Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged his government will be "relentless" in curbing the number of people arriving in the UK on small boats. He said progress had been made and that the government was "changing the whole approach", with enforcement officers tackling people-smuggling gangs doubled on both sides of the Channel.
"People want to see this issue addressed," he said in Dover, adding: "We also need to build a system that offers safe routes for people as well, because that also takes away the selling point of the gangs."
Why has the debate resurfaced?
Political discussions around the UK's policies on illegal migration have resurfaced since tens of thousands of migrants swam into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta on Thursday. Burnham noted that 98% of the people who swam to the African territory had been returned to Morocco, which he said had dealt with the immediate issue.
He added: "There's a broader issue about the Schengen area and our relationship with it, and of course, I would want to be in regular dialogue with the EU on those issues."
What changes has the government announced?
His comments came shortly after the Home Office announced that the number of National Crime Agency (NCA) officers tackling smuggling gangs facilitating small boat crossings had risen to almost 800 from 376 at the start of 2025. Burnham said there had been a similar doubling of French officers.
Asked whether he wanted to change the tone of the debate around small boats, he said that he wanted to "deal with the issue rather than play politics with the issue".
He added: "The public don't like the idea that the border looks like it's not controlled. We need to bring back that control. But also we need to offer support for people who genuinely need it."
How many people have crossed the Channel this year?
Between 1 January and 29 July 2026, a total of 14,128 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France. This was down by 42% on the same period the previous year.
These crossings have become the most common way for people to be detected entering the UK illegally since 2020. Nearly all those who arrive by small boat claim asylum. Under international law, this means they are allowed to stay in the country while their asylum application is considered.
Small boat arrivals made up 42% of asylum applications between April 2025 to March 2026.
Boats that arrived in the UK from 30 July 2025 to 29 July 2026 carried an average of 67 people. This has more than doubled since 2021. Experts say overcrowding in boats makes crossings riskier. At least 84 people died while attempting to cross the Channel in 2024, according to the United Nations (UN).
When looking at the scale of small boats crossings, the number of these arrivals is about 5% of the size of total immigration into the UK from January 2025 to December 2025.
The government has pledged to “smash the gangs” behind these crossings in order to reduce the numbers.
Who is arriving and what do the figures show?
People from Eritrea accounted for 18% of all arrivals from April 2025 to March 2026.
In the latest figures covering January 2025 to December 2025, at least 2,000 people who arrived by small boat were found to be potential victims of human trafficking or other forms of modern slavery, according to the Home Office.
Another 4,535 people were detected entering the UK without permission via other methods including hiding in vehicles, travelling on ferries or through airports from April 2025 to March 2026. This was down by 22% on the same period the previous year.
There are also individuals who arrive legally, for example via a work or study visa, and then overstay their limit. The total number of people who live in the UK illegally after arriving legally is not known.
What enforcement results has the Home Office reported?
The Home Office also said on Sunday that there had been nearly 300 arrests of smuggling gang members last year, as well as the seizure of more than 1,100 small boats and engines.
It said that, if the equipment seized by the NCA had been used, it could have helped 72,000 more people come illegally to the UK. The BBC has been unable to independently verify this claim.
"Clearly, progress is being made, but we're not complacent," Burnham commented.
The number of migrants who have arrived in the UK on small boats since Burnham became PM a fortnight ago surpassed 2,000 after 326 people crossed the English Channel on Saturday.
More people attempt the potentially perilous crossing in the summer when conditions are better, and Home Office figures show small boat crossings so far this year are down around 43% compared to the same period in 2025.
Small boat crossings have become the most common way for people to be detected entering the UK illegally since 2020, and the issue has become a lightning rod in the wider debate over immigration.
The number of small boats crossing the Channel have been on a downward trend since it peaked in 2022, Home Office figures show.
In May, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that net migration to the UK fell to 171,000 last year - almost half the number seen in 2024, and the lowest level since 2012.
The drop has been attributed to fewer people arriving from outside the EU for work and study.
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