InfoMigrants

At least 270 migrants have died in the UK while awaiting their asylum decisions in the past ten years. Charities blame slow processing times, hostile border policies, and a lack of legal migration routes as alternatives for the worrying statistic. Advocates call for faster, more compassionate asylum processing to prevent further deaths.

The UK Home Office says that the actual number of people who have died while awaiting asylum decisions over the past decade may actually be higher, as the statistics only include deaths that were officially reported to the authorities.

In response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Sky News, the Home Office data released showed that the majority of those who had died (171) were male; three were children or teenagers.

Many of the deaths can apparently be attributed to self-harm and suicide.

Calls for change from the top

Migration charities, including Care4Calais and Migrant Help, have criticized the UK's asylum process, calling for a faster and more efficient system to prevent unnecessary deaths. They argue that the current system is slow and that it leaves vulnerable individuals in limbo for extended periods.

Care4Calais told Sky News: "These figures confirm what we have known for some time: Too many people seeking asylum die waiting for the government to decide their future."

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has outlined various goals for his government since winning the general election earlier this year, but immigration and asylum policies have not been a central focus of his agenda so far.

However, the deaths of at least 270 migrants since 2015 highlight that there is series of systemic problems within the UK's asylum system resulting in mental health problems, reflecting the human cost of current migration policies.

Traumatized individuals particularly susceptible to self-harm

In October 2024, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) described the UK's immigration system as a "public mental health concern" that has the potential of harming asylum seekers and risks re-traumatizing those already suffering psychological distress, which in certain cases could result in suicide.

In a recent report, the RCPsych urged the government to review the UK's immigration laws, emphasizing that a compassionate, fair policy is needed to protect asylum seekers' mental health.

Many people awaiting asylum decisions have faced violence, torture, and dangerous journeys to the UK, and are therefore especially vulnerable to mental illness, RCPsych argued.

The current UK immigration laws, introduced in 2022, penalize asylum seekers who don't follow established routes and create an increasingly onerous asylum process, which many people may not fully understand. The most recent laws, passed under the previous Conservative government, also legally allow asylum claims to be processed in third countries, which has been shown to negatively impact mental health.

The RCPsych report criticizes all these conditions, saying these could increase PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder), depression, and self-harm.

The report states that the "government has a moral and ethical obligation to ensure all immigration legislation explicitly protects and supports those with mental illness."

Asylum backlogs and government response

In response to the RCPsych report, a Home Office spokesperson told The Guardian daily newspaper: "Mental health support is available to all asylum seekers through Migrant Help, and welfare officers are available around the clock to help, too. We will, of course, look at any report and make improvements where necessary."

The UK government has been struggling with backlogs in processing asylum claims, resulting in prolonged waiting times and therefore increasing distress for migrants. Many applicants remain in a state of uncertainty for months or even years.

While the government acknowledges the backlog and is taking steps to address it, rights groups have called for more comprehensive and compassionate measures to prevent further loss of life and to ensure refugees and asylum seekers receive the protection they need.

A deadly mental health crisis among asylum seekers

The suicide of a resident on the Bibby Stockholm barge asylum accommodation last year further highlighted the growing mental health crisis among asylum seekers, who are often housed in poor conditions where they may face isolation, surveillance, and sleep deprivation.

Another case drew attention to potential self-harm among asylum seekers in December 2023, when a 19-year-old asylum seeker named Ismael, who had fled Iran with his brother to escape arrest and execution, was found dead after spending months waiting for an asylum decision.

An inquest attributed Ismael's death to a relationship dispute with his long-distance girlfriend, but his brother Mustafa, who discovered his body, has disputed this, citing the lack of information about their asylum status and the harsh living conditions in their hotel as factors that deepened Ismael's descent into depression and suicidal ideation.

Human rights groups have raised concerns about the mental health impact of prolonged uncertainty in the asylum system, with lawyers calling for a broader investigation into whether the system's failings contributed to Ismael's death.

Migrants also affected on other side of English Channel

Refugee Action has also attributed many of these deaths to what it calls the UK's "hostile border policies," arguing that the current methods to keep irregular migration at bay force migrants to take increasingly dangerous routes, such as crossing the English Channel in small, overcrowded boats.

These policies are evident on the other side of the Channel, too: The poor living conditions that migrants face in makeshift camps in northern France, particularly in and around Calais, likely contribute to accumulated mental health problems.

French authorities regularly dismantle these camps, evicting migrants every 48 hours. This forces many into more isolated areas, making it harder for aid organizations to reach them.

As winter approaches, these conditions are expected to worsen. Many of these migrants are expected to try even harder to reach the UK -- whether it's for family reunification, work opportunities, or because they have already applied for asylum in other EU countries, where they may have been rejected or deferred.

Rising death toll also in the Channel

Meanwhile, the number of people who die before even reaching the UK continues to climb as well. In 2024, over 70 migrants died while attempting to cross the Channel, matching the total number of fatalities from the previous four years combined.

Most of these deaths occurred on the French side.

The increasing deaths can be partly attributed to the heightened risks taken by smugglers due to the militarization and surveillance of migration routes.

Despite these efforts taken by the UK government to target human traffickers and smuggling gangs, migrants continue to risk the crossing, with small boat crossings often remaining their only option.

Editor's Note: If you are suffering from emotional distress or suicidal thoughts, please seek professional help. Information on where to find support is available at Befrienders Worldwide.