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Since 2018, over 200,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats, according to newly released data. The Home Office reported that on a recent Friday alone, 70 individuals made the journey, bringing the total to 200,013 arrivals within the last nine years. These crossings often take place under favorable weather conditions, allowing sometimes large groups to reach the UK on a single boat.
Despite promises from successive governments to curb these illegal crossings and dismantle smuggling networks, the number of migrants arriving by small boats has more than doubled over the past three years. The dangerous nature of the crossings has resulted in fatalities; at least eight migrants have died this year trying to cross, with 23 confirmed deaths during the previous year, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration and French authorities. Increased security at ports, crackdowns on alternative illegal routes, and more organized criminal gangs are all factors contributing to the rising numbers of small boat crossings.
Under previous Conservative governments from 2018 to 2024, approximately 128,000 migrants made this crossing. Efforts to end the small boat migrations have been central in political promises, including Rishi Sunak’s 2022 pledge to “stop the boats,” and Labour’s vow, under Sir Keir Starmer, to dismantle people-smuggling gangs. Since then, over 72,000 migrants have arrived via this route, mainly originating from France and seeking asylum upon arrival in the UK, though not all claims are accepted. The annual figures peaked in 2022 with over 45,000 crossings, followed by a decrease the following year, before numbers began to rise again more recently. In 2026, over 7,380 crossings have been recorded since January, marking a 36% decrease compared to last year.
The demographic profile of migrants crossing the Channel has shifted over time. From 2018 to 2025, the majority came from Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Eritrea, and Albania, but there has been a notable increase in arrivals from several African countries, including Eritrea, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan. The number of migrants from these nations rose significantly in the last year, driven by conflicts and political repression back home. Most migrants traveling this route are under 40 years old, with men and boys accounting for nearly 90% of arrivals. The proportion of women and girls has steadily increased, as have young children and babies, although detailed age breakdowns below 17 years or above 40 are not publicly provided by the government.
Around 95% of those arriving on small boats between 2018 and 2025 applied for asylum in the UK, making up about a third of all such claims during this period. Of the applications processed by the end of 2025, roughly 60% were granted. Approval rates vary by nationality: decisions show that more than 90% of asylum claims from Yemen, Sudan, and Eritrea were accepted. Grant rates can also fluctuate over time; for example, Afghan asylum approval dropped from 96% in 2022 to 33% in 2025, reflecting changing assessments of security conditions in Afghanistan. For those whose asylum requests are denied, the British government may seek their return, either through voluntary departure arrangements or enforced removal by immigration authorities. Since 2018, around 7,600 people who arrived by small boat have been returned, with approximately 70% from Albania. However, returns to Afghanistan are currently on hold due to the absence of a diplomatic mission in the UK
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