UK-France Border Agreement Drives Small-Boat Channel Crossings to Seven-Year Low

Small-boat crossings into the UK fell to a seven-year low this summer, with British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood crediting a new border agreement with France for the drop in figures.

The summer months are typically some of the busiest for migrants attempting to reach the UK on small boats due to calmer weather. However, the latest data reveals that June, July, and August recorded the lowest combined total of small-boat crossings for those months since 2019, alongside the lowest number of illegal migrant arrivals by this route since 2020.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham will host French President Emmanuel Macron at No 10 Downing Street for the first time this week, with tackling small-boat crossings at the top of the agenda, according to the UK government.

According to Home Office figures, there were 102 Channel crossings from June 1 to August 30 this year, compared to 224 for the same period in 2025. August crossings fell to their lowest level since records began in 2018—down 46 per cent on last year—with migrant arrivals dropping 35 per cent. July saw the fewest crossings for that month since 2019, down 64 per cent on 2025, while June recorded its lowest level of crossings since 2019, down 50 per cent.

In April, Ms Mahmood signed a deal providing £661 million ($895 million) to boost police enforcement on French beaches by 40 per cent. This funding supported actions to stop launches, seize boats and engines used by criminal gangs, and arrest suspected people smugglers. French police teams funded under this UK-France agreement prevented 185 small-boat crossings between April 27 and August 2, accounting for 61 per cent of all small-boat events during this period.

Despite the reduction in overall boat crossings, concerns persist over an increase in the number of people packed onto each vessel. Last month, a mega dinghy carrying 230 migrants was intercepted. While 14,191 migrants arrived via small boats last summer with an average of 63 people per vessel, this summer saw 7,371 arrivals averaging 72 people per crossing, based on The National's analysis of Home Office figures.

Ms Mahmood stated that the work was beginning to bear fruit, adding: "But we know there is more to do. We will be relentless in targeting the criminal gangs behind these crossings, and we will continue to remove the incentives that draw people here on unsafe and illegal routes."

The Home Office reported that joint UK-French actions have prevented more than 48,000 crossing attempts since Labour came into power in 2024. Additionally, the National Crime Agency and international partners have seized more than 1,100 boats and engines, while more than 80,000 people in the UK illegally have been removed or returned since the 2024 election.