How is the government tackling the migrant crisis in the UK?

Crossing the English Channel in small boats is known to be dangerous

The government has come under increasing pressure to tackle the migrant crisis in the UK.

Migrants are people who travel to another country in search of a better life or opportunities for either themselves, their families or both.

They've been talked about a lot recently as record numbers of migrants have been crossing the English Channel in small boats to reach the UK.

Why is this a problem?

Crossing the English Channel is known to be a very dangerous practice and people are at risk of not making it to the UK safely.

The government has come under increasing pressure to reduce these journeys across the Channel.

More than 40,000 people are said to have crossed in small boats so far this year, including 1,800 over the last weekend, according to official figures.

Why are migrants coming to the UK?

Some migrants travel across the Channel with children

There are lots of different reasons why people might travel to the UK on boats from other countries.

Some are escaping from wars in their home countries, and others feel they have to leave because they are being treated badly as a result of factors like their beliefs, religion or race.

Many of these people request special permission to stay when they get here which will allow them to remain in the UK and receive protection as refugees. People who apply for this permission are known as asylum seekers.

Other migrants want to work or study in the UK, and they may feel there are better opportunities for them here compared their home countries. However, if people enter the UK for reasons like this without getting permission beforehand, they are doing so illegally.

What has been said about the situation?

Some people in the UK believe migrants should be able to come freely

There are many different views when it comes to migrants coming to the UK.

Some people believe the government should be taking a much tougher approach to the situation by limiting the number of people arriving in the country. Many people who support this view think it's important to the security of the country that its borders should be controlled.

There are also people who believe the focus should be on the treatment of migrants and refugees as they believe they aren't being given the proper care they need.

Some think there should be safer routes for asylum seekers to arrive so they don't have to make a dangerous journey in small boats.

What's going on with the migrants who arrive in the UK?

There were reports of severe overcrowding at the Manston migrant centre in Kent in recent weeks

There are not only concerns about how migrants are getting to the UK, but also how they're treated once they arrive.

Many of the people who come here by small boats are sent to what are known as migrant centres. When they get to these centres, they go through important security and identity checks before they're transferred to other types of accommodation.

People are only meant to be kept at these centres for 24 hours before they're moved on. However, this isn't what's been happening.

The government has recently faced criticism following reports of severe overcrowding at the Manston migrant centre in Kent. The centre can hold up to 1,600 people, but last month, it was found that there were 4,000 at the site.

There have been reports of poor conditions at the Manston migrant centre

People there were said to be living in poor conditions and migrants had been kept at Manston for much longer than they should have been.

To deal with the large numbers of asylum seekers who have come to the UK, hotels have been used house them while their applications are being processed, a practice which has drawn lots of criticism.

A government spokesperson told Newsround that "the number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels" which has put the "asylum system under incredible strain."

They also said the government is "working hard with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation", and they described the use of hotels to house people temporarily as "unacceptable".

What's being done to help?

The Home Secretary Suella Braverman signed an agreement with the French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin this week which aims to tackle the small boat crisis

The government announced this week that the UK would be updating a deal with France in an attempt to stop people crossing the English Channel in small boats. The agreement was signed by the home secretary Suella Braverman, who oversees immigration in the UK, in Paris.

The deal means the UK will now pay France £8 million more a year which will be used to increase the monitoring of French beaches, where many migrants cross the Channel from.

The prime minister Rishi Sunak said he was "confident" the crossings could be brought down as a result of the agreement.

However, he warned there was no "single thing" that could "fix" the situation, promising "even greater cooperation" with France in the months ahead.

Other political parties have criticised the government, saying that it has failed to deal with the issue.