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PRESS RELEASE : Major expansion of community mental health support across England [August 2026]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 5 August 2026.

£343 million plan will open 159 NHS mental health centres in England, giving people earlier local support and specialist crisis care outside A&E.
- Up to 159 new NHS mental health centres will open across England from this autumn, bringing crucial support directly into neighbourhoods
- New centres in communities are designed to catch problems early, so fewer people reach crisis point in the first place
- People in crisis will get dedicated mental health emergency care rather than a long wait in a busy A&E
People struggling with their mental health will get help earlier and closer to home, with 159 new NHS mental health facilities opening across England under plans announced today (6 August 2026).

Backed by £343 million, the rollout is the biggest redesign of mental health services in a generation. It includes:
- 100 new community mental health centres, offering walk-in support without a referral and without a months-long wait
- 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments giving people in crisis specialist care in a place designed for them
Demand for mental health services has risen sharply, particularly among children and young people, with around 1 in 5 people experiencing a common mental health condition each year. Too often, people only receive support once they reach crisis point, leaving families without the help they need and placing greater pressure on NHS services.

The new centres will make it far easier for people to get the right help the first time they ask for it, by bringing mental health and specialist teams together under one roof – working alongside GPs, councils, the voluntary sector and families, with direct links into housing and employment support.

The first sites open from autumn this year, with further facilities following from March 2027.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

Nobody should be left to struggle with their mental health alone. But every day, thousands of people are waiting months for help, then finding the only door open to them is a busy A&E.

These new centres will be a lifeline for so many. They will bring NHS services closer to home, making it easier to get support before problems get worse, and ensuring those in crisis get the right care in the right place.

On the steps of Downing Street, I said we would build a country that acts sooner when people need help. Today is just the start of making that a reality.

The announcement comes as the Health and Social Care Secretary visits a community mental health centre in Sheffield, one of 6 already operating in England.

Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

Too many people are only getting mental health support when they reach crisis point, after struggling for far too long to get the help they need.

These new community mental health centres will help people get support earlier and closer to home, making it easier to get the right care before problems escalate. And when someone does need urgent help, new mental health emergency departments will be able to make sure they are seen quickly by specialist teams in the right setting.

This is how we can turn the tide on mental ill health – preventing more people from reaching crisis, cutting waits for care and building an NHS which is there for everyone when they need it.

Some of the community hubs will be newly built facilities, while others will be in libraries, banks and other community or high-street locations to move care closer to where people live, improving access.

They will all be in the heart of the neighbourhoods they serve and designed as welcoming settings with a non-clinical appearance.

Alongside this, 59 new mental health emergency departments will provide fast, same-day specialist support for people experiencing a crisis who are medically fit and do not need treatment in A&E.

Located with emergency departments and working closely with ambulance and police services, they will provide a calm, therapeutic environment where people can be assessed quickly and connected to the right ongoing care, whether that’s inpatient treatment, support at home or community services. The rollout will more than double the number of dedicated emergency departments in England, taking the total to 82.

This is the first phase of a wider rollout set out in the 10 Year Health Plan, backed by £343 million in mental health facilities.

Dr Nick Broughton, National Priority Programme Director for Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodevelopmental Conditions, said:

Across the country, NHS teams are already working to provide mental health support closer to where people live, alongside specialist care for those who need more urgent help.

The rollout of more community mental health centres and dedicated mental health emergency departments will build on this work, strengthening both early support in the community and care for people in crisis, while helping services work together more effectively around people’s needs.

Brian Dow, Deputy Chief Executive at Rethink Mental Illness, said:

Everyone should be able to access mental health support in their local community, when and where they need it.

The expansion of neighbourhood mental health centres is a vital step towards making this a reality, building on the promising results of existing pilot sites.

By bringing together treatment and wider support services under one roof, these centres can transform experiences of care, helping people to access support earlier and preventing them from reaching crisis point.

Today’s announcement supports the government’s mission to shift care from crisis to prevention, helping people get support earlier and closer to home. It forms part of the forthcoming mental health strategy, which will look beyond the NHS to the role of schools, employers, local government and the voluntary sector in supporting good mental health.

The mental health strategy will be informed by the upcoming recommendations from Professor Peter Fonagy’s independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism.

