Overview

• Home Office data show 3,567 people arrived on 56 small boats in August 2025, the lowest August total for people since 2021 and the fewest boats since 2019.
• Full Fact refuted the home secretary’s claim that August was lower than any previous August, confirming the month was down but not a record low.
• Despite the monthly dip, the year-to-date total stands at 29,003 arrivals by the end of August, higher than at the same point in any previous year on record.
• Boats carried more people on average in August, with 63.7 people per craft, as safety concerns persist following 20 reported deaths this year and 249 since 2018.
• Authorities report enforcement activity against smuggling networks, including the NCA’s claimed disruption of 347 groups and 25 asset freezes, while about 32,000 asylum applicants remain in hotels.