Overview
- Official figures record at least 29 deaths at sea linked to small‑boat journeys last year.
- The bilateral mechanism has produced 153 forced returns to France and 134 legal admissions to the UK to date.
- Asylum claims topped 110,000 between October 2024 and September 2025, setting a new record.
- Most arrivals are adult men from Eritrea, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan and Somalia, with 95% seeking asylum and about two‑thirds granted protection in decided cases.
- Ministers cite tougher reforms and enforcement, with Border Security Secretary Alex Norris warning that those who try to return will be sent back.