Refugee facts
As part of our mission we want to raise awareness and tell the truth about some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
1.
Around 40% of the world’s 123.2 million forcibly displaced people are under the age of 18 (as at end 2024)
2.
71% of the world’s refugees are accommodated in low- and middle-income countries
3.
In 2024, the UK ranked 5th in Europe for asylum applications behind Germany, France, Italy and Spain
4.
There were 1.11 million first-time asylum applications in the EU in the year ending September 2024, a decrease of 3% on the previous year
5.
The UK received 3,861 asylum applications from separated children in the year ending September 2025, down 13% on the previous year
6.
In the year ending September 2024, Sudan was the main country of origin for applications from separated children
7.
The UNHCR estimates that 2.4 million children were born into refugee life between 2018 and 2024, equivalent to some 338,000 children per year
8.
Of the 4,727 age disputes resolved in the year ending June 24, 60% were found to be less than 18 years old
9.
The number of refugees globally has steadily increased since 2012 but within Europe, the number of asylum-seeker applications has decreased from 1.3m in 2016 to 966,000 in 2020
10.
The grant rate for asylum or other forms of leave for separated children in the year ending September 2025 was 66%, down from 74% in the previous year
12.
At the end of September 2025, there were 62,000 asylum cases awaiting an initial decision (relating to 81,000 people)
13.
There were 75,658 asylum applications in the UK in the year ending June 2024, 8% fewer than in the year ending June 2023
14.
In the UK, 99% of small boat arrivals in 2024 either applied for asylum or were named as a dependant on an application
The above facts were gathered during the update of a report to educate our work (2025).
To speak to us about our findings, please contact Hannah Williams.
