Additional statistics relating to Illegal Migration (to end October 2023)
Updated 26 April 2024
© Crown copyright 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-relating-to-the-illegal-migration-bill/additional-statistics-relating-to-illegal-migration-to-end-october-2023
This data is derived from internal operational MI (Management Information) unless otherwise indicated.
A selection of statistics from Home Office operational systems relating to the Illegal Migration Act were initially published on 24 April 2023 to support parliamentary debates on the Act and have been subsequently updated on a number of occasions, most recently to include data to the end of October 2023.
Statistics on the number of migrants detected crossing the English Channel in small boats are updated daily by the Home Office and published on GOV.UK. Summary statistics up to the end of October are included in the latest tables, and a comprehensive statistical report on small boats and irregular migration is published each quarter alongside the Home Office Immigration System Statistics.
In addition, from Home Office operational records of small boat arrivals that were encountered on beaches rather than at sea, we can report that in the period from 1 January to 31 October 2023 there were 0 (zero) uncontrolled beach landings. In contrast, out of 599 beach landings in the whole of 2020, 498 were uncontrolled beach landings.
In 2022, 1,110 small boats arrived in the UK and a total of 109 Small Boat Pilots were arrested. Between 1 January and 31 October 2023, 546 small boats have arrived, and a further 63 small boat pilots have been arrested.
Between 23 May 2023 and 31 October 2023 1 Albanian national was returned under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement with Albania. A further 57 Albanian prisoners are currently eligible and are in the process for Transfer under the terms of this agreement.
Between 1 - 31 October 2023 the Home Office employed 2,463 Asylum Caseworking Staff (Full Time Equivalent) and made 15,956 Initial Decisions. This equates to an average of 6.5 initial decisions completed per caseworker.
Following the resumption of the immigration banking measures in April, banks and building societies have now closed more than 6,000 accounts following the requisite immigration checks.
Between 9 April 2023 (when data was first recorded) and 29 October 2023, 9,519 bedspaces have been generated.
As of 5 November 2023, a total of 520 asylum seekers are accommodated across two large sites, Wethersfield contained 448 residents and Portland (Bibby Stockholm) contained 72 residents.
Statistics on the Afghan bridging hotel exit operational data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) as of 31 August 2023 were published on 19 September 2023.
The above data has been extracted from live operational databases and therefore may differ from data published elsewhere. The next update of the quarterly Home Office Immigration System Statistics will be published on 23 November 2023.