NE Times
UK News

Net migration falls to 171,000 as work and study arrivals drop

Official estimates show net migration has nearly halved year on year, extending a steep decline from the 2023 peak — with both British and EU flows now negative.

Eleanor Whitfield

Writer ·

7 min read
Passengers passing through the UK Border arrivals hall at a major airport
Passengers passing through the UK Border arrivals hall at a major airport · Illustrative section image

  • Net migration of 171,000 in the year to December 2025
  • Down from 331,000 a year earlier and 944,000 at the 2023 peak
  • Non-EU net migration down by two-thirds since 2023
  • Work-related arrivals from outside the EU almost halved

Referenced coverage: Our reporting and analysis draws on coverage first reported by Office for National Statistics. The NE Times publishes original reporting and independent analysis written by our editorial team. We credit and link the outlets whose primary reporting informed this article.

The NE Times is an independent news and analysis publisher. Our articles combine factual reporting with clearly-written, impartial analysis. Content is for general information and does not constitute professional advice. Disclaimer.

Share

You may also like to read

A school corridor in England with pupils walking between lessons, illustrating attendance and absence figures
UK News

School Attendance Edges Up but Severe Absence Keeps Heads Awake

The latest figures show attendance in England's state schools has crept above 93 per cent this year, a slow recovery from the pandemic, yet persistent and severe absence remain stubbornly higher than before Covid, with secondaries lagging primaries.

Eleanor Whitfield 7 min read