Britain ranks first in the world for immigration concern

In 2025, 21% of Britons named immigration as the most important issue facing the country. That figure is statistically level with concern about the economy at 23%. No other country in the survey came close.

Across 107 countries, a median of just 1% of adults said immigration was their top concern. Only six other nations recorded double-digit figures, including the Netherlands, Cyprus, Portugal, Malta, Ireland, and the Dominican Republic, but immigration was not the leading issue in any of them. Globally, people were far more likely to point to the economy, jobs, politics, or safety.

The level of concern in Britain stands out given that migration numbers have recently fallen. Official estimates show net migration dropped to 204,000 in the year ending June 2025, down sharply from nearly 650,000 a year earlier.

Britain also has a similar share of foreign-born residents as countries such as the United States, Norway, and the Netherlands. Yet adults in those countries are less likely to name immigration as their top concern. Analysts suggest that heavy media coverage of small boat crossings, migrant housing, and policy reforms may have kept the issue in the spotlight.

Supporters of Reform UK are driving much of the concern. Almost half of them, 48%, say immigration is the country’s biggest problem. That is roughly twice the level seen among supporters of any other major political party in Europe.

Concern is also higher among Conservative supporters at 23% and Labour supporters at 16% compared with similar parties elsewhere in Europe. Among Britons who do not back any political party, 25% name immigration as the top issue, about double the level of politically unaligned people in Poland and Ireland.

Even so, Labour and Conservative voters, as well as non-aligned adults, are more likely to rank economic issues above immigration.

Gallup’s analysis found that support for Reform UK is the strongest predictor of concern about immigration, even after taking age, education, and other factors into account. Older adults, people with less education and those who say they are just managing financially are also more likely to prioritize the issue. Gender, employment status, income level, and whether someone lives in a city or rural area showed no clear link.

Despite the high level of concern, most Britons continue to express positive views about immigrants. In surveys conducted between 2016 and 2023, about 8 in 10 said immigrants living in the country were a good thing. Similar numbers said they would be comfortable with an immigrant as a neighbor or marrying into their family.

The findings suggest that public anxiety about immigration as a national issue can exist alongside generally accepting views of individual migrants.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Minnesota sued the Trump administration over immigration agent surge.