Net migration to the United Kingdom (UK) fell by nearly half last year, official figures showed on Thursday, offering the Labour government some political relief amid mounting pressure over immigration.

Data released by the Office for National Statistics showed that net migration, the difference between the number of people entering and leaving the country for at least 12 months, stood at 171,000 in 2025, down 48 percent from 331,000 in 2024.

The figure marked the lowest level since 2021 and extended a sharp decline from the record high of 944,000 registered in 2023.

According to the ONS, the decrease was driven largely by a drop in non-European Union arrivals for work, as well as fewer dependants accompanying international students and workers, following tighter visa rules introduced in recent years.

Separate figures from the Home Office also showed easing pressure in parts of the asylum system. The number of asylum seekers housed in hotels fell by 35 percent year-on-year to 20,885 at the end of March.

The figures are likely to be welcomed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour government has pledged to cut migration and reduce the use of asylum hotels, according to The Guardian.

Immigration remains one of the most politically sensitive issues in the United Kingdom, with the government facing pressure from both the opposition Conservatives and the right-wing Reform UK party.