The UK government has ended its "one in, one out" scheme, which involved forcibly returning one small-boat arrival to France in exchange for bringing one asylum seeker legally to the UK. The scheme, announced in July 2025, moved approximately 1,500 people in both directions across the Channel before its termination.
The British government concluded that the scheme, which had been beset with problems, could not be effectively scaled up. NGOs working with asylum seekers in northern France were not surprised by the outcome.
Despite the scheme's end, asylum seekers continue to attempt Channel crossings. Between 2 and 7 October, 1,739 people arrived in 23 boats. There has been a reduction of over 40% in small boat arrivals so far this year compared to the same period last year, which may be due to UK government initiatives, weather conditions, and a 39% drop in irregular migration to Europe overall.
A Home Office spokesperson pointed to the reopening of the UK resettlement scheme for new referrals, which is expected to assist a few hundred refugees annually. However, organisations like Care4Calais and the PCS union are advocating for a refugee visa-to-travel scheme to provide safe and legal routes to the UK, arguing it would undermine people smugglers.