Net migration has halved in a year in a huge boost to Keir Starmer.

Data released this morning revealed the figure was 431,000 in the year to December 2024 - down from 860,000 12 months earlier. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows 948,000 people came to live in the UK last year, while 517,000 went to live overseas - an 11% rise.

Mr Starmer has vowed to drive down net migration, which peaked at over 900,000 under the Tories.

Last week a long-awaited white paper revealed a string of measures aimed at achieving this, including scrapping social care visas. There are also new English language and qualification requirments in order to qualify for a skilled worker visa.

It is estimated the Government's policies will cut a further 100,000 from long-term arrivals in the UK. 

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The 300,000 drop in net migration since the election is important and welcome after the figures quadrupled to nearly a million in the last Parliament.

“Our Immigration White Paper sets out radical reforms to further reduce net migration. These figures show a big increase in returns of failed asylum seekers and foreign national offenders, record levels of illegal working penalties, and the asylum backlog and hotel use coming down.

“We are going even further by introducing new counter terrorism style powers to boost our border security and smash the people smuggling gangs responsible for their vile trade."

Last night the Home Office said it was ramping up removals, with nearly 30,000 people kicked out of the country since the general election. The ONS data shows a rise in the number of people claiming asylum - rising from 80,000 to 95,000.

Separate data released by the Home Office shows there were 44,000 irregular arrivals in the year to March this year, with 86% arriving by small boat.

Afghans were the most common nationality among small boat arrivals - accounting for 16%.

Before the Tories came into government in 2010, then-leader David Cameron vowed to ensure net migration was in the "tens of thousands". But it soared in the following years, with Mr Starmer claiming a surge in work visas was driven by a reliance on cheap overseas labour.

The latest drop was driven by a fall in the number of people coming to work and study in the UK. There was a 49% decrease in the number of non-EU+ nationals arriving as the main applicant on a work visa.

And there was a 35% fall in those coming as work dependants. The number of non-EU+ nationals arriving as main applicants on a study visa dropped by 17%. And there a massive 86% drop in study dependants as after a crackdown by the previous government.

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