A Home Office spokesperson said: “This Government is bearing down on small boat crossings.

“We have stopped 40,000 crossing attempts since this Government came into office through our joint work with the French. We have removed or deported almost 60,000 people who were here illegally. Our pilot deal with the French means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back.

“The Home Secretary has also announced the most sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration in modern times, removing the incentives that bring illegal migrants to the UK and scaling up the return of those with no right to be here.”

Background:

The Home Secretary has unveiled a new package of measures aimed at reducing small boat crossings and strengthening the UK’s response to illegal migration, signalling a tougher approach to enforcement and removals.

Central to the plans is a move to curb what the government describes as “pull factors” encouraging people to enter the UK illegally. Ministers intend to revoke the statutory duty to provide asylum-seeker support — including accommodation and financial assistance — for individuals who have the right to work and are capable of supporting themselves but choose not to. The same approach will apply to those who break UK law.

Alongside this, the Home Secretary announced steps to speed up the removal of people with no legal right to remain in the country. These include limiting illegal migrants to a single route of appeal and fast-tracking cases deemed to have little chance of success, in an effort to increase the pace and volume of removals.

According to government figures, more than 58,500 illegal migrants and foreign criminals have been removed from the UK since the 2024 general election. Of those, over 15,200 were deported or forcibly removed — a 45 per cent increase compared with the previous 19-month period. The government also reports a 32 per cent rise in the deportation of foreign national offenders, with more than 8,700 people, including individuals convicted of serious crimes such as murder and rape, removed since ministers took office.

The measures are being reinforced by powers contained in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, which is designed to disrupt organised immigration crime. Under the legislation, officers can now seize electronic devices, including mobile phones, suspected of holding information linked to people-smuggling gangs, enabling faster action against criminal networks.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of continued concern over small boat crossings. In 2022, the UK recorded its highest number of arrivals via small boats, with more than 45,000 people making the dangerous journey across the Channel — a figure the government says underlines the need for tougher controls and stronger enforcement. Photo by Steve Cadman, Wikimedia commons.