More than 25,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year, according to newly released figures from the Home Office.
On Wednesday alone, 898 migrants arrived in 13 small boats, pushing the total number of Channel crossings in 2025 to 25,436. This milestone has been reached earlier than in any previous year—well ahead of 2022, when it wasn’t surpassed until 27 August.
The rise in crossings continues to challenge the UK government as it seeks to clamp down on people-smuggling networks.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp described the situation as a “national emergency” and criticized the Labour government for failing to take sufficient action. The government, meanwhile, says it is working closely with French authorities to disrupt smuggling operations.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) announced on Thursday that it had collaborated with Bulgarian officials to seize 25 small boats intended for Channel crossings.
Crossing numbers continue to rise
This year marks the first time that over 25,000 crossings have been recorded before the end of July. By comparison:
- In 2020, the annual total was 8,461.
- In 2019, it was 1,835.
- In 2018, only 297 people were recorded, with data collection beginning in November that year.
In 2025, the number of crossings hit 10,000 by the end of April and surged to 20,000 by the end of June. The average number of people per boat has also increased—currently around 59, compared to 49 in 2023.
Government response and criticism
A Home Office spokesperson reaffirmed the government's commitment to ending these “dangerous small boat crossings,” which they say “threaten lives and undermine border security.”
“The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay,” the spokesperson said. “We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.”
While the government maintains its crackdown efforts, campaigners continue to call for the expansion of safe and legal routes into the UK to reduce the need for dangerous crossings and render smuggling operations unnecessary.
UK-France cooperation
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on a new pilot scheme. Under the plan, some migrants who arrive in the UK via small boats would be returned to France, while a limited number would be allowed to come legally through a controlled pathway.
The goal is to discourage illegal crossings by providing a legal alternative. However, Mr. Philp has dismissed the agreement, saying it “will not even make a dent” in solving the crisis.
Meanwhile, French authorities have also adapted their approach. In one recent incident, police deflated an overcrowded boat on a beach in July to prevent a dangerous departure. Photo by Steve Cadman, Wikimedia commons.