The government’s “one in, one out” scheme to send migrants who cross the Channel back to France costs on average £56,000 per person, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said. That is higher than the Home Office’s estimated average cost for enforced migrant returns of £48,800. The deal allows the UK to return some small boat arrivals while agreeing to take in the same number of people from France who are believed to have a legitimate claim to come to Britain. Mahmood told MPs the policy had been “difficult” to scale up and the numbers involved were still “relatively small”.
She said the total number deported under the scheme since it began in August 2025 was around 1,400. Asked by the Conservative MP Robbie Moore whether she thought the scheme had been a success, Mahmood said: “On its own terms, can you prove the concept that such a deal is viable, that you can get returns off and up and running – yes. “It’s not been without its challenges, obviously. The numbers are still relatively small.
“What has been more operationally difficult is to scale up very large numbers of removals every week into the French system.” She said the UN and other agencies had reported that some migrants were not getting on small boats because they thought there was a chance they could be accepted under the “one in, one out” scheme. Fall in small boats down to law enforcement, agency says Fourteen go on trial over deadliest Channel small boats disaster Track UK’s latest migration numbers – net migration, visas, asylum and small boats The agreement aims to deter people from making the dangerous journey across the Channel. It had been due to end in June 2026 but has now been extended into October. Asked how much the policy was costing, Mahmood said she thought it was “about £56,000” but added that she would write to the committee to confirm the figure.
So far this year, 17,425 people have arrived in the UK by small boat, a 44% decrease compared to the same time last year. The National Crime Agency has said law enforcement had been a “key factor” in getting the numbers down. It also said supply chains for small boats had been disrupted by the war in the Middle East. Between 1 January and 14 September 2026, a total of 17,425 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France.
This was down by 44% on the same period the previous year. These crossings have become the most common way for people to be detected entering the UK illegally since 2020. Nearly all those who arrive by small boat claim asylum. Under international law, this means they are allowed to stay in the country while their asylum application is considered.
Small boat arrivals made up 40% of asylum applications between July 2025 to June 2026. Boats that arrived in the UK from 15 September 2025 to 14 September 2026 carried an average of 68 people. This has more than doubled since 2021. Experts say overcrowding in boats makes crossings riskier.
At least 84 people died while attempting to cross the Channel in 2024, according to the United Nations (UN). When looking at the scale of small boats crossings, the number of these arrivals is about 5% of the size of total immigration into the UK from January 2025 to December 2025. The government has pledged to “smash the gangs” behind these crossings in order to reduce the numbers. People from Eritrea accounted for 18% of all arrivals from July 2025 to June 2026.
In the latest figures covering January 2025 to December 2025, at least 2,335 people who arrived by small boat were found to be potential victims of human trafficking or other forms of modern slavery, according to the Home Office. Another 4,712 people were detected entering the UK without permission via other methods including hiding in vehicles, travelling on ferries or through airports from July 2025 to June 2026. This was down by 17% on the same period the previous year. There are also individuals who arrive legally, for example via a work or study visa, and then overstay their limit.
The total number of people who live in the UK illegally after arriving legally is not known.
