London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Record Number of Migrants Crossing English Channel in Small Boats: 6,265 in 2024, 120,000 Since 2018; 45% Seek Asylum in UK

The text provides information on the number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats and seeking asylum in the UK.
As of April 21, 2024, 6,265 people had crossed the Channel, an increase of nearly 25% compared to the same period in 2023.

In total, 29,437 people came to the UK via small boats in 2023, a significant decrease from the record-high 45,755 in 2022.

The UK government aims to deter people from making this journey by sending some asylum seekers to Rwanda under a new bill, which has recently been approved by parliament despite legal and political challenges.

Since 2018, approximately 120,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats to reach the UK.

In the first quarter of 2024, around 40% of these arrivals were from Vietnam and Afghanistan.

Specifically, 1,266 Vietnamese nationals and 1,216 Afghans came to the UK via this route during this period.

In 2023, Afghans were the largest nationality making up about 20% of all small boat arrivals.

Iranians (13%) and Turkish nationals (11%) were the next most common nationalities.

About 85% of small boat arrivals in 2023 were male, and nearly 20% were between 25 and 39 years old.

The International Organization for Migration estimates that at least 72 migrants have drowned in the English Channel since 2018.

In 2023, over 84,000 people applied for asylum in the UK, with approximately 45% of these being small boat arrivals.

In the previous year, around 100,000 people sought asylum, and the highest number of annual applications, including dependants, was recorded in 2002 at around 103,000, due to conflicts in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Iraq.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×