Entering the United Kingdom illegally is more dangerous than ever.
You could die in a small boat.
Coming to the United Kingdom illegally by small boat has become far more dangerous.
The boats are overcrowded, unseaworthy and will break apart during the journey.
If you fall into the sea, you can drown or freeze to death within minutes. The fake lifejackets won’t save you.
If fuel spills on you, it will burn through your skin. You could be permanently scarred or disfigured.
People get trampled on and crushed to death in these overcrowded boats.
Many children have died this way. By getting on a boat, you could kill someone else – including a child.
You will be arrested if you endanger another person during a small boat journey.
It is a criminal offence and you would face up to six years in prison.
People smugglers do not care about you. They just want your money.
That is why they force more and more people onto these boats, even threatening them with weapons if they refuse.
Sometimes they just scam you, taking your money for nothing in return.
Do not risk your money or your life.
You could die in a lorry.
In 2021, 39 migrants were found dead in a lorry trailer in the United Kingdom.
They were trapped inside, unable to breathe.
In their final messages, one victim said ‘I want to come back to my family.’
Coming to the UK illegally by lorry is very dangerous. Smugglers do not care about you or your loved ones.
The doors are often locked from the outside. You would be stuck inside in complete darkness, facing extreme heat or extreme cold.
Many lorry containers are airtight. If the smuggler is unable to open the door for any reason, or if heavy traffic delays the journey, you will run out of air and suffocate.
Do not let this happen to you or your loved ones.
Even if you make it, you are still in danger.
The people who offer to arrange your journey here are criminals. You do not want to be in debt to these people.
If you have been promised a job by a people smuggler, it is fake.
When you arrive, you could be turned into their slave. They may abuse you and be violent.
You would be working for these criminals for little or no pay. You would be trapped in debt, with no way out.
You would be putting your family in danger. Human traffickers will often threaten your family in your home country to keep you in line.
Life in the United Kingdom is extremely difficult as an illegal migrant. Find out more about the realities of illegal migration.
Illegal migration is never worth the risk.
Report a people smuggler
If someone is promising to help you come to the UK without a visa, you should report them.
They do not care about your safety or your future. They may be responsible for people dying on dangerous boats in the English Channel.
Stop them. Report them to us. Your identity will be protected.
Legal travel
If you want to come to the United Kingdom for a better life, the only way to do so is to come here with a valid visa.