UK and France extend ‘one in, one out’ small boats pilot scheme until October

The UK and France have agreed to extend their controversial ‘one in, one out’ small boat pilot scheme until 1 October 2026. The decision, confirmed by Home Office sources, extends the agreement originally signed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron last July. The pilot was initially scheduled to conclude on 11 June, but the two governments have now committed to continuing the arrangement for an additional four months.

Under the terms of the deal, one asylum seeker arriving in the UK via small boat is forcibly returned to France, in exchange for another asylum seeker currently in France being brought to the UK legally. The Home Office stated that as of 28 April 2026, 605 people have been returned to France and 581 people have arrived in the UK under the scheme. A Home Office spokesperson noted that these returns contribute to nearly 60,000 illegal migrant returns since July 2024, representing a 31 per cent increase on the previous 19 months.

Official figures indicate that Channel crossings this year have decreased by approximately one-third compared to the same period last year. However, officials attribute part of this reduction to adverse weather conditions, with many windy days making crossings too dangerous. Despite the dip in numbers, the Home Office maintains that the scheme is a key component of wider reforms designed to remove incentives for illegal migration and disrupt people-smuggling gangs.

Smuggling networks have adapted their operations in response to the policy. Reports indicate that gangs are launching more vessels from Belgium and offering more expensive journeys to the UK via lorries to bypass police presence on French beaches. The scheme aims to deter these crossings, yet thousands of asylum seekers have continued to attempt the journey since the deal was first hailed as groundbreaking by the two leaders.

Asylum seekers have expressed dismay at the extension of the scheme. One individual returned to France stated that the decision would not stop refugees from coming, citing the continued small boat arrivals. Another asylum seeker, detained under the scheme, highlighted fears for the safety of those sent back to France, particularly those previously fingerprinted in Bulgaria, which is perceived as having poor treatment standards for asylum seekers. They warned that future government schemes could be even worse than the current arrangement.