Epidemiological Data
National Data
There were 32,693 asylum applications in the UK (main applicants only) in the year ending June 2019. At that time, there were 45,203 people receiving Section 95 support, 1,583 receiving Section 98 support and 3,893 receiving Section 4 support (see Appendix for explanations of these different types of support).
The chart below shows the age and sex breakdown of UK asylum applicants and their dependents in 2017. The higher proportion of males and young adults has been seen for many years.
Figure 2 : UK Asylum applications by age and sex, 2017 (6)
In the year ending June 2019, there were 3,496 applications from Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC). More detailed data is available for 2018, when there were 2,872 UASC of whom 89% were male and three-quarters were aged 16-17 years. The table below shows that Eritrea, Sudan, Vietnam and Iraq were the most common countries of origin for these children.
Table 1: Most common countries of origin for UASC arriving in the UK in 2018
|
Country of Origin
|
Number of UASC
|
|
Eritrea
|
620
|
|
Sudan
|
462
|
|
Vietnam
|
312
|
|
Iraq
|
308
|
|
Albania
|
286
|
|
Iran
|
251
|
|
Afghanistan
|
210
|
|
Ethiopia
|
117
|
|
Other
|
306
|
|
TOTAL
|
2,872
|
Source: Home Office Immigration Statistics (6)
Local Data
As at June 2019 there were 224 AS being supported in Portsmouth under Section 95 and 153 in Southampton. There is no data on the numbers of failed AS living locally. The chart below shows how the number of AS being supported in the cities, and elsewhere in Hampshire, has changed since 2003.
Figure 3 : Asylum seekers in receipt of SEction 95 support, Hampshire and Isle of Wight 2003 - 2018 (6)
Of the AS receiving Section 95 support, the vast majority (208 in Portsmouth and 148 in Southampton) were living in dispersal accommodation.
The following chart shows the rate of AS per million population in each local authority in the South East at the end of Q1 2018. There were 834 AS per million population in Portsmouth which was higher than any other local authority in the South East and significantly higher than the England average.
Figure 4: AS in receipt of Sectiion 95 support per million population, 2018
In 2018 there were 72 UASC in local authority care in Portsmouth and 14 in Southampton9. However, unpublished data from local services suggests the numbers are now much higher in Portsmouth. These children are cared for in children’s homes, foster care or other special residential settings. The table below shows how the numbers have changed over the past few years; the increase in Portsmouth has been particularly significant.
Table 2 : Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children
|
Year
|
England
|
South East region
|
Hampshire
|
Isle of Wight
|
Portsmouth
|
Southampton
|
|
2008
|
3890
|
700
|
35
|
0
|
20
|
20
|
|
2009
|
3480
|
620
|
30
|
0
|
20
|
20
|
|
2010
|
2730
|
530
|
30
|
0
|
20
|
15
|
|
2011
|
2200
|
430
|
25
|
0
|
20
|
10
|
|
2012
|
1860
|
410
|
25
|
0
|
15
|
0
|
|
2013
|
|
|
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2014
|
1970
|
450
|
25
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
|
2015
|
2030
|
440
|
20
|
0
|
9
|
0
|
|
2016
|
4210
|
1350
|
30
|
0
|
30
|
0
|
|
2017
|
4560
|
1070
|
80
|
0
|
45
|
10
|
|
2018
|
4480
|
850
|
112
|
7
|
72
|
14
|
Source : Children looked after in England including adoption - Local Authority Table LLAA4 (9)
In 2018 UASC in Portsmouth made up 0.16% of the child population which is higher than the national ceiling of 0.07% beyond which local authorities can apply for a National Transfer of children to another local authority10. In 2018 UASC in Southampton made up 0.03% of the child population.