Returns from the UK since 5 July 2024
Updated 10 February 2025
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This note provides an update on the number of people who have been returned from the UK since early July. It is intended to provide the public with clear and timely statistics in an area of high public interest. The next Immigration system statistics quarterly release, covering comprehensive statistics on the number of returns from the UK for the period to the end of 2024, will be published on GOV.UK.
Returns
Between 5 July 2024 and 31 January 2025, a total of 18,987 returns were recorded (including both enforced and voluntary returns). This is a 10% increase on the 17,211 returns in the same period the previous year, however the figures are subject to a recording delay, as detailed below.
Of which, there were 5,074 enforced returns of people with no legal right to remain in the UK. This compares with 4,089 enforced returns over the same period 12 months prior, an increase of 24%.
Of the total returns since 5 July 2024, 2,925 were of foreign national offenders (FNOs), this is an increase of 21% compared to 2,422 FNO returns in the same period 12 months prior (FNO returns include both enforced and voluntary returns).
Within the FNO returns, there have been 1,557 early removal scheme (ERS) returns, which is a 26% increase compared to 1,231 in the same period 12 months prior.
From 5 July 2024 to 31 January 2025 there have been 39 charter flights for returns to countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, 4 more than in the same period 12 months prior (35).
Enforced and FNO, including ERS, returns since July 2023
| Return type | Enforced returns | Foreign national offender returns | Of which: early removal scheme returns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul-23 | 536 | 347 | 154 |
| Aug-23 | 509 | 319 | 156 |
| Sep-23 | 559 | 333 | 163 |
| Oct-23 | 629 | 379 | 186 |
| Nov-23 | 610 | 337 | 195 |
| Dec-23 | 682 | 385 | 205 |
| Jan-24 | 596 | 344 | 176 |
| Feb-24 | 664 | 399 | 229 |
| Mar-24 | 636 | 359 | 194 |
| Apr-24 | 617 | 387 | 226 |
| May-24 | 617 | 438 | 253 |
| Jun-24 | 618 | 412 | 210 |
| Jul-24 | 702 | 437 | 240 |
| Aug-24 | 671 | 431 | 234 |
| Sep-24 | 695 | 417 | 225 |
| Oct-24 | 743 | 447 | 275 |
| Nov-24 | 823 | 453 | 223 |
| Dec-24 | 811 | 464 | 228 |
| Jan-25 | 745 | 357 | 171 |
Revisions to the statistics
The data and statistics contained within this notice are provisional and taken from live operational systems on 5 February 2025 and as a result, figures are subject to further revision and change.
Some 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 and will increase as additional cases are retrospectively recorded. ‘Other verified returns’ (a subset of voluntary returns) are particularly affected by this. For this reason, comparisons of more recent periods to earlier periods should be made with caution.
The Home Office will publish comprehensive statistics on immigration enforcement activity, including the number of returns between July and December 2024, in the next Immigration system statistics quarterly release.