Returns & Deportation
The UK made 26,338 returns in 2024, comprising enforced removals (7,063), voluntary returns (5,629), port refusals (6,774), and other returns (6,872). Enforced removals rose 28% from 5,506 in 2023 to 7,063 in 2024 - the third consecutive annual increase since the post-COVID low of 3,652 in 2021. Foreign national offender returns continued their recovery, with FNO deportations rising alongside overall enforced removal volumes.
The 2024 increase reflected both growing operational capacity at Immigration Enforcement and the continuing effect of the Albania returns agreement signed in December 2022. Albanians had been the largest small-boat nationality in 2022 and a major driver of FNO deportations; the agreement facilitated faster removal and likely deterred some migration.
The Rwanda Scheme: Scrapped
The single biggest immigration policy story of 2024 was the scrapping of the Rwanda deportation scheme. The UK Supreme Court had ruled in November 2023 that Rwanda was not a safe third country; the Conservative government attempted to legislate around the ruling with the Safety of Rwanda Act 2024, but the scheme never became operational. The incoming Labour government formally scrapped it in July 2024. The National Audit Office estimated it would have cost approximately £150,000 per person transferred - against £48,800 for a standard enforced removal (2024/25 figures). The UK had paid Rwanda £240 million by the time the scheme ended, with zero transfers completed.
Small Boats & Asylum
36,816 people arrived via small boats in 2024 - up 25% from 29,437 in 2023. The 2023 fall had been partly attributed to the Albanian returns effect; in 2024, other nationalities filled the gap. Asylum applications remained high. The backlog of cases awaiting an initial decision began to fall as the Home Office committed to processing 100,000 initial decisions - though the appeal backlog grew to 56,000 as refused applicants exercised their right to appeal.
Net Migration: Continued Fall from the Peak
Net migration for the year ending December 2024 was 331,000 - down sharply from the record of approximately 745,000 in 2022 and an estimated 685,000 in 2023. The fall was driven by government visa restrictions: a higher income threshold for family visas (raised to £29,000, moving to £38,700 by 2025), restrictions on student dependants, and tightened skilled worker visa rules. British nationals continued to emigrate in large numbers; EU nationals remained net-emigrating since Brexit took full effect in 2021.
Policy Changes
The change of government in July 2024 brought several policy shifts. The Rwanda scheme was scrapped immediately. The government committed to a "Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill" focused on enforcement capability and upstream disruption. Ministers announced a review of Article 8 ECHR interpretation by immigration judges. The principle of automatic deportation was maintained; the Sentencing Act 2026 (drafted in 2024) would later extend the threshold to suspended sentences.
Sources: Home Office Immigration System Statistics (Feb 2026) · ONS Long-term International Migration (2025) · MoJ Tribunals Statistics Quarterly · National Audit Office (Rwanda scheme cost) · House of Commons Library (Mar 2026)
See also: 2025 Annual Review → | Full interactive dashboard →