Net migration to UK at lowest point since Covid but half of Britons think it's up

The Independent describes its reporting focus across reproductive rights, climate change, and Big Tech, emphasizing fact-checking over messaging. It says donations fund journalists who speak to multiple sides and that reporting remains accessible without paywalls. Office for National Statistics figures estimate net migration in the 12 months to December 2025 at 171,000, down 48% from 331,000 a year earlier and the lowest annual figure since 2021. The decline is attributed to fewer people coming to Britain for work. Research for think tank British Future finds a gap between perception and reality: 49% of surveyed adults believed net migration increased up to May 2025, only 16% correctly identified the fall, and 51% expected migration to rise again next year.

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"The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Half of Britons think net migration to the UK is on the rise despite it plummeting to its lowest level since the Covid pandemic."

"The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show that, in the 12 months to December 2025, the number of people entering a country minus the number of people who leave each year, was an estimated 171,000 - down 48 per cent from 331,000 a year earlier and the lowest annual figure since 2021. The dramatic fall has been driven by a big drop in people coming to Britain for work."

"But new research conducted for think tank British Future shows the disconnect between the public perception of the number of people coming into the country and the reality. In a weighted survey of around 3,000 adults, 49 per cent believed net migration had increased in the year up to May 2025. Just 16 per cent of people correctly identified that it had fallen, and 51 per cent of people surveyed said that they thought migration would rise again next year."

Read at www.independent.co.uk