The number of people arriving in the UK after crossing the English Channel in small boats has passed 25,000 faster this year than since records began. On Wednesday, 898 people made the journey in 13 boats, bringing the total for 2025 so far to 25,436.
Home Office figures show a 51% increase compared with the same point last year (16,842) and 73% higher than 2023 (14,732). It is the earliest point in a calendar year that the 25,000 mark has been passed since data collection began in 2018. Last year, the milestone was reached on 22 September, and in 2023 it was 2 October.
The record crossings come despite a flurry of government measures this spring and summer. Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed a “one in, one out” returns deal with France earlier this month, though the pilot has not yet begun. French police have used knives to slash dinghies already at sea for the first time, following negotiations with the UK. Foreign Secretary David Lammy also announced a new sanctions regime targeting those involved in Channel smuggling.
To accommodate the rising numbers, an extra 445 spaces are being prepared for male asylum seekers at RAF Wethersfield in Essex, despite previous promises to reduce numbers there. A Home Office spokesperson said all use of property is carried out in accordance with relevant planning permissions and in consultation with local authorities.
The move follows protests outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping after a male asylum seeker was charged with allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl. Local leaders have urged the home secretary to make the Bell hotel a priority for urgent closure, citing community tensions. Essex police reported 14 charges and 23 arrests connected to protests at the site.
Downing Street warned in July that a repeat of last summer’s rioting could occur and said Britain was “fraying at the edges”. Starmer told the cabinet it was vital to repair the country’s “social fabric” and improve integration in areas with high migration levels.
