The number of asylum applications in The UK has reached its highest level in two decades, according to new figures from the British Home Office.

There were a total of 78,768 applications involving 97,390 people by June 2023, a 19% increase over the previous year.

Albanians were the most common nationality to seek asylum in Britain, with 11,790 applications – 7,557 of which came from boat arrivals crossing the English Channel.

Afghans were the second most common nationality, with 9,964 applications, almost double the number in the previous 12 months (5,154).

The number of asylum seekers waiting more than six months for an initial decision was 139,961 at the end of June, up 57% year-on-year from 89,231 and another record.

The increase is due "to more cases entering the asylum system than the initial decisions made," the Interior Ministry said.

However, the number of cases awaiting a decision rose by less than 1% in the quarter to the end of June, suggesting that growth is slowing.

There were 23,702 initial decisions on asylum applications in the UK in the year to June 2023, up 61% from 14,730 in the year to June 2022.

Also, more than 20,766 decisions were made in the calendar year before the 2019 Pandemic.