By intervening earlier, the government aims to help more children stay in education, more adults remain in or return to work, and reduce the number of people reaching crisis point, helping build a healthier and more resilient Britain.

Mark Rowland, Chief Executive at the Mental Health Foundation, said:

Many of the drivers of poor mental health are issues like problem debt, unemployment, and living in insecure, poor-quality housing. Addressing these concerns helps prevent poor mental health and makes recovery more successful.

By bringing together services in community hubs, the NHS and other services can take an earlier and holistic approach to mental health. Easy access to joined-up, same-day support will make it simpler for people to navigate between different services. It will allow people to get help sooner, stopping poor mental health and other challenges they face from getting worse.

Tom Pollard Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns at Mind, said:

This is a promising step towards more people getting the mental health support they need, when they need it. Too often, we hear from people struggling to access overstretched services whose mental health worsens because of this.

These plans signal a much-needed shift towards a neighbourhood approach, with preventative, open-access mental health support rooted in communities and integrated with other local services. If fully realised, this could transform the quality and accessibility of mental health support. We hope to see the government build on these principles in the upcoming mental health strategy.

Lynn Perry, Chief Executive at Barnardo’s, said:

The mental health of far too many children and young people is at crisis point. We urgently need to shift focus from response to prevention - helping children and young people get the support they need before reaching crisis point. 

That’s why we welcome the rollout of new mental health centres that are embedded into the neighbourhoods that need them, and hope that the needs of children and young people are placed right at the heart. 

This is an important step towards giving every child and young person the opportunity to grow up healthier, happier and able to thrive, with support that improves outcomes for life.

Rosie Phillips, Deputy CEO at Bipolar UK, said:

The lack of a clear pathway to support for people with bipolar has cost jobs, relationships and, in some cases, lives. Expanding community mental health services is a welcome step towards helping people before they reach crisis point. But, for those who do, it’s reassuring to see more therapeutic alternatives to A&E being prioritised.

For bipolar, preventative care means faster diagnosis, regular medication reviews, and better access to talking therapies and peer support. If these new services can deliver that, they could be a game changer for people with bipolar and those who love them.

Professor Subodh Dave, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:

We welcome this recommitment to investing in mental health services, which has the potential to help more people access support earlier and closer to home. To maximise its impact, it will be important to build on past learnings and ensure these new services deliver genuinely joined-up care for patients, without compromising quality.

New neighbourhood services and same-day emergency care pathways should simplify access to support by reducing repeated assessments and fragmented care. Mental health is a key component of neighbourhood healthcare, and this model must be developed to meet the needs of people with severe mental illness, as this will help to ensure they receive the right care at the right time.
07/08/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Patients with motor neurone disease set for fast-tracked care [August 2026]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 5 August 2026.

Health and Social Care Secretary announces faster access to care and support for motor neurone disease patients during a visit to the Rob Burrow Centre.

Patients with motor neurone disease (MND) will get faster access to care and support, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Yvette Cooper, has set out today (5 August 2026) during a visit to the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds.

The announcement comes as the government launches action to tackle delays and fragmentation in support for people living with MND and is part of the first phase of fixing the social care system and pursuing Andy Burnham’s ambition to introduce a national care service.

MND patients and families too often face lengthy waits and have to navigate a complex system spanning health, social care and housing services at a time when every day matters.

The Rob Burrow Centre brings specialist MND services together under one roof, providing co-ordinated care, treatment and support in a single location, making accessing services easier for people living with MND and their families.

Learning from this, the new fast-track care pathway will draw on these principles of a more joined-up, person-centred approach and help deliver care and support more consistently and much more quickly across the country, lessening the need for families to navigate multiple services and reducing stress and delays to care.

As Rob Burrow’s local MP, Yvette Cooper worked closely with Rob and his family, supporting their tireless efforts to raise awareness of the condition and improve support for those affected. She also took part in the Rob Burrow Strictly Come Dancing charity ball in 2022, which helped raise funds for the creation of the Rob Burrow Centre.

Today, visiting the centre named in Rob’s honour, the Secretary of State paid tribute to the extraordinary legacy left by Rob and his family. It stands as a testament to their determination to improve care, treatment and support for people living with MND, bringing together specialist expertise and helping patients and families access the co-ordinated care they need.

Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, said:

This is Rob Burrow’s legacy. It’s a tribute to Rob, to his family, to Kevin Sinfield, and it’s also a huge inspiration to see their vision brought to life about putting patients and families at the heart of MND care.

What we’ve got to do now is make sure the principles that apply here about supporting families and patients are applied throughout the National Health Service and also in our social care system too.

That’s why when Andy Burnham set out a vision for a national care service, we prioritised MND as being something we should focus on now, providing social care support for affected families and speeding it up as well. That’s why, for me, it was a real priority to come here, and it’s been such a privilege for me to support Rob and Rob’s family for so many years, and all of the work that they’ve done.

Development of the new fast-track pathway will involve working closely with the MND Association, people living with MND, and carers and partners across health, social care and housing. Building on examples of best practice such as the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease, the pathway will support more proactive care, improve co-ordination between services, and make it easier for patients and families to access the support they need as quickly as possible.

Today’s announcement builds on the government’s wider programme of social care reform announced last week and is part of immediate action being taken to deliver improvements now while working with people, families and the care sector to shape a national care service for the future. As part of that reform to social care, the Prime Minister brought forward Baroness Casey’s Independent commission into adult social care by a full year, recognising the urgent need to improve care for people and families who depend on support services.

While the commission will play a central role in shaping long-term reform, the government is already taking practical action to improve care alongside this new MND pathway, including introducing workforce reforms, strengthening safeguarding arrangements and appointing a dementia tsar.

In March 2026, Baroness Casey highlighted the need for urgent action to ensure people with MND receive faster access to care and support. In response, the government has already written to local authorities setting out immediate steps they can take to improve services for people living with the condition.

These include:
- fast-tracking access to care and support
- ensuring health and social care services work together to assess and meet people’s needs
- planning ahead as people’s conditions progress
- speeding up Disabled Facilities Grant processes
- waiving the Disabled Facilities Grant means test for people with MND
These changes mark the important first steps in delivering the government’s vision for a national care service that works around people and families, rather than asking them to fit around services. Through close engagement with people living with MND, their loved ones, specialist organisations and frontline professionals, the government will look to tackle variation in access to support and ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Alongside improving care and support, the government remains committed to supporting research into better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for MND.

Craig Richardson, Deputy Chief Executive at Leeds Teaching Hospital, said:

We were delighted to welcome the Secretary of State to the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease here at Leeds Teaching Hospitals. Having taken part in the Strictly Burrow Ball back in 2022, and supported the fundraising for the build, we were really grateful for the visit to see the centre first hand. It is really encouraging to see Motor Neurone Disease firmly on the government’s agenda and to have the Secretary of State’s support for the pioneering model of care we are developing here in Leeds.

Six months since opening, our holistic support sessions, research programme and outreach family work are already starting to take shape. We are confident that, as awareness for the centre and its offering continues to grow, it will establish itself as a nationally recognised model for integrated MND care, which combines outstanding clinical care, family support and research and innovation under one roof, while continuing Rob Burrow’s legacy of hope and compassion for the wider MND community.

Tanya Curry, Chief Executive of the MND Association, said:

It’s heartening to hear the Secretary of State today reiterating the government’s commitment, made in light of the Casey Commission’s recommendations, to fast-tracking access to care and support for people with motor neurone disease.

We hear time and time again of people with MND forced to battle a system that is slow, disjointed and too complex to move quickly enough to support people with a rapidly progressing disease.

This must change – Ms Cooper’s statement today suggests she agrees and that there is willingness at the highest levels of government to transform the experience for people with MND. We must now see that willingness turned into action, with real solutions implemented nationally and locally, in health and social care.
07/08/2026
PRESS RELEASE : The United Kingdom remains resolute in our commitment to working with partners to combat terrorism in all its forms – UK statement at the UN Security Council [August 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 August 2026.

Statement by Jess Jambert-Gray, Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

The United Kingdom welcomes the Secretary-General’s latest report, which outlines progress in countering global terrorist threats and underscores the importance of multilateral efforts.

We continue our commitment to working with international partners to identify and disrupt these threats, address the underlying drivers of terrorism, and counter extremist narratives.

