Asylum applications to the UK more than double in ten months to 5,095 – the highest figure for 6 years – but are still below other EU countries including Germany's 54,000
- There were a record 5,095 UK asylum applications in October - 164 a day
- Figure is more than double the 2,230 received by Britain in February
- UK figure dwarfed by 54,000 per month in Germany and 39,000 in Sweden
- Britain received the eighth highest number of applicants among EU states
The number of migrants seeking asylum in Britain has more than doubled in ten months and has now reached a record 5,000 applications per month, it was revealed today.
Official figures have revealed that there were 5,095 asylum applications in the UK in October - 164 every day - compared to 2,230 in February.
It is the highest figure for any month since current records began in January 2009 and the first time since then that the level has exceeded 5,000.
Huge rise: The number of migrants asking for asylum in Britain has more than doubled in less than a year and broke through 5,000 for the first time in six years
European picture: Britain received the eighth highest number of applicants - with Germany receiving the highest number - 54,870 in October
Of the 24 member states included, Britain received the eighth highest number of applicants.
More were registered in Germany, where 54,870 people lodged asylum claims in the month, as well as Sweden (39,055), Italy (10,440), Netherlands (10,160), France (8,060), Finland (7,005) and Belgium (6,020).
The figures indicate that the number applying in the UK was nearly five times higher than in Greece, which is a major entry point for refugees attempting to reach Europe.
The Europe-wide data reveals a dramatic jump in asylum applications last year amid the international migration crisis.
The number logged in Britain in October - the most recent month for which UK data is available - had almost doubled compared with January, when there were 2,770.
There were also more than 1,000 more applications that the 4,055 registered in September.
The Government does not publish its own monthly asylum data, instead using quarterly figures.
These have also revealed a sharp rise in claims, with the latest Home Office data showing the number of people applying for asylum reached its highest level for 12 years between July and September.
The Eurostat data indicates that 530 - around one in 10 - of the applications received in the UK in October were from Syrians - a rise of 63 per cent compared to the previous month. Some 615 claims were made by Eritrean citizens.
Last month a watchdog revealed thousands of asylum seekers have dropped off authorities' radar and efforts to trace them are seen as a 'drain on resources'.
Journey: Refugees board the train heading for the Serbian border today - and some will eventually claim asylum
Front line: Many migrants are entering Europe in Greece before moving on to countries like Hungary, pictured
Caseworkers told inspectors there were approximately 10,000 cases where the claimant and dependants including children were not in contact with the Home Office or had absconded.
Earlier this week a committee of MPs called on the Government to accept proposals to take 3,000 unaccompanied children from within the EU.
This would be in addition to the 20,000 Syrian refugees set to be brought to the UK from camps in the region around the war-ravaged country over five years.
The Eurostat figures cover people who submitted an application for international protection or who were included as a family member.
They show claims covering 152,100 individuals were made in the EU in October, although figures for the month are not yet available for some countries.
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