£1bn cost of France’s ‘non’ action on migrants

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, August 2, 2026

Since 2023, the UK has spent over £1 billion with France to reduce migrant crossings of the English Channel, but recent observations reveal limited French enforcement and continued high arrival numbers. This ongoing challenge raises doubts about the effectiveness of the funding and highlights the need for a broader strategy addressing both enforcement and the factors driving migrants to attempt the dangerous crossing.

The United Kingdom has spent over £1 billion since 2023 in bilateral efforts with France to curb migrant crossings across the English Channel, yet recent developments underscore ongoing challenges and questions about the effectiveness of this funding. The Anglo-French cooperation, initiated under the previous Conservative government, aimed to reduce the number of people making the dangerous sea journey, but recent visits to migrant camps and crossings suggest limited enforcement on the French side and continued arrivals in significant numbers.

In 2023, the UK allocated £476 million to France to support efforts to prevent migrants from attempting the crossing, a figure that was later supplemented by an agreement committing an additional £660 million through 2029. The total pledged expenditure now exceeds £1 billion over six years. However, the number of crossings has continued to trend upward in the intervening period, with arrivals rising to over 36,000 in 2024 and surpassing 41,000 in 2025.

Last week, Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp visited camps near Boulogne to observe enforcement efforts firsthand. According to Philp, when he questioned French authorities acting as border police—gendarmes—why they were not intervening as migrants prepared to board a dinghy, he was told the official instruction was to permit the crossings. This account highlights a disconnect between the financial resources committed by the UK and tangible action on the ground in France.

Defenders of the current policy have pointed to statistics indicating a roughly 40% reduction in crossings compared with the previous year. However, critics argue this decline largely reflects adverse weather conditions rather than successful enforcement or deterrence, noting that around 1,000 migrants arrived in a single day last week following a change in tidal patterns.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham recently stated that the migrant plan "is working," though the assertion has drawn skepticism given the continued high numbers of arrivals and the absence of targeted measures addressing the underlying factors attracting migrants to the UK. Moreover, the migrant issue has been notably absent from recent government announcements covering rough sleeping, energy costs, social care, and other domestic priorities.

The UK government faces pressure to reassess its strategy, especially as the Channel crossings have implications beyond border control, affecting housing, healthcare, education, and public safety in Britain. Critics emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach that addresses not only enforcement but also the broader "pull factors" encouraging migrants to risk the journey. The current impasse in Anglo-French cooperation and the persistent influx of asylum seekers highlight the complexity of the migrant crisis and raise questions over the value and impact of substantial public spending on overseas enforcement.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.