More than 40,000 migrants have travelled to UK across the English Channel so far this year

The provisional number of migrant crossings currently stands at 40,885 Credit: PA Wire/PA Images

More than 40,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel to the UK so far this year, Government figures have shown.

Some 972 people were detected on Saturday 12 November in 22 boats, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, taking the provisional total for the year to 40,885.

In 2021, there were 28,561 recorded.

Groups of people could be seen arriving in Dover, Kent Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA

The arrivals on Saturday were the first so far in November, with the most recent crossings previously made on 31 October when 46 people were detected on one boat.

On 22 August the highest daily total on record was reported, with 1,295 people crossing in 27 boats.

It is nearly seven months since the then home secretary Priti Patel announced plans to send migrants to Rwanda to try to deter people from crossing the Channel.

Since then, 33,805 people have arrived in the UK after making the journey.

On 14 April, Ms Patel signed what she described as a “world-first” agreement with Rwanda, under which the east African country will receive migrants deemed by the UK to have arrived “illegally”, and are therefore inadmissible under new immigration rules.

However, the first deportation flight, due to take off on 14 June, was grounded amid legal challenges.

More than 40,000 people have made the crossing to the UK so far this year Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA

The legality of the policy has since been contested in the courts, with ministers and campaigners awaiting a ruling from High Court judges on the case.

The number of people reaching the UK in small boats from France after navigating busy shipping lanes has increased steadily in recent years.

Some 299 were detected in 2018, followed by 1,843 in 2019 and 8,466 in 2020, official figures show.

Despite the growing numbers, the small boat arrivals are a fraction of the number of people going to mainland Europe.

A graphic showing the cumulative successful arrivals of migrants crossing the English Channel into the UK Credit: PA Graphics

Data from the UN’s refugee agency shows at least 120,441 people arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean by land and sea last year.

The MoD said its data is taken from “live operational systems” and is subject to change, “including reduction”.

It comes after two councils lost bids for High Court injunctions to prevent hotels from housing asylum seekers.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council asked the High Court to continue an interim injunction preventing migrants being accommodated at the Humber View Hotel in Hull, which was granted after it was contacted by the Home Office with a proposal to use the site.

Ipswich Borough Council also asked for the extension of an interim injunction to stop further asylum seekers being placed at the four-star Novotel hotel in Ipswich city centre, where 72 people were already being housed.

Despite the growing numbers, the small boat arrivals are a fraction of the number of people going to mainland Europe.

Data from the UN’s refugee agency shows at least 120,441 people arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean by land and sea last year.

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