1 in 12 Londoners Are Illegal Immigrants, Study Estimates Up to 585,533 in the Capital

Research commissioned by Thames Water has suggested that there are a million illegal immigrants living in the United Kingdom, with around half of them in London alone.

It may seem odd for a water company to be interest in illegal immigration, but the firm said it had a 'regulatory obligation to undertake a "water balance", which includes understanding how much water our customers use on a per-person basis, and how it is distributed across our supply area.'

In order to find out how many un-recorded people it might need to provide water for, Thames Water hired Edge Analytics, a group of demography and data experts at Leeds University, to provide it with an idea of how much water they need to provide.

Half A Million Illegal Immigrants In London

According to the previously confidential report, which was obtained by the Telegraph, the number of illegal immigrants in London alone is well into six figures, with 390,355 being a conservative estimate, and 585,533 at the higher end. Even if one took the median figure of 487,944, it would mean that approximately 1 in 12 'Londoners' (8%) are in fact illegal immigrants.

It's estimated that there are over a million illegal immigrants in the United Kingdom as a whole. It is possible that the real figures are actually significantly higher, as some of the data used in the research dates back to 2017, before the rise in illegal channel crossings began.

Last year the government recorded 38,816 illegal channel crossings, the second highest figure on record. 2022 saw the highest recorded number, with 45,774 crossings recorded. Figures have grown exponentially since 2018, when just 299 illegal channel crossings were recorded.

Government Talks Tough

A spokesman for the Home Office, said, 'This Government is strengthening global partnerships and rooting out the criminal gangs who profit from small boat crossings which threaten lives.

'We have also removed 16,400 illegal migrants in just six months, the highest figure in half a decade, making it clear that those who arrive illegally will be returned.'

Critics of mass migration however were not convinced, with Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK telling the Telegraph, '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.'

A Tory spokesman also, without any hint of irony or shame, criticised Labour's record on immigration. No party in British history has allowed more annual net migration than the Tories.