UK Net Migration Drops by Half in 2024 Amid Tougher Visa Policies

Net migration to the UK fell sharply to 431,000 in 2024, a 50% drop from 860,000 in 2023, Dawn Newspaper reported citing the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The decline, the steepest since the pandemic, reflects stricter visa rules and rising emigration.

The Conservative government’s reforms—including higher salary thresholds and bans on family dependents for work/study visas—contributed to the drop. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour administration, which recently pledged to “take back control” of borders, faces pressure after anti-immigration Reform UK gained ground in local elections.

Interior Minister Yvette Cooper welcomed the 300,000 reduction since the 2023 election but noted challenges: asylum claims rose to 95,000, and 13,500 irregular migrants arrived in 2025, many via dangerous Channel crossings. A record 78 migrants died attempting the route last year.

Former Tory Home Secretary James Cleverly credited his policies for the decline, while Reform UK, now polling at 29%, capitalizes on public discontent. Labour aims to cut net migration by 100,000 annually by 2029.