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The number of people arriving in the UK in the first half of 2025 skyrocketed to nearly 20,000 in the first half of 2025, highlighting the serious challenges facing Prime Minister Kielstarme, who has pledged to reduce irregular migrations to the UK.
According to official data, a total of 19,982 people have traveled to the UK on small boats since January, setting records for the first six months of the year.
During the first six months of 2024, 13,489 people arrived on the small boat, the highest previous figure for this period.
During the same period in 2022, the previous highest recorded year, 12,750 people arrived in the first six months.
The increase in the number of arrivals was a major concern for the Prime Minister, who vowed to “break the gang.”
The priority argued that his experience dealing with terrorists and drug gangs while he was the director of public prosecutors stood with him to tackle a entrenched issue.
Nigel Farage’s populist reform Britain has vowed to tackle small boats as its main policy focus and expel all migrants who have arrived illegally in the UK.
Meanwhile, Starmer is about to finalize a pilot exchange agreement with the French government. Below that, each time a small boat arrives, it is sent back to France, and the UK files a family unification lawsuit from France.
The Prime Minister is also fighting a major challenge to his authority this week as dozens of lawmakers prepare to rebel against the flagship package of welfare reform.
Priority also pledged to end the hotel’s use of the hotel to accommodate asylum seekers by the end of this assembly. As of March this year, 32,345 immigrants had been housed in the hotel from a peak of 56,042 in September 2023.
About three-quarters of those arriving in the UK are men, and about 14% are children. This was attacked by right-wing groups, including the Reformed Britain, who described their arrival as “men in the battle era.”
However, the think tank at the University of Oxford immigration observation deck notes that men often arrive first in the UK and then their families participate through a family reunification programme.
People arriving by small boats in the UK account for around 33% of the total number of asylum claimants, while 40% are those who have previously arrived in the UK, according to home office data.
The most common arrivals from March to March this year came from Afghanistan, followed by Syria, Eritrea, Iran and Sudan. In particular, in 2025, arrivals from Eritrea have skyrocketed.
Shadow Interior Secretary Chris Philp said “Labor government and boats have not stopped – they’re not increasing,” adding “This is the worst year on record and it’s free for everyone.”
“Because we need removal deterrents, any illegal immigrants that arrive will be moved to locations outside of Europe. The intersection will then stop rapidly,” he said.
