How many people cross the English Channel in small boats?

Between 1 January and 25 November 2025, a total of 39,292 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France. This was up by 17% on the same period the previous year.

These crossings have become the most common way for people to be detected entering the UK illegally since 2020.

Nearly all those who arrive by small boat claim asylum. Under international law, this means they are allowed to stay in the country while their asylum application is considered.

Small boat arrivals made up 41% of asylum applications between October 2024 to September 2025.

Boats that arrived in the UK from 26 November 2024 to 25 November 2025 carried an average of 61 people. This has more than doubled since 2021.

Experts say overcrowding in boats makes crossings riskier. At least 84 people died while attempting to cross the Channel in 2024, according to the United Nations (UN).

When looking at the scale of small boats crossings, the number of these arrivals is about 5% of the size of total immigration into the UK from July 2024 to June 2025.

The government has pledged to “smash the gangs” behind these crossings in order to reduce the numbers.

Who is arriving in the UK on small boats?

People from Eritrea accounted for 17% of all arrivals from October 2024 to September 2025.

A horizontal bar chart of the top five countries from which the UK receives most arrivals by small boat. The countries and corresponding arrivals detected are as follows: Eritrea with 7683 arrivals detected, Afghanistan with 5788 arrivals detected, Iran with 4780 arrivals detected, Sudan with 4531 arrivals detected, and Somalia with 3383 arrivals detected. The figures are for October 2024 to September 2025.

In the latest figures covering January 2024 to December 2024, at least 353 people who arrived by small boat were found to be potential victims of human trafficking or other forms of modern slavery, according to the Home Office.

How else do people stay in the UK without permission?

Another 5,590 people were detected entering the UK without permission via other methods including hiding in vehicles, travelling on ferries or through airports from October 2024 to September 2025. This was down by 17% on the same period the previous year.

There are also individuals who arrive legally, for example via a work or study visa, and then overstay their limit.

The total number of people who live in the UK illegally after arriving legally is not known.

France to intercept small boats after pressure from UK

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