UK Migrant Return Scheme Costs an Average of £56,000 Per Person

The United Kingdom's "one in, one out" agreement with France, designed to return migrants who cross the English Channel in small boats, is costing an average of £56,000 per person, according to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood. This figure exceeds the Home Office's own estimate of £48,800 for enforced migrant returns.

The scheme, which began in August 2025, allows the UK to send some small boat arrivals back to France in exchange for the UK accepting an equivalent number of individuals from France who are deemed to have a legitimate claim to enter Britain. Mahmood informed MPs that the policy has been operationally difficult to scale, with the number of individuals involved remaining "relatively small."

Since its inception, approximately 1,400 individuals have been returned to France under the scheme. Mahmood confirmed the policy's viability in proving the concept of such a deal but acknowledged significant challenges in increasing the volume of removals to match French processing capacity.

"What has been more operationally difficult is to scale up very large numbers of removals every week into the French system," she stated. Reports from the UN and other agencies suggest that some migrants are delaying their Channel crossings, believing they might be accepted under the "one in, one out" arrangement.

The agreement, intended to deter dangerous Channel crossings, was initially set to conclude in June 2026 but has been extended to October. Mahmood indicated the cost per person was around £56,000, promising to confirm the exact figure in writing.

Data shows that 17,425 people have arrived in the UK via small boat so far this year, representing a 44% decrease compared to the same period in the previous year. The National Crime Agency has cited law enforcement efforts as a significant factor in this reduction, along with disruptions to small boat supply chains attributed to the conflict in the Middle East.

Between January 1 and September 14, 2026, 17,425 people crossed the English Channel in small boats. This number is down 44% from the same period in 2025. Small boat crossings have become the most common method for illegal entry into the UK since 2020, with nearly all arrivals claiming asylum, allowing them to remain in the UK while their applications are processed. These arrivals accounted for 40% of asylum applications between July 2025 and June 2026. The average number of people per boat has more than doubled since 2021, with an average of 68 people on boats arriving between September 15, 2025, and September 14, 2026. At least 84 individuals died attempting the crossing in 2024, according to the UN. Small boat arrivals represent approximately 5% of total UK immigration between January and December 2025.

In terms of demographics, Eritreans constituted 18% of all arrivals between July 2025 and June 2026. Additionally, from July 2025 to June 2026, at least 2,335 individuals arriving by small boat were identified as potential victims of human trafficking or modern slavery.

Beyond small boat crossings, 4,712 individuals were detected entering the UK without authorization through other means, such as hiding in vehicles or traveling on ferries, between July 2025 and June 2026, a 17% decrease from the prior year. The number of people who overstay their visas after arriving legally is not publicly known.