Maritime activities occurring in the English Channel
UK Government Publishes Detailed Small Boat Crossing Statistics
The UK government has made it easier for the public to access data on small boat arrivals into the country. The Home Office has a dedicated email for data inquiries regarding this matter: [email protected].
The time series for small boat arrivals in the UK goes back to 2018 and is updated every Friday. The most recent updates and detailed quarterly statistics, including small boat crossing figures, are available on the official UK government migration statistics collection page [1].
This resource contains various insights, such as:
- Quarterly statistics on small boat arrivals since 2018,
- Trends and changes in crossing numbers over time,
- Data tables and supporting documentation to understand the breakdowns by quarter.
For the exact quarterly figures on small boat crossings from 2018 to the latest quarter, refer to the "Small boat crossings since July 2022" factsheet and earlier quarterly immigration statistics accessible via the UK government’s migration statistics portal [1]. This is the authoritative and continually updated source for such data.
It is important to note that the data published here is provisional and subject to change, including reduction.
The Home Office also provides a press statement on small boat crossings, which can be contacted through their newsdesk: 0300 123 3535. However, this press statement is not related to the provisional and subject-to-change nature of the data, the time series for small boat arrivals going back to 2018, the publication of finalized data in the quarterly "Immigration system statistics", or the updates frequency or content.
Additionally, the Home Office press statement is not related to the French prevention activities data content or updates. French prevention activity includes individuals who are prevented from departing France, those who return to France, and finds of maritime equipment.
Data on small boat arrivals for the last 7 days is updated daily, separate from the weekly updates for the time series.
[1] UK Government Migration Statistics Collection: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-first-quarter-2022
Despite the UK Government's focus on publishing detailed statistics about small boat crossings, there is a lack of data on environmental factors such as climate change's impact on weather patterns that might influence small boat crossings. Therefore, it would be beneficial for the environmental science community to study the relationship between climate-change and the frequency of small boat crossings in the context of the environmental-science field.
