Nearly 1,739 Migrants Crossed Channel in First Week of October

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 9, 2026

Nearly 1,739 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK in the first week of October, arriving on 23 small boats and contributing to a total of 20,935 crossings so far in 2026. Although these numbers are about 40% lower than last year, the issue continues to provoke political disputes over border control policies and the breakdown of the UK-France migrant return agreement.

Nearly 1,739 migrants crossed the English Channel to reach the United Kingdom during the first week of October, arriving on 23 small boats, according to official figures. The data, covering the seven days up to Wednesday, indicates that one migrant made the crossing approximately every six minutes. Monday was the busiest day of the period, with 609 people arriving in eight separate vessels.

On average, each boat carried around 76 passengers, bringing the total number of migrants arriving in the UK by small boats in 2026 to 20,935 so far. While this represents a significant influx, the numbers remain below the levels seen in 2025, when over 41,000 migrants crossed the Channel in total. Current figures for 2026 are about 40% lower than those recorded by this time last year.

The issue has drawn sharp political criticism, with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage describing the situation as an "out-of-control disaster" that threatens national security. Farage attributed the worsening situation to policies under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is leading the Labour government. Similarly, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Labour of failing to effectively tackle the gangs facilitating the crossings. Philp further asserted that many migrants, predominantly young men, subsequently commit serious crimes, including murder and rape.

Philp also highlighted the collapse of a border control agreement between the UK and France, which had aimed to return migrants arriving by boat. He criticized the Labour government for allowing 95% of illegal small boat arrivals to remain in the UK, often housing them in hotels and flats, which, he argued, encourages further crossings.

In response, Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that Labour’s measures addressing small boat crossings have yielded results but acknowledged that additional efforts are required. The breakdown of the “one in, one out” agreement with France has complicated attempts to reduce arrivals, with just 1,500 migrants returned to France under the deal.

The Home Office emphasized that selective data focusing on a single week does not provide a comprehensive picture of the situation throughout the year. Officials noted that 2026 has seen the lowest number of arrivals since 2020. They also pointed to prevention efforts that have stopped over 48,000 crossing attempts since the last general election and claimed that shutting down asylum hotels has saved taxpayers more than £1 billion.

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.