British News Agency

According to government data, the number of migrants arriving in the United Kingdom in 2025 reached its highest level since 2022.

The latest figures show that 41,472 people arrived in the country via the English Channel last year, around 5,000 more than in 2024.

The 2025 figures represent the second-highest level on record after the peak of 45,774 in 2022.

The figures in the United Kingdom stand in sharp contrast to those recorded across the European Union last year.

According to the EU Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex, irregular entries into the bloc fell by 25 percent in the first eleven months of 2025, exceeding 166,900.

The sharpest declines were observed on the West Africa (–60 percent) and Western Balkans (–43 percent) routes. A similar trend was also seen on the Eastern Mediterranean route, with a decline of 43 percent.

By contrast, the Western Mediterranean route between Algeria, Morocco and Spain saw a 15 percent increase in irregular crossings during the same reporting period.

The Central Mediterranean, which accounted for around 40 percent of all irregular entries throughout the year, remained the EU’s busiest migration corridor.

Frontex recorded 63,200 arrivals between January and November 2025. Departures on this route mostly originated from Libya.

Despite the decline in the number of arrivals to the European Union, human losses remain high. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 1,700 people lost their lives in 2025 while attempting to cross the Mediterranean.