Figures for the year ending March 2024

16,031 people entered immigration detention in the year ending March 2024. This is 23% fewer than in the year ending March 2023, fewer still than March 2022 and an increase from the year ending March 2021. The decrease in the number of people entering detention coincides with the move away from the use of Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) and Residential Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHFs) for people arriving to seek sanctuary after crossing the channel. However, the government statistics (from which these numbers are taken) do not include those who are detained at Manston where people continue to be processed on arrival from the channel.  

At the end of March 2024, there were 1,913 people detained; 1,808 of whom were detained in the immigration detention estate and 105 in prisons. This marks a significant decrease of people held under immigration powers in the prison estate whom at one point in 2021 made up the majority of the detained population.  

16 children were detained in this period, 5 of whom were under the age of four (this number does not include children who were incorrectly age assessed as adults.)

People detained in the year ending March 2024 were detained for longer periods of time in contrast to recent years when people were detained (arriving via the channel) for relatively short periods while their asylum claims were registered. 17% of people in detention were detained for 7 days or less, the lowest proportion since 2010.

Most people were detained between eight days and three months with the largest majority – 25% of people leaving detention – having spent between 15-28 days in detention. There was a concerning increase in the percentage of people held for more than six months.  

7 people were detained for more than 4 years.

Release into the community on bail continued to be the most common reason for release from detention with 60% of people released in this way. There was an increase in numbers of people being returned: 34% of people leaving detention in contrast to 20% the previous year.

People from Albania were over-represented in detention, making up just over one-third of the total in the year ending March 2024. People from Albania also made up the highest proportion of people who were subject to enforced return. This follows the UK-Albania agreement to increase returns to Albania from the UK, sign in December 2022.  

Other predominant nationalities during this period were people from India, Brazil and Romania. People from Romania and Lithuania were the only nationalities from which people were more often returned than released into the community.