How many people are detained or returned?
Published 29 November 2018
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-year-ending-september-2018/how-many-people-are-detained-or-returned
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See section 6 of the ‘About this release’ section for more details.
Data relate to the year ending September 2018 and all comparisons are with the year ending September 2017, unless indicated otherwise.
This section contains data on:
- individuals held in immigration detention (solely under Immigration Act powers)
- returns of people, by the Home Office, who do not have any legal right to stay in the UK
1. Immigration detention
At the end of September 2018, there were 2,049 people held in the detention estate, a fall of 41% compared with the same date 12 months earlier to the lowest level since comparable records began in 2009. The fall coincides with the introduction of the new Immigration Bail in Schedule 10 of the Immigration Bill 2016 (15 January 2018), and changes across the immigration system following Windrush.
In the year ending September 2018, 25,061 individuals entered the detention estate, down 9% compared with the previous year, to the lowest level since comparable records began in 2009.
Over the same period, 26,440 left the detention estate (down 5%). Two-thirds of these were detained for less than 29 days and 4% were detained for more than 6 months. The Home Office would usually only detain someone for more than 6 months if they are a foreign national offender (FNO), or if they claim asylum while in detention.
Of those leaving detention, 44% were returned from the UK to another country (compared with 48% in the previous year) and a further 38% received Secretary of State (SoS) bail.
This release includes, for the first time, data on the number of deaths in detention and absconds from the detention estate. These data will be reported on an annual basis.
In 2017, 4 people died in the detention estate while being held solely under immigration powers. This does not include those who died while being detained solely under immigration powers in prison, or after leaving detention.
In 2017, 3 people absconded while being detained solely under immigration powers in detention. This does not include those who absconded from prisons.
Table 1: People entering, leaving and in detention, year ending September 2014 to 20181,2
| Year ending | Entering detention | Leaving detention | In detention3 | In detention (excl. HM Prisons)3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2014 | 29,491 | 29,161 | z | 3,378 |
| September 2015 | 32,742 | 32,509 | z | 3,531 |
| September 2016 | 29,758 | 30,210 | z | 2,998 |
| September 2017 | 27,567 | 27,820 | 3,455 | 3,125 |
| September 2018 | 25,061 | 26,440 | 2,049 | 1,748 |
| Change: latest year | -2,506 | -1,380 | -1,406 | -1,377 |
| Percentage change | -9% | -5% | -41% | -44% |
Sources:
Detention tables dt 01 q, dt 08 q and dt 13 q
Table notes:
- Data from July 2017 includes those entering and leaving detention through HM Prisons, as well as those held in detention in HM Prisons. Data are not directly comparable with previous years. See the user guide for more details.
- Data on those in detention are as at the end of September each year.
- z = not applicable.
Table 2: Top 10 nationalities of people leaving detention by reason for leaving, year ending September 2018
| Country of nationality | Leaving detention | % Returned from the UK1 | % Bailed (SoS)2 | % Other reason3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 2,499 | 71% | 15% | 15% |
| Pakistan | 2,255 | 24% | 50% | 27% |
| India | 1,996 | 24% | 49% | 26% |
| Romania | 1,485 | 92% | 3% | 5% |
| Bangladesh | 1,328 | 21% | 57% | 22% |
| China | 1,102 | 34% | 56% | 11% |
| Poland | 1,079 | 72% | 10% | 18% |
| Iraq | 1,058 | 7% | 83% | 10% |
| Nigeria | 1,045 | 29% | 35% | 36% |
| Brazil | 821 | 94% | 3% | 4% |
| Other nationalities | 11,772 | 42% | 40% | 18% |
| Total | 26,440 | 44% | 38% | 18% |
Source:
Table notes:
- ‘Returned from UK on leaving detention’ includes enforced returns, voluntary returns and those refused entry at port (in the UK) who were subsequently detained and then departed the UK.
- Detention closed reason: Bailed (SoS) replaced the existing powers of granted temporary admission/release from 15 January 2018, following the introduction of the new Immigration Bail in Schedule 10 of the Immigration Bill 2016.
- Other reason on leaving detention includes Bailed (Immigration Judge), granted leave to enter/remain, deaths in detention, absconders and other categories.
2. Returns
The total number of enforced returns from the UK decreased by 18% to 10,190 in the year ending September 2018, compared with 12,380 in the previous year. The fall coincides with changes across the immigration system following Windrush, and was driven by falls in:
- enforced returns of people who were in detention prior to their return, which fell by 15% to 8,996, compared with 10,577 in the previous year
- enforced returns for both EU nationals (down 1,197 to 3,957) and non-EU nationals (down 993 to 6,233). EU nationals accounted for 39% of enforced returns throughout the year and the majority (56%) of these were Romanian and Polish nationals, despite falls compared with the previous year
Of the enforced returns in the latest period, 24% (2,493) were enforced returns of people who had previously sought asylum (see the ‘About the Statistics’ section for the definition of asylum-related returns).
Together, Albanian, Romanian and Polish nationals accounted for 38% of enforced returns.
