Number of people crossing English Channel since 2018 believed to have reached 200,000
The number of migrants crossing the Channel to the UK since 2018 is thought to have exceeded 200,000, following the latest arrivals. Dozens of people were observed arriving in Dover, Kent, on Friday morning and overall surpassing this important milestone.
Analysis based on government figures shows 199,943 people had made the perilous journey to the UK as of Thursday, May 7, since records began on January 1, 2018. Official Home Office statistics are expected to confirm this grim milestone when published on Saturday.
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.”
Two women died last Sunday while trying to cross the English Channel, following six other deaths in April.
Successive governments have tried to work with France to block crossings and reviewed the rules for seeking asylum in the UK to deter people from making the dangerous journey.
Last month Shabana Mahmood signed a three-year deal with Paris to pay £662 million to increase beach patrols as part of efforts to curb crossings.
He also became the latest Home Secretary to seek to overhaul the asylum system to deter crossings and make it easier to deport migrants.
Under the current Labor Government, ministers canceled the Conservatives’ multimillion-pound deal to send migrants across the Channel from France to Rwanda.
Only four volunteers were sent before the policy was rescinded.
But the move sparked a legal battle, with the east African country suing the UK for more than £100 million in damages, claiming it had breached the terms of the agreement and was owed money; UK lawyers deny this.
The number of immigrants traveling to the UK started at very low levels; In 2018, only 299 arrivals were recorded.
In December that year, then home secretary Sajid Javid cut short his Christmas break to return to the UK and declared a “major incident” after 45 migrants crossed the Channel on Christmas Day.
The annual total rose to 1,843 in 2019, then 8,466 in 2020, 28,526 in 2021 and 45,774 in 2022, the highest number ever.
Arrivals dropped to 29,437 in 2023, then rose to 36,816 in 2024 and 41,472 in 2025.
Although the volume of migrants reaching the UK across the Channel varies from year to year, there has been a steady increase in the number of people making the journey per boat since 2018.
While there was an average of seven migrants per boat in 2018, this number increased to 11 in 2019, 13 in 2020, 28 in 2021, 41 in 2022, 49 in 2023, 53 in 2024 and 62 in 2025.
The average so far in 2026 is 64.
There is no official record of deaths on the canal, but 2024 looks set to be the deadliest year yet, with 50 deaths recorded by the French coastguard.
According to reports from French and British authorities, at least 17 people have died trying to make this journey in 2025.
The International Organization for Migration also reported more migrant deaths believed to be linked to crossing attempts.
The first migrant known to have drowned while trying to cross the border was 31-year-old Iranian Mitra Mehrad in August 2019.
