Numbers of refugees from Syria applying for protection in the UK increased last year, according to the Home Office’s quarterly statistics on immigration and asylum published today. 988 Syrians applied for asylum in 2012 compared to 355 the year before.

78% of Syrians who received a decision in 2012 were given international protection, the vast majority were recognised as refugees and granted asylum.

Lisa Doyle, Advocacy & Influencing Manager at the Refugee Council, said:

“There can be no surprise that the UK received a higher number of refugees from Syria last year. We commend the Home Office’s response to this with most Syrians who received a decision in 2012 being granted protection.

However, this is a tiny proportion of the millions displaced by the crisis. The vast majority will be surviving in harsh conditions in crowded camps along Syria’s borders. As the civil war continues, there is an urgent need for a coordinated effort across Europe to resettle some of the more vulnerable people living in the camps.

We welcome the resettlement of just over 1000 refugees in the UK last year from other refugee camps. The establishment of a programme specifically for Syrian refugees is something concrete that the UK can do to alleviate some of the human suffering created by the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.”