In August, the UK experienced a significant decrease in small boat crossings compared to last year. According to the latest data from the Home Office, there were 3,567 arrivals by small boats on UK shores, down from 5,454 and 5,170 in July and June, respectively. This marks the quietest August since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year saw 4,149 small boat arrivals in August, while in 2023 there were 5,369, and in 2022, the highest on record, there were 8,631. In August 2021, there were 3,053 arrivals, in August 2020, 1,470, and in August 2019, 342.
Despite the drop in August arrivals this year, the summer overall witnessed a surge in small boat arrivals. Between June 1 and August 31, there were 14,191 arrivals, surpassing the numbers from the same period in 2024 and 2023. The busiest summer so far was in 2022, with 15,458 small boat arrivals between June and August.
Although August 2025 ranks as the 19th busiest month for small boat arrivals, the total number of arrivals this year has already exceeded previous records. By the end of August, there were a total of 29,003 arrivals this year, compared to 21,052 last year, 20,101 in 2023, 25,065 in 2022, and 12,482 in 2021.