The UK government has agreed to pay France £660m under a new three-year deal aimed at reducing Channel crossings, expanding joint cooperation against smuggling networks.
The agreement is due to be signed by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Thursday (23 April).
Speaking ahead of the new deal being signed, Mahmood said: “Our work with the French has stopped tens of thousands of illegal migrants boarding boats headed to Britain.
“But we must do more. This landmark deal will stop illegal migrants making the perilous journey and put people smugglers behind bars.”
The deal includes a baseline package of around £500m to reinforce enforcement along northern French beaches, alongside a wider deployment of 1,100 enforcement, intelligence and military officers—a 40% increase—tasked with tracking smuggling gangs and people seeking refuge.
It establishes five new police units, including a 50-strong riot squad trained in crowd-control tactics, and adds 20 maritime officers to intercept small “taxi boats” in shallow waters; the Home Office says six such vessels have been stopped in two months, with smugglers jailed and deported.
The agreement also expands the intelligence unit from 18 to 30 specialists, supported by two helicopters and enhanced surveillance systems to detect and disrupt attempted Channel crossings.
Ministers have said around £100m of UK funding could be redirected or withdrawn after a year, if French authorities do not stop enough people making the journey.
Crossings remain a political focus after 41,472 arrivals in 2025 and more than 6,000 in 2026 so far.
ℹ️ BBC News, The Guardian
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