More than 200,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel since 2018, according to government figures released on Saturday. Dozens of individuals were observed being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, on Friday morning, with Home Office data confirming that 70 people arrived in a single boat that day. This latest influx pushed the total number of arrivals since current records began to 200,013.
Breakdown by Government
The figure is derived from the government's official statistics for 2018 to 2025 and provisional data recorded so far this year. Analysis by the Press Association reveals that just over a third of the total—72,094, or 36%—have arrived since the Labour Party assumed power in July 2024. The remaining 127,919, or 64%, made the journey under Conservative administrations led by four prime ministers: Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak.
Recent Tragedies and Trends
This milestone follows the deaths of two women who perished while attempting the crossing on Sunday morning, adding to the six fatalities reported by French authorities in April. Despite these tragedies, Channel crossings in 2026 are tracking at a lower level than in the previous two years. So far this year, there have been 7,380 arrivals, marking a 36% decrease compared to the same period in 2025 and a 16% reduction from 2024.
Successive governments have collaborated with France to disrupt crossings and revised asylum rules to deter individuals from undertaking the perilous journey. In April, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed a three-year agreement with French authorities, committing £662 million to support beach patrols aimed at reducing arrivals. Mahmood is also pursuing an overhaul of the asylum system to facilitate deportations and deter crossings, including proposed changes to make refugee status temporary.
Policy Shifts and Legal Disputes
The current Labour government scrapped the Conservatives' multimillion-pound plan to deport migrants who crossed the Channel to Rwanda. Only four volunteers were sent before the policy was abandoned. However, this move has triggered a legal dispute, with Rwanda seeking to sue Britain for over £100 million, alleging breach of contract. UK lawyers deny these claims.
Historical Data
The number of migrants crossing the Channel began at very low levels, with only 299 arrivals recorded in 2018. In December of that year, then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid cut short his Christmas break to declare a "major incident" after 45 migrants crossed on Christmas Day. Annual totals rose steadily: 1,843 in 2019, 8,466 in 2020, 28,526 in 2021, and a peak of 45,774 in 2022. Arrivals then fell to 29,437 in 2023 before rising again to 36,816 in 2024 and 41,472 in 2025.
Boat Occupancy Trends
While the volume of migrants reaching the UK has varied annually, the average number of people per boat has consistently increased. In 2018, there were seven migrants per boat on average, rising to 11 in 2019, 13 in 2020, 28 in 2021, 41 in 2022, 49 in 2023, 53 in 2024, and 62 in 2025. The average so far in 2026 is 64 per boat.
Fatalities in the Channel
There is no official record of all Channel crossing fatalities, but 2024 is believed to have been the deadliest year, with 50 deaths recorded by the French coastguard. At least 17 people died while attempting the journey in 2025, according to French and UK authorities. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has also reported additional deaths linked to crossing attempts. The first known drowning of a migrant attempting the crossing was that of Mitra Mehrad, a 31-year-old Iranian woman, in August 2019.
