More than 200,000 people have now crossed Channel in small boats
The total number of immigrants and refugees arriving in the UK on small boats since records began in 2018 has exceeded 200,000.
The latest Home Office figures confirmed 70 people crossed the English Channel in small boats on Friday; This puts the total number of arrivals in the last nine years at over the 200,000 milestone.
The figures will deal a blow to Sir Keir Starmer’s government, which has repeatedly promised since taking office that it would take strong action to tackle people-smuggling gangs and reduce the number of people making dangerous crossings.
Despite the efforts, crossings across the Channel have increased, with around 41,472 people reaching the UK on small boats in 2025.
This number was 36,816 in 2024 and 29,437 in 2023. The highest number of crossings was in 2022, when around 46,000 people traveled to the UK.
Two women died last Sunday while trying to cross the English Channel, following six other deaths in April.
A Home Office spokesman said: “This government is cracking down on small boat crossings.
“The Home Secretary has signed a groundbreaking new deal with France to step up enforcement on beaches and put people smugglers behind bars. It builds on joint work that has stopped more than 42,000 illegal immigrants trying to cross the channel since the election.”
“We have removed or deported nearly 60,000 people who were here illegally, and we are going further to eliminate the incentives that attract illegal immigrants to this country.”
Shabana Mahmood is also the latest Home Secretary to seek to overhaul the asylum system to deter crossings and make it easier to deport migrants.
Last month it signed a three-year deal with Paris to pay £662 million to increase beach patrols as part of efforts to curb crossings.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the immigration system was “completely broken”, adding: “Labour is failing to remove illegal immigrants so it is no surprise they continue to flock in because they know they will almost certainly stay.
“Among them, there are those who committed serious crimes such as murder, rape, and sexual assault on young girls. This situation is shameful.”
