Facts about refugees and migrants
At Refugee and Migrant Justice, we're committed to a UK where refugees and migrants are welcome, and able to get on with their lives. But fear mongering from the media, politicians and the far right often makes it hard to know what to believe. Here are some common misconceptions, and the facts behind them.
Less than 1% of the UK population is made up of asylum seekers and refugees.
It’s not as many as we’ve been led to believe, is it? Source: UNHCR
Of all the refugees in the world, only 2% are hosted by the UK.
That’s despite the UK being the 5th largest economy in the world. Most end up in neighbouring countries such as Iran or Türkiye. Germany is the country in the EU that hosts the most refugees. Source: UNHCR
People come to the UK to find safety because they have family here, because they already speak English or because they believe the UK is a country that is safe and lawful.
This information comes from the Home Office's own analysis. Source: Home Office study.
70% people who come to the UK seeking safety are from countries destabilised by Britain, either through colonisation or military intervention.
Because of the historical exploitation of countries such as Pakistan and Eritrea, many people from these countries speak English and understand British customs. It's no surprise that those displaced from their home countries would consider the UK as a place where they could seek safety and protection. Source: Refugee Action racial justice report
If just one in every two asylum seekers were permitted to work, the contribution to the UK economy would be over £280 million.
But instead, people seeking safety are banned from working while they await a decision on their asylum claim, which can often take years. Source: Welcoming Growth research
Over 50% of rough sleepers in London are from migrant or refugee backgrounds.
Outdated and inflexible immigration rules result in many migrants sleeping rough, trapping them in a cycle of poverty and homelessness. Source: Centre of Social Justice analysis
The housing crisis has been caused by fewer homes being built, not migration.
Nearly nine in ten social homes go to UK nationals, and asylum seekers cannot access social housing. Most asylum seekers are housed in hotels or properties owned by private landlords. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government press release.
Asylum housing is far from luxurious.
Our report on asylum hotels highlights the multitude of issues with asylum accommodation, from inedible meals, cramped conditions, lack of safety and of course, the fact that it’s a system run for profit by huge companies. Source: Refugee and Migrant Justice asylum hotel report
An asylum seeker receives £7.03 to live on a day. A person in the top 1% of earners earns around £567 a day.
Refugees and migrants are not the reason we have a cost of living crisis, or why more children are living in poverty than ever before. In 2026 the world gained it's first ever trillionaire, while 13 million people live in poverty in the UK. This is a wealth inequality issue, not a migration issue. Source: Home Office guidance on asylum support, Top 1% benchmark and BBC article on UK poverty.
People in power are falsely trying to tie migration with violence against women and girls.
Claims that migrants and people seeking safety are a threat to women and girls are untrue, and over 100 women’s rights groups have called this a racist weaponisation. More than 90% of perpetrators of sexual assault are known to their victims, and there is a pattern of far-right activists having police histories of domestic abuse. Far right groups are increasingly targeting racialised minorities, Muslims and asylum hotels in the name of protecting women and girls, but this is simply racist scapegoating. Source: End Violence Against Women statement.