such as criminality.

The top 5 nationalities accounted for 58% of the total enforced returns in year ending June 2020 – (Romania (21%), Albania (13%), Brazil (10%), Poland (9%) and Lithuania (6%)).

Within the top 5 nationalities, Albanian nationals showed the largest decrease in enforced returns compared with the previous year (down 43% to 693). In the same period, there was an increase in the number of enforced returns of Brazilian nationals (up 18% to 523).

Table 3: Top 5 nationalities¹ who had enforced returns² from the UK, year ending June 2019 and year ending June 2020

Nationality	Year ending June 2019	Year ending June 2020	Change	Percentage Change
Romania	1,241	1,083	-158	-13%
Albania	1,218	693	-525	-43%
Brazil	444	523	+79	+18%
Poland	714	455	-259	-36%
Lithuania	432	291	-141	-33%
Other Nationalities	3,846	2,163	-1,683	-44%
Total	7,895	5,208	-2,687	-34%

Source: Returns – Ret_D01
Notes:

1. Top 5 nationalities in the most recent year.
2. ‘Enforced returns’ cover enforced removals from detention, non-detained enforced removals and other returns from detention where the Home Office will have been required to facilitate or monitor the return.
3. ‘Other nationalities’ includes all nationalities that do not feature in the top 5 in the latest year.

The largest number of recorded voluntary returns was of Indian nationals (1,310, or 16% of the total), followed by Chinese (742, or 9%) and Pakistani nationals (682, or 8%). These nationalities accounted for one-third (33%) of the total recorded voluntary returns (8,254). This will include those who were known to have left the UK voluntarily after their visa had expired.

The largest number of passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departed were Brazilian nationals (1,569, or 12% of the total), followed by Albanians (1,102, or 8%) and Romanians (740, or 6%). These three nationalities, which also feature within the top three nationalities for enforced returns, accounted for 25% of the total number of passengers refused entry at port and subsequently departed (13,436).

2.1 Returns of foreign national offenders (FNOs)

The number of FNOs returned follows a different trend to all returns, with a steady increase from 2011 to 2016 (from 4,761 to 6,437) with a fall in recent years. In the year ending June 2020, 3,804 FNOs were returned from the UK, 27% less than the previous year (5,179). These figures are included in the total returns figures and constitute 28% of enforced and voluntary returns, with the majority being enforced returns.

Of the 3,804 FNOs returned from the UK in year ending June 2020:

• two-thirds (67%) were EU nationals (2,557), a number which includes those who abuse or did not exercise Treaty rights, and those deported on public policy grounds such as criminality
• one-third (33%) were non-EU nationals (1,247)

Figure 6: Returns of FNOs¹ from the UK, for EU and non-EU nationals, year ending June 2011 to year ending June 2020

Source: Returns – Summary tables
Notes:

1. An FNO is someone who is not a British citizen and is/was convicted in the UK of any criminal offence, or abroad for a serious criminal offence.

2.2 The effects of COVID-19 on detention and returns

The number of people entering detention between July and September 2020 was 4,284, 31% less than between July and September 2019 (6,193), but more than double the number between April and June 2020 (1,819). The increase in the latest quarter, in part, is due to the short-term detention of clandestine entrants held by UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) for initial asylum screening purposes, the majority being detained at a Residential Short-Term Holding Facility at Yarl’s Wood IRC. Of the 4,284, 1,118 entered detention in July 2020, 1,331 in August 2020, and 1,835 in September 2020.

The number of people leaving detention between July and September 2020 was 4,005, around a third (34%) less than between July and September 2019 (6,062). As the circumstances of an individual’s case change, including those resulting from flight restrictions, the suitability of detention is reviewed and release on immigration bail may become the most appropriate option. The number of people leaving detention fell as less people were entering detention. Three-quarters of those leaving detention between July and September 2020 were granted some form of bail (compared to just 65% in the same period in 2019).

The number of people in detention at 30 September 2020 was 990 (including 434 held in prisons), 46% less than at 30 September 2019 (1,826). There were 990 people in the detention estate, down from 1,637 at end of December 2019 but an increase of 42% from the end of June 2020 (698). Of the 990 detained, the number of people detained under immigration powers in prison has increased from 368 at the end of June 2020 to 434 at the end of September 2020.

The number of returns between April and June 2020 have fallen for all return types compared with the same quarter in 2019. The number of port returns fell 84% (from 4,242 to 666). This fall has coincided with significant falls in the number of passengers arriving in the UK (see ‘Statistics relating to passenger arrivals since the COVID-19 outbreak’ for details). Enforced returns fell 80% from 1,799 to 361, while the number of voluntary returns (excluding ‘other verified returns’) fell by 84% from 1,413 to 226. Although return numbers have shown a downward trend in recent years, these large falls are as a result of the travel restrictions imposed due to COVID-19 restrictions from March this year. The number of returns fell substantially in April 2020 immediately following the UK lockdown, however there were gradual increases into May and June 2020, although numbers are well below levels seen over same period in previous years.

3. About the statistics

3.1 Immigration detention

The statistics in this section show the number of entries into, and departures from, detention for those held solely under immigration powers. One individual may enter or leave detention multiple times in a given period and will therefore have been counted multiple times in the statistics. Statistics on foreign nationals held in prison for criminal offences are published by the Ministry of Justice in ‘Offender management statistics quarterly’.

Data on those entering detention, by place of detention, relate to the place of initial detention. An individual who moves from one part of the detention estate to another will not have been counted as entering any subsequent place of detention. The data, therefore, do not show the total number of people who entered each part of the detention estate.

