How many people cross the English Channel in small boats?

Between 1 January and 26 April 2026, a total of 6,326 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France. This was down by 34% 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 January 2025 to December 2025.

Boats that arrived in the UK from 27 April 2025 to 26 April 2026 carried an average of 64 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 18% of all arrivals from January 2025 to December 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 7,602 arrivals detected, Afghanistan with 4,755 arrivals detected, Iran with 4,489 arrivals detected, Sudan with 4,432 arrivals detected, and Somalia with 3,783 arrivals detected. The figures are for January 2025 to December 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 5,025 people were detected entering the UK without permission via other methods including hiding in vehicles, travelling on ferries or through airports from January 2025 to December 2025. This was down by 22% 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.

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