Indefinite leave to remain grants reach record levels, one every minute
New figures show almost 200,000 people were granted indefinite leave to remain in the year to June, with the rise linked to Boris Johnson era migration policies.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
New figures show that almost 200,000 people were granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK in the year to June, a rate of roughly one person every minute. The numbers have been described as the early impact of the so-called Boris wave, the period of low wage, low skilled migration that began in 2021 under the former prime minister.
Robert Bates, research director at the Centre for Migration Control, said the increase was in large part the result of policies from that era. He described the current figures as the foothills of the Boris wave, suggesting that many of the people who arrived during that period are now claiming the right to settle permanently.
The scale of the grants has prompted questions about the long-term consequences of the immigration policies introduced under Boris Johnson's government. The figures cover the 12 months to June and represent a record level for indefinite leave to remain, a status that allows migrants to stay in the UK without time limits and to access benefits and citizenship routes.
While the data does not break down the exact reasons for the increase, the timing aligns with the surge in work and study visas issued from 2021 onwards. Critics argue that the current numbers are a direct result of decisions taken then, while supporters of the policy say the migrants are contributing to the economy and filling labour shortages.
The debate comes as the government faces pressure to manage immigration numbers and public services. The new figures are likely to fuel further discussion about the legacy of the Johnson era and the sustainability of current migration levels.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | GB News |
|---|---|
| Grants of indefinite leave to remain were reported at a rate of about one per minute. | |
| Nearly 200,000 people were granted indefinite leave to remain in the year to June. | |
| The increase in grants was attributed to a wave of low-wage, low-skilled migration from 2021. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
GB News focused on the scale of the figures and directly linked them to the Boris Johnson era, framing the increase as a consequence of past policies. The tone was questioning and critical, using the phrase 'Boris wave' and describing the migration as 'low wage, low skilled'. The channel highlighted the speed of grants, one per minute, to emphasise the magnitude.
- “So that is, we think, one migrant every minute.”
- “Are we now seeing the hundreds of thousands of people that were let in under the full Prime Minister's watch, claiming the right to live here?”
- “in large part that will be the foothills of the so-called Boris wave, that period of low wage, low skilled migration that we saw between 2021.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.