Table 3: Returns from the UK by type of return, year ending September 2015 to 2018
| Year ending | Total enforced returns1 | Total voluntary returns2,3 | Total refused entry at port who subsequently departed |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2015 | 13,799 | 27,117 | 16,887 |
| September 2016 | 12,707 | 28,123 | 18,236 |
| September 2017 | 12,380 | 22,130 | 17,836 |
| September 2018 | 10,190 | 15,417 | 18,213 |
| Change: latest 12 months | -2,190 | - | +377 |
| Percentage change | -18% | - | +2% |
Source:
Returns table rt 01 q (volume 1)
Table notes:
- ‘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.
- ‘Voluntary returns’ are subject to significant upward revision as matching checks are made on travellers after departure.
- ‘Voluntary returns’ include a variety of departures, including assisted voluntary returns, controlled returns and other verified returns (for example, through data matching). Comparisons with the previous 12 months for voluntary returns have not been included as data are not comparable over time.
Table 4: Enforced returns1 from the UK by nationality (top 5), year ending September 2018 compared with year ending September 2017
| Ranking (previous year) | Country of nationality | Year ending September 2018 | Year ending September 2017 | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (2) | Albania | 1,687 | 1,624 | +63 | +4% |
| 2 (1) | Romania | 1,320 | 1,767 | -447 | -25% |
| 3 (3) | Poland | 908 | 1,286 | -378 | -29% |
| 4 (6) | Lithuania | 543 | 657 | -114 | -17% |
| 5 (5) | Pakistan | 542 | 750 | -208 | -28% |
| - | Other Nationalities | 5,190 | 6,296 | -1,106 | -18% |
| - | Total | 10,190 | 12,380 | -2,190 | -18% |
Source:
Returns table rt 02 q (volume 1)
Table note:
- ‘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.
Provisional data show that 5,485 Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) were returned in the year ending September 2018, down 11% compared with 6,144 in the previous year. Of these:
- just over two-thirds (68%) were EU nationals (3,721) compared to 66% in the previous 12 months (4,067)
- just under one-third (32%) were non-EU nationals (1,764) compared to 34% in the previous 12 months (2,077)
- 11% were known to have an overseas criminal record compared to 14% in year ending September 2017
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, be counted multiple times in the statistics. Statistics on foreign nationals held in prison for criminal offences are published by the Ministry of Justice in its ‘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 be counted as entering any subsequent place of detention. The data therefore, do not show the total number of people entering 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 will not be counted as leaving each part of the detention estate. The data therefore, do not show the total number of people leaving 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 immigration removal centre (IRC), short-term holding facility (STHF) or pre-departure accommodation (PDA); now they are recorded upon entering immigration detention within prison. 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 detention closed reasons ‘Bailed (SoS)’ replaced the existing powers of ‘granted temporary admission/release’ from 15/01/2018, and ‘Bailed (Immigration Judge)’ replaced ‘Bailed’ to differentiate from ‘Bailed (SoS)’. See the user guide for more details of this change.
For the first time in this release, data on the number of deaths in detention and absconds from detention are included. These are a subset of the ‘other’ reason for leaving in the published tables.
Data on deaths in detention include those who died while held solely under immigration powers in detention facilities (such as IRCs, STHF, and PDA). They do not include those who died while being held solely under immigration powers in prison, or after leaving detention.
Data on absconders include those who abscond from detention facilities and those who abscond while being escorted under immigration powers (for example, from one facility to another). They do not include absconders being held solely under immigration powers in prison and may exclude cases where individuals have absconded for very short periods of time. The definition of an abscond will be kept under review.
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.
3.2 Returns
The statistics in this section show the number of returns from the UK. One individual may be returned more than once in a given period, and will therefore, 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)
- overstay their period of legal right to remain in the UK
- breach their conditions of leave
- are subject to deportation action; for example, due to a serious criminal conviction
- have been refused asylum
Deportations are a subset of enforced returns. They may occur either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. Information on those deported is not separately available. 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 who have declined to leave voluntarily. Most illegal immigrants are removed from the UK under administrative or illegal entry powers and not deported.
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).
EU nationals may be returned for not exercising, or abusing, 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 who were invited to the UK between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries and came at the invitation of the British government, which was facing 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.
On 16 April 2018, the Home Secretary established a Taskforce to ensure that members of the Windrush generation could evidence their right to be in the UK. The taskforce provide an update to the Home Affairs Select Committee on the work of the Home Office in relation to Windrush, including official figures, on a monthly basis. The updates are published on GOV.UK.
4. Data tables
Data referred to here can be found in the following tables:
Detentions tables
Returns tables volume 1
Returns tables volume 2
Returns tables volume 3
Returns tables volume 4
Returns tables volume 5
5. Review of immigration enforcement data
The Home Office is reviewing the enforcement data that it publishes in order to ensure it provides a comprehensive overview of the detention and returns system. If you have any comments on the statistics currently published in this section and the associated data tables, including information that you find particularly helpful and information that you would like to see published in the future, please send these to MigrationStatsEnquiries@homeoffice.gov.uk.