UK and France extend 'one-in, one-out' migrant returns scheme until October
The pilot, which swaps Channel arrivals for asylum seekers with UK ties, is extended and amended — but figures show it has so far affected only a fraction of crossings.
Eleanor Whitfield
Writer ·
- 606 people returned to France by 1 May 2026
- 588 asylum seekers admitted to the UK over the same period
- Returns equate to just over 1% of total irregular arrivals
- More than 41,000 people crossed by small boat in 2025
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