200,013 migrants have arrived in UK via English Channel small boats in 2018-2025

More than 200,000 people have now arrived in the United Kingdom via small boats crossing the English Channel since the Home Office began recording the figures in 2018, government data showed, as 70 migrants reached the UK in a single vessel on Friday. The latest total for arrivals since records began stands at 200,013, with the departures typically taking place from the northern coast of France.

The milestone underscores how persistent the flow has remained despite repeated government efforts to curb irregular migration and disrupt people-smuggling networks. British officials first designated the Channel crossings a major incident in 2018, when the number of journeys increased. Over the past three years, arrivals have risen further, and authorities have cited a mix of factors, including organized smuggling, tighter port security in some locations, restrictions on alternative routes, and weather conditions described as “red days,” along with overcrowded boats.

In 2025, 41,472 people landed in southern England after making the crossing from northern France, up from 36,816 in 2024 and 29,437 in 2023. The record year for arrivals was 2022, when around 46,000 people reached the UK by...