More than 2,500 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats in the 11 days since the UK and France implemented their new “one in, one out” agreement, according to Home Office figures.
Under the scheme, for every migrant returned to France, the UK will accept one asylum seeker with a strong case for protection. However, the latest figures suggest that the policy has not yet deterred crossings.
So far this year, around 28,000 people have reached the UK by small boats, with over 50,000 arrivals recorded since Labour took office in July 2024.
Smuggling gangs intensify operations
A boat carrying more than 100 people was sighted in the Channel this week, raising safety concerns. Volunteer aid worker Rob Lawrie told the BBC that smugglers are now attempting to send up to 150 people on overcrowded dinghies. “We’ve already had reports of children being crushed inside boats,” he warned.
The Home Office condemned smuggling gangs, saying they “do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay.”
UK-France cooperation under scrutiny
The first migrants detained under the deal arrived in Dover earlier this month, but removals to France may take up to three months. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted that those who enter illegally will be sent back, saying: “I will stop at nothing to secure our borders.”
The 11-month project is expected to balance removals with asylum approvals for those who have not attempted illegal crossings. However, opposition voices, including shadow home secretary Chris Philp, have criticised the scheme as ineffective.
International effort to curb crossings
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has reported successes in disrupting smugglers. Just last week, 20 inflatable boats were seized in Bulgaria, marking the second such interception in three weeks. Officials say this underscores the need for stronger international cooperation against illegal migration networks.
Who is crossing the Channel?
Afghans were the largest group arriving by small boats in the year to March 2025, followed by Syrians, Iranians, Vietnamese, and Eritreans. These five nationalities accounted for 61% of all arrivals.
Last year, nearly one-third of asylum seekers in the UK—about 108,000 people—arrived by small boat. While the UK has the power to remove those with no legal right to stay, the 1951 Refugee Convention guarantees the right to claim asylum if a person can prove a serious threat to life or freedom in their home country.