Data on those in detention relate to those in detention on the last day of the quarter.

Data on those leaving detention, by place of detention, relate to the place of detention immediately prior to being released. An individual who moves from one part of the detention estate to another has not been counted as leaving each part of the detention estate. The data, therefore, do not show the total number of people who left each part of the detention estate.

From July 2017, data on detention of immigration detainees in prisons are included in the immigration detention figures. Previously, individuals who were detained in prison would have been recorded in the data upon entering the detention estate through an IRC, STHF or PDA; now they are recorded upon entering immigration detention within prison. As a result, the length of detention of those entering prison prior to July 2017 will be recorded from the point at which they entered an IRC, STHF or PDA. Time spent in prison under immigration powers prior to entering an IRC, STHF or PDA is not included in the length of detention figures prior to July 2017.

For those entering detention from July 2017, the length of detention will include time spent in prison under immigration powers prior to entering an IRC, STHF or PDA. Data from Q3 2017 onwards are therefore not directly comparable with earlier data. Further details of these changes can be found in the user guide.

Following the introduction of the new Immigration Bail in Schedule 10 of the Immigration Bill 2016, the reason for leaving detention ‘Bailed (SoS)’ replaced the existing powers of ‘granted temporary admission/release’ from 15 January 2018, and ‘Bailed (Immigration Judge)’ replaced ‘Bailed’ to differentiate from ‘Bailed (SoS)’. See the user guide for more details of this change.

Data on the number of children entering detention is subject to change. This will be a result of further evidence of an individual’s age coming to light, such as an age assessment.

Data on deaths in detention include any death of an individual while detained under immigration powers in an IRC, STHF, PDA, under escort, or after leaving detention if the death was as a result of an incident occurring while detained or where there is some credible information that the death might have resulted from their period of detention and the Home Office has been informed. Further details can be found in the user guide.

3.2 Returns

In November 2020, Home Office statisticians revised the published timeseries on returns. The published data now show more voluntary returns and fewer enforced returns than previously published. Further details on the reasons for the revision can be found in the returns section of the user guide.

Data on returns are published a quarter behind to allow more time for returns (particularly ‘other verified returns’) to be entered on the system prior to publication, ensuring that the published data is an accurate representation of the number of returns. We routinely revise the previous eight quarters of data as part of each quarterly release. Therefore, data for the most recent 8 quarters should be considered provisional. Further details on the revisions can be found in the returns section of the user guide.

The statistics in this section show the number of returns from the UK. One individual may have been returned more than once in a given period and, if that was the case, would be counted more than once in the statistics.

The Home Office seeks to return people who do not have a legal right to stay in the UK. This includes people who:

• enter, or attempt to enter, the UK illegally (including people entering clandestinely and by means of deception on entry)
• are subject to deportation action; for example, due to a serious criminal conviction
• overstay their period of legal right to remain in the UK
• breach their conditions of leave
• have been refused asylum

The term ‘deportations’ refers to a legally-defined subset of returns, which are enforced either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws, and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

Data on voluntary returns are subject to significant upward revision, so comparisons over time should be made with caution. In some cases, individuals who have been told to leave the UK will not notify the Home Office of their departure from the UK. In such cases, it can take some time for the Home Office to become aware of such a departure and update the system. As a result, data for more recent periods will initially undercount the total number of returns. ‘Other verified returns’ are particularly affected by this.

Asylum-related returns relate to cases where there has been an asylum claim at some stage prior to the return. This will include asylum seekers whose asylum claims have been refused and who have exhausted any rights of appeal, those returned under third-country provisions, as well as those granted asylum/protection but removed for other reasons (such as criminality).

Data on the number of people returned from the UK from detention in the ‘immigration detention’ tables includes those who were refused entry at port in the UK who were subsequently detained and then departed the UK. Data on those returned from detention in the ‘returns’ tables do not include those refused entry at port, and so figures will be lower.

Data on returns, and requests for transfer out of the UK under the Dublin Regulation, by article and country of transfer, are available from the Asylum data tables Dub_D01. Further details on the Dublin Regulation are set out in the user guide.

EU nationals may be returned for abusing or not exercising Treaty rights or deported on public policy grounds (such as criminality).

Eurostat publishes a range of enforcement data from EU member states. These data can be used to make international comparisons.

3.3 The Windrush Scheme

The Windrush generation refers to people from Caribbean countries who were invited by the British government between 1948 and 1971 to migrate to the UK as it faced a labour shortage due to the destruction caused by World War II. Not all of these migrants have documentation confirming their immigration status and, therefore, some may have been dealt with under immigration powers.

Data relating to the Windrush compensation scheme are published as part of the Home Office Transparency data.

4. Data tables

Data referred to here can be found in the following tables:

• Immigration detention summary tables
• Detailed immigration detention datasets
• Returns summary tables
• Detailed returns datasets

4.1 Review of immigration enforcement data

The Home Office is reviewing the enforcement data that it publishes to ensure it provides a comprehensive overview of the enforcement system. The Home Office will launch a public consultation to enable users to inform future developments in enforcement statistics in due course.

We welcome your feedback

If you have any comments or suggestions for the development of this report, please provide feedback by emailing MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please include the words ‘PUBLICATION FEEDBACK’ in the subject of your email.

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of our documents. If you find any problems or have any feedback relating to accessibility, please email us.

See section 7 of the ‘About this release’ section for more details.