What happens to undocumented migrants not lucky enough to be like Paddington Bear?

When Paddington Bear arrives in London from darkest Peru, he is lucky to find people who care enough to help him. But what would the reality be for most most undocumented arrivals? Josephine Whitaker-Yılmaz from human rights charity Praxis says that, like the Browns, many people in the UK will encounter someone in need and want to help. But more often than not, Paddington’s experience isn’t the reality.  

Where undocumented migrants arrive 

Although Paddington arrives at a train station, it’s more likely that undocumented people would enter via a lorry or small boat, because to come on a plane or train, you’d need some sort of identification and authorisation.  

Around 37,000 people were found crossing the English Channel in small boats in 2024. From 2018 to 2024, nationals of six countries accounted for 70% of all arrivals – Iran (17%), Afghanistan (15%), Iraq (12%), Albania (10%), Syria (9%) and Eritrea (8%).  

Sometimes, people fleeing their home countries will have a contact in the UK who they can stay with upon arrival. 

“They rely on support networks of people who speak their language and come from their community,” Whitaker-Yılmaz says. 

If this isn’t the case, undocumented people will often become street homeless. Any help they might receive often comes from charities or religious institutions who run soup kitchens and food banks or provide somewhere to sleep for a few nights. 

These small, grassroots organisations, which are usually volunteer-run, can then signpost people to more established charities for further support, particularly with claiming asylum. 

Local authorities will often ask what a person’s immigration status is, and if they don’t have a duty of care (they only have a duty of care for some families with children or for adults with a care need) they will most likely tell the person to sort out their immigration status. There isn’t much they can do to help without it. 

There is no definitive figure for the total number of undocumented people in the UK, or the number of undocumented people recently arriving. Any available estimates are highly uncertain and have large margins of error. 

Read more:

• Paddington is a British icon. So why are we all not a bit more like Paddington?
• The message that non-white people are unwelcome in the UK got louder in 2025 – here’s the proof
• No room at the inn for refugees? Many Brits are happy to welcome strangers in need

How someone goes about claiming asylum 

If a person has fled their home to find refuge in the UK, they must apply for asylum. “The best way to submit an application is with legal advice because the process is so complicated,” Whitaker-Yılmaz says. But finding a legal aid solicitor is extremely difficult, even with the best of support from charities and voluntary agencies. 

In the year ending September 2022, 77% of people claiming asylum in the UK had a positive asylum decision. As a direct result of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022, this figure fell to 48% in the year to June 2025. 

How the current rhetoric around immigration is impacting undocumented migrants 

“The rhetoric makes people in this situation even more precarious,” Whitaker-Yılmaz said, noting discrimination seen in communities as a result of the increasingly hostile environment. 

When it comes to policies, Whitaker-Yılmaz predicts that the new immigration proposals introduced by the current Labour government will make it harder for undocumented people to get the support they need.  

“The hostile environment has existed for years, but what we’re seeing is a deepening and extension of that environment,” Whitaker-Yılmaz says. 

“There are limits to how much individuals can help because of this. Unless someone can help resolve their immigration status, there is nothing they can do to help legally.” 

Find out more at Praxis for Migrants and Refugees.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more. 

Change a vendor’s life this winter.

Buy from your local Big Issue vendor every week – and always take the magazine. It’s how vendors earn with dignity and how we fund our work to end poverty.

You can also support online with a vendor support kit or a magazine subscription. Thank you for standing with Big Issue vendors.