London is home to as many as 585,000 illegal migrants, equivalent to one in 12 of the city’s population, according to a previously confidential report. The Telegraph has the story.
There is mounting concern over the failure to control Britain’s borders and the pressure that places on public services such as schools and the NHS. The use of illegal migrants in the black economy, working in roles such as food delivery drivers, is also a concern.
Despite this, no official figures on the scale of the problem are provided by the Home Office.
The new estimate has emerged in a study commissioned by Thames Water, obtained by the Telegraph under freedom of information-style laws for the environment.
In total, there are estimated to be more than one million illegal migrants in the UK, with 60% of those in the capital.
The report suggests most illegal migrants arrived in the UK on work, study or visitor visas and then overstayed.
Migration experts suggested that the figures could be an underestimate as some of the underlying data dates from 2017, before the surge in migrants crossing the Channel.
On Tuesday, the Home Office confirmed 1,000 migrants had crossed so far this year, following 38,816 in 2024, the second highest total on record.
Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, said the figures in the report were “deeply alarming”.
“Having lost control of illegal immigration over the Channel, the Labour Government must now urgently start deporting far more illegal immigrants,” he said.
“It is totally unacceptable to have these numbers of illegal immigrants in the UK. The law needs to be looked at so that spurious human rights, modern slavery and asylum claims cannot be used to delay or prevent removals of illegal immigrants.”
Alp Mehmet, Chairman of think tank Migration Watch, said: “A population underestimate on this scale has colossal implications for utility and local authority planning. Utilities, housing, the NHS, GP surgeries and schools will all come under severe pressure, further risking community cohesion.”
The Telegraph has previously revealed accusations that the NHS is giving undocumented migrants priority for appointments and at A&E, as the health service continues to battle to bring down waiting lists.
Richard Tice, the Deputy Leader of Reform UK, said: “One in 12 people in London are here illegally, probably working illegally using taxpayer-funded public infrastructure and services. It is totally unacceptable.
“It’s another reason why we need to properly control our borders.”
Worth reading in full.
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