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

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

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).

TOP TEN: EU COUNTRIES RANKED BY ASYLUM APPLICATIONS

Germany 54,870 per month

Sweden 39,055 

Italy 10,440 

Netherlands 10,160 

France 8,060 

Finland 7,005 

Belgium 6,020

UK  5,095

Switzerland 4,745

Denmark 3,635 

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

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

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. 

NUMBER OF ASYLUM SEEKERS APPLYING TO SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES SOARS IN A YEAR 

Migrants march through Denmark on their way to Sweden as the Scandinavian countries face unprecedented levels of asylum applications 

Migrants march through Denmark on their way to Sweden as the Scandinavian countries face unprecedented levels of asylum applications 

Scandinavia's countries are receiving an extraordinary 50,000 asylum applications every month, new figures have revealed.

Sweden received 39,055, Norway had 8,155 and Denmark 3,635 in October.

As a result Denmark and Sweden tightened border checks and started checking passports or European national ID cards to board trains departing from Copenhagen to Sweden for the first time in years. 

The route is also the quickest way to get to Norway. 

The move is to stem the flow of migrants coming in from Germany, dealing fresh blows to the vision of a Europe without borders. 

Sweden, which is home to 9.8 million people, is one of the European Union countries that has taken in the largest number of refugees as a proportion of its population.

The Swedish Foreign Minister has claimed her country is facing collapse due to the mass influx of refugees as the migrant crisis deepens.

Margot Wallstrom has said that Sweden cannot cope with taking in refugees at its current level, without it affecting services. 

Germany, Sweden and Denmark are all warning that more must be done to stop migrants entering Europe from Turkey but that they hope to ease border restrictions as soon as possible.

Senior German interior minister official Ole Schroeder said today that "our problem in Europe is that we do not have a functioning system, especially at the Turkey-Greece border".

He says a European Union plan to share refugees arriving in Greece and Italy is not working and warned that when EU responses fail "we will come to measures from the member states".