Citizenship
Published 27 August 2015
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2015/citizenship
Valid: 27 August 2015 to 25 November 2015
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The figures in this section relate to the number of people who are granted or refused British citizenship.
The numbers of decisions made are not always fully comparable over time. This is because, as well as reflecting changes in the levels of those settling in the UK, the figures are influenced by policy and legislative changes, for example, when changes are made to English language requirements or the Life in the UK test. In addition, the level of decisions made may be affected by the resources available in the Home Office.
All data below relate to the year ending June 2015 and all comparisons are with the year ending June 2014, unless indicated otherwise.
1. Key facts
Applications for British citizenship fell by 29% in the year ending June 2015 to 137,406.
There were 112,407 decisions about British citizenship, 40% fewer than in the previous year (188,910). Correspondingly, there were 42% fewer people granted British citizenship (-75,908 to 105,043). This was the lowest annual figure since 2002 (120,121).
Grant levels reduced in the second and third quarters of 2014 as UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) resources were used to assist HM Passport Office and increased in the fourth quarter of 2014 and first quarter of 2015 as this work was completed and resources returned to UKVI. Grants reduced and refusals increased in the second quarter of 2015 following the introduction of enhanced checks on cases requiring higher levels of assurance e.g. those cases with previous asylum refusals and cases with adverse immigration histories.
As shown in the table below, the 75,908 fall in grants of British citizenship was reflected in lower numbers of people granted citizenship in all broad categories except grants for other reasons which increased slightly.
Grants and refusals of citizenship
| Year | Total decisions | Total grants | On basis of residence | On basis of marriage | As children | Other grounds | Refusals and withdrawals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year to June 2011 | 193,339 | 185,600 | 92,734 | 40,965 | 46,263 | 5,638 | 7,739 |
| Year to June 2012 | 186,113 | 179,697 | 98,310 | 35,443 | 41,127 | 4,817 | 6,416 |
| Year to June 2013 | 211,891 | 204,509 | 111,593 | 42,058 | 45,781 | 5,077 | 7,382 |
| Year to June 2014 | 188,910 | 180,951 | 98,415 | 40,689 | 37,914 | 3,933 | 7,959 |
| Year to June 2015 | 112,407 | 105,043 | 51,592 | 21,492 | 27,705 | 4,254 | 7,364 |
| Change: latest year | -76,503 | -75,908 | -46,823 | -19,197 | -10,209 | +321 | -595 |
| Percentage change | -40% | -42% | -48% | -47% | -27% | +8% | -7% |
Table notes
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2015, Citizenship tables cz 01 q and cz 02 q.
‘Other grounds’ includes Entitlement and Discretionary registration as an adult, Entitlement and Discretionary registration on other grounds and registration under section 5 of the British Nationality Act 1981. See Table cz 07 and the user guide for more detail.
Long-term trends in grants of citizenship
The chart below illustrates longer-term trends in grants of citizenship by calendar year.
Chart notes
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2015, Citizenship table cz 03.
Grants of citizenship in 2008 fell when staff resources were temporarily transferred from decision-making to deal with the administration of new applications. Grant levels fell again in 2014 as applications fell and UKVI resources were used to assist HM Passport Office. The number of grants in 2014 (125,653) is the lowest since 2002 (120,121).
Between 2009 and 2013 there was a general increase in grants of citizenship, which is likely in part to reflect increased grants of permission to stay permanently (known as settlement). After a period of residence those granted settlement become eligible to apply for citizenship. There were 207,989 grants in 2013, more than double the level seen in 2001 (90,282) and the highest comparable annual total since records began in 1962.
Applications between 2001 (109,004) and 2014 (127,259) were greater than those received between 1988 (33,147) and 2000 (62,473), but lower than 1987 (the first year for which application data are available) when 295,447 were received due to a surge before the transitional registration provisions in the British Nationality Act 1981 expired at the end of that year.
There were notable increases in 2005 (211,911) and 2013 (232,262). The increase in applications made in 2005 may have reflected people anticipating the introduction of the Knowledge of Life in the UK test on 1 November that year. Similarly, the increase in 2013 may, in part, have been due to people anticipating the rule change to the English language element of the Life in the UK test as of 28 October 2013. See the Policy and Legislative Changes Timeline. Applications in 2014 fell to 127,259, a level not seen since 2004 (125,668). This may partly be due to the rule change to the English language element of the Life in the UK test as of 28 October 2013.
2. Grants of citizenship by previous nationality
Former Indian and Pakistani nationals have accounted for the largest numbers of grants in almost every year from 1998 to 2014, with the exception of 2007, when former nationals of Pakistan accounted for only the fifth highest number. Together, former Indian and Pakistani nationals accounted for more than a quarter (28%) of grants in 2014.
Top 5 previous nationalities granted citizenship, 2014
(Total number of grants 125,653)
Chart notes
Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics April to June 2015, Citizenship table cz 06.
The composition of the top 5 nationalities has changed compared to the last year. South African nationals are now fourth, but were eighth in 2013, displacing Philippine nationals.
3. Location of citizenship ceremonies
While the total number of ceremonies attended has changed in line with grants, the geographical distribution has remained similar since 2009. The proportion of ceremonies in the London region was 54% in 2005, but fell to 42% by 2009, with increases over the same period in the proportions for the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands and the South East. However, in 2014 London remained the region with the highest proportion of ceremonies (44%).
4. Data tables
Further data on British citizenship are available in Citizenship tables cz 01 to cz 10.
In addition to applications and detailed breakdowns of decisions, these include information on refusals, citizenship ceremonies attended and renunciations of citizenship.