- Applications for British citizenship reached a record high of 315,224 in the year ending June 2026, marking a 17 per cent increase on the previous year.
- The surge follows high levels of immigration between 2020 and 2023, alongside a steady rise in applications since the UK left the European Union.
- Applications from EU citizens saw a particularly sharp rise, increasing by 40 per cent over the course of the year since October 2025.
- Despite the record application figures, the total number of citizenship grants remained relatively stable at 245,520 for the year ending July 2026.
- Experts suggest political uncertainty and planned government reforms to double the settlement qualification period from five to ten years are prompting migrants to secure their status.
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