Almost 44,000 migrants have reached Britain in 2022 with 50 arriving in Dover today

The number of migrants to cross the English Channel in small boats has edged closer to 44,000 so far this year as dozens more asylum seekers arrived illegally into the UK today. 

Around 50 migrants were rescued and brought into the harbour at Dover, Kent, before dawn after making the dangerous crossing of one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes overnight.

Wrapped in blankets and wearing facemasks, they were brought ashore at the former jetfoil terminal in the Western Docks before being moved to the controversial immigration processing centre 20 miles away at Manston, near Ramsgate.

More crossings are expected today. It comes after a further 426 were intercepted by Border Force officers on Wednesday in eight boats.

Dozens of migrants, wrapped in blankets, were rescued from the English Channel today. Pictured are some of the asylum seekers arriving at Dover on Thursday, December 1, 2022

The newest arrivals into Dover, pictured today, brings the total number of migrants entering Britain illegally so far this year to 43,898

The newest arrivals into Dover, pictured today, brings the total number of migrants entering Britain illegally so far this year to 43,898 

Nearly 4,000 migrants made the crossing in November – 1,772 in the last week alone.

It takes the number who have arrived so far this year to 43,898 in 1,026 boats compared to 28,526 in the whole of 2021.

On Tuesday 884 migrants were intercepted in 17 separate incidents on Tuesday – an average of 52 people per vessel – stretching British rescue services.

The French coastguard prevented a further 240 people from reaching the UK the same day.

In the early hours of the morning the sea rescue boat Notre-Dame-du-Risban was tasked with rescuing 23 stranded migrants from the Calais Straits.

The French Navy vessel Flamant then intercepted 61 asylum seekers who had got into difficulty off the coast of Leffrinkoucke. The same boat intervened to rescue a further 34 people on a second boat a short while later.

Nearly 4,000 migrants made the crossing in November - 1,772 in the last week alone. Pictured are migrants in Dover on December 1

Nearly 4,000 migrants made the crossing in November – 1,772 in the last week alone. Pictured are migrants in Dover on December 1

Almost 44,000 migrants have illegally entered Britain on 1,026 boats this year compared to 28,526 asylum seekers in the whole of 2021. Pictured: UK Border Force escorting in Dover on December 1

Almost 44,000 migrants have illegally entered Britain on 1,026 boats this year compared to 28,526 asylum seekers in the whole of 2021. Pictured: UK Border Force escorting migrants in Dover on December 1

All 95 people were dropped off at the port of Calais.

Later in the morning, the maritime affairs patrol boat Jeanne Barret, which was carrying out surveillance near Boulogne-sur-Mer, came across a group of migrants clinging to their sinking boat.

A total of 61 people – several of whom were in a state of hypothermia – were pulled out of the water and dropped off at the port.

Around midday a further 61 asylum seekers were rescued after getting into difficulty off the coast of Calais and were taken to the port of Dunkirk.

Once on shore, all migrants were taken care of by the departmental fire and rescue service and the border police.

And on Wednesday, at least 400 migrants made the treacherous crossing across the Channel.

Migrants were transported by coach this morning from Dover, pictured

Migrants were transported by coach this morning from Dover, pictured

A second coach is pictured arriving at Dover on December 1 after 50 migrants were rescued from the Channel at dawn

A second coach is pictured arriving at Dover on December 1 after 50 migrants were rescued from the Channel at dawn 

The news comes as MailOnline today revealed how asylum seekers have been staying in taxpayer-funded hotels for 15 months and working £5 an hour cash-in-hand jobs as the Home Office faces increasing pressure to sort out the migrant crisis. 

Officials are spending an eyewatering £6.8million a day to pay for hotel rooms amid a shortage of official accommodation after the asylum backlog soared past 120,000.

One Iraqi Kurd told MailOnline he has been staying at a hotel in south east London since last summer as he waits for his claim to be dealt with by the Home Office.

Another man complained about receiving just £8 in ‘pocket money’ to spend on clothes and toiletries per week – less than he got in Germany. Typically, the German government pay individuals living in state-run accommodation around €135 (£116) per month.

At a hotel in Newcastle, an Afghani said a ‘lot of people’ were doing cash in hand jobs for £5 an hour – below the minimum wage – to get round a ban on them working.

Others said the food was so bad at the hotels they didn’t eat it and bought their own instead using money sent over by relatives.

There are currently more than 37,000 asylum seekers in hotels costing the UK taxpayer £5.6m a day, while the cost of accommodating Afghans in ‘bridging’ hotels is £1.2m a day.

Recent figures show only four per cent of asylum applications from last year have been processed, with the average claim now taking 480 days to complete.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has announced asylum staff will get a bonus of £2,500 if they stay in their job for two years or longer.