Story perspectives
Small-Boat Crossings Hit Seven-Year Low, Home Secretary Says
9/1/2026
1 of 1
Story summary
- Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said small-boat crossings are at their lowest level in seven years.
- 102 small boats crossed the English Channel June-August 2026, the fewest since 2019.
- Those boats carried an average of 68 migrants each, more than double the 2021 figure.
- Home Office asylum spending fell to £4.36 billion in 2025/26, an 8% drop.
