Small-boat crossings from France to UK fall to seven-year low

In a significant drop in migrants using small boats to reach the UK, the number of such crossings fell to the lowest since 2019, according to data released by the British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. The summer months, typically busy with migrants attempting to reach the UK, saw the lowest combined total of small-boat crossings in June, July, and August since 2019, and the lowest number of illegal migrant arrivals since 2020.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Downing Street to discuss tackling small-boat crossings, with border enforcement being a top priority. The number of crossings from June 1 to August 30 dropped to 102 in 2025, a drop of 46 per cent from the same period in 2024. August saw its lowest level since 2018, with a 46 per cent drop compared to 2024.

July also saw the fewest crossings for that month since 2019, with a 64 per cent decrease from 2024. June recorded its lowest level since 2019, down 50 per cent from 2024, with the lowest number of migrant arrivals since 2021, down 47 per cent. The UK-France agreement allocated £661 million ($895 million) to increase police enforcement on French beaches by 40 per cent.

French police funded under this deal prevented 185 small-boat crossings between April and August in the three months after the agreement, accounting for 61 per cent of all small-boat events during this period. Despite the reduction in crossings, there are concerns that the number of people on each boat has increased. Last month, a "mega dinghy" carrying 230 migrants was intercepted, while last summer, 14,191 migrants arrived on small boats, with an average of 63 people per vessel.

This summer, 7,371 people arrived, an average of 72 per crossing. Ms Mahmood expressed optimism about the progress but acknowledged the need for further action to target criminal gangs and remove the incentives that lure people onto unsafe and illegal routes. Since the UK's Labour government took office in 2024, the UK-French action has prevented over 48,000 crossing attempts, leading to the seizure of more than 1,100 boats and engines, and the removal or return of over 80,000 people who illegally entered the UK.