Politics · 21 May 2026
UK net migration fell, but many think it rose
Illustration: AI-generated for editorial context. Not photographic evidence.
Many people wrongly believe UK net migration is rising, despite official figures showing a sharp drop. Research from British Future highlights this gap between public perception and reality, with 67% of sceptical people thinking numbers increased in 2025. Net migration actually decreased by 69% in the 12 months to June 2025, falling to 204,000 from a peak of 944,000.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs