British newspaper headlines often scream breathlessly about migrants arriving small boats or settling in traditional villages, to the chagrin of locals.

But a new poll has found that Britons actually think too much attention is paid to how refugees arrive in the UK and not enough to why they are arriving.

The survey, by pollster YouGov commissioned by NGO the International Rescue Committee (IRC), found more than three quarters (76 per cent) of Britons say it is important to distinguish refugees fleeing war, persecution or serious danger from the wider migration debate.

Almost 60 per cent say too much attention is paid to how refugees arrive in the UK and not enough to why they are arriving.

This view is reflected across political groups surveyed: 76 per cent of Green voters, 72 per cent of Labour voters, 72 per cent of Liberal Democrat voters, 46 per cent of Conservative voters and 43 per cent of Reform UK voters agreed.

The poll found 63 per cent of Britons are sympathetic towards refugees fleeing war, persecution or serious danger.

And 53 per cent say they are proud of Britain’s history of offering asylum to people fleeing war, persecution or serious danger, compared with 34 per cent who say they are not proud.

The polling suggests many people in Britain want the national conversation to reflect the realities behind displacement, including the individual risks of conflict and persecution faced by people from countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Eritrea, and Iran.

A clearer understanding of why people seek refuge can also support a more informed discussion of the solutions that work – from fair asylum decisions and safe routes to early integration support, the survey report says.

IRC CEO and former UK Labour politician David Miliband said the polling was particularly resonant as the world celebrates 75th anniversary of the Refugee Convention,

“The Refugee Convention was a promise, made in the shadow of one of the darkest chapters of history, that nobody fleeing persecution should ever be sent back to danger. That promise remains as vital today as it was in 1951,” Mr Miliband said.

“This anniversary is a moment to celebrate what the Convention has achieved, defend what works, and fix what doesn’t. We’ve seen what works: giving refugees legal certainty, investing early in integration, and sharing responsibility fairly. The question isn’t whether solutions exist. It’s whether governments will muster the political courage to implement them,” he said.

Mr Miliband’s comments came as the IRC published a new report warning that the global refugee protection system is under the most sustained pressure in its history.

The report, titled ‘Protection Under Pressure’, that warns that, with more than 50 million people forcibly displaced across borders, the Convention has never been more needed. Yet its central promise – that nobody should be returned to danger – is being eroded by collapsing humanitarian funding, shrinking resettlement commitments and governments increasingly willing to turn people away.

He said then IRC is calling on the UK Government to properly resource fair, humane and well-functioning asylum and reception systems. This includes: investing early in integration support so refugees can work, learn and rebuild their lives; recommitting to international cooperation, including reversing cuts to humanitarian aid; and strengthening and expanding safe routes.

Read the IRC report here: Protection Under Pressure | The IRC