Record number of migrants embarked on perilous Channel crossings in 2022: official data

The year 2022 saw a record number of people making the dangerous crossing through the English Channel from France to Britain, according to government data.

In total, 45,756 people made the dangerous small-boat crossing to the UK on one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes last year, compared with 28,526 in 2021.

The UK also saw an increase in the number of asylum applications submitted.

Migration has become a contentious political issue within the UK, as the Conservative government has vowed to clamp down on small boat crossings. The government has so far failed to establish safe, legal routes for people to rightfully claim asylum in Britain.