We commend Syria and Iraq for their tireless efforts in the fight against Da’esh.

In Syria, a new political chapter presents an opportunity for greater stability and security, and we welcome the Government of Syria’s recent decision to join the Global Coalition against Da’esh as its 90th member.

In Iraq, we continue to work closely with the Government as it addresses the generational challenges posed by approximately 6,000 Da’esh detainees, who must face justice for their crimes.

The Secretary-General’s report also highlights the challenges that remain as Da’esh and its affiliates seek to regroup and expand, including in West Africa and the Sahel.

Recent coordinated attacks in Niger and Mali demonstrate the increasing sophistication and operational reach of terrorist groups in the Sahel, driving displacement, increasing humanitarian need, and undermining stability.

Addressing these challenges requires a coordinated regional response.

The UK is strengthening counter-terrorism capability in West Africa and the Sahel through targeted support on intelligence sharing, investigations, and counter-terrorism finance activity.

This includes supporting regional initiatives, such as Nigeria’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Côte d’Ivoire’s Counter-Terrorism Academy and the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit.

As the UN notes, ISIL-Khorasan continues to pose a significant threat and we commend Pakistan’s important role in combating the group.

We also offer our deepest condolences to those killed in the Swat Valley over the weekend.

President, the United Kingdom welcomes the recent renewal of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which has now entered its twentieth year.

The overwhelming support for the Strategy demonstrates continued commitment to multilateral cooperation.

As terrorist groups exploit emerging technologies, online spaces, and instability across borders, it is important that this international framework remains fit for purpose.

The lesson of the last twenty years is clear.

Counter-terrorism succeeds when it is rooted in human rights, the rule of law, and international cooperation, and fails when these foundations are ignored.

The United Kingdom remains resolute in our commitment to working with partners to combat terrorism in all of its forms, and in support of the international peace and security mandate.

07/08/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Ofsted wins first successful prosecution of illegal children’s home provider [August 2026]
The press release issued by Ofsted on 5 August 2026.

A company and its directors have been convicted and sentenced for operating unregistered children’s homes in Kent following a criminal prosecution brought by Ofsted.
- Following a criminal investigation by Ofsted, Catalyst Care Limited becomes the first unregistered children’s home provider to be successfully prosecuted
- The company and its 2 directors were fined a total of £92,400 after pleading guilty to carrying on and/or managing illegal children’s homes in Kent
- Directors sent repeated warnings from Ofsted while receiving over £1.7 million from local authorities
The prosecution marks a significant milestone that highlights the serious risks illegal providers pose to vulnerable children.

The directors of Catalyst Care Limited were repeatedly warned by Ofsted that they were breaking the law, yet continued operating contrary to the legal requirements for registration. During this time, the homes received over £1.7 million in payments from placing authorities.

Catalyst Care Limited, and its directors, Davidson Lynch-Shyllon and Miriam Ekathor, pleaded guilty to all charges at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on 9 March 2026. On 4 August 2026, they were fined a total of £92,400 for operating 3 unregistered homes in Kent between October 2022 and April 2025, providing accommodation for 9 children. They were also ordered to pay victim surcharges totalling £2,960 and costs of £17,250.

Lynch-Shyllon and Ekathor were also disqualified from carrying on and/or managing or having a financial interest in a children’s home.

All children’s homes in England must register with Ofsted and carrying on or managing a home without registration is a criminal offence. Unregistered children’s homes operate outside of independent and regulatory oversight, meaning the children placed there have no assurance of safe or suitable care. There are no guaranteed checks on staff or living conditions, or accountability when things go wrong. Worryingly, many children placed in illegal homes are often those with the most complex needs.

Criminal investigations into these places are complex and the legal threshold for prosecution is high. Yesterday’s case is the first successful prosecution of its kind, but follows hundreds of warnings issued by Ofsted over the use of unregistered provision, which has grown partly because not enough registered homes are in the right location or have staff with skills to effectively care for children with complex needs. Illegal unregistered providers frequently charge local authorities exorbitant fees, further exploiting a system already under strain.

Ofsted has recently been granted new powers through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act to help tackle illegal children’s homes. They include the introduction of financial penalties, which will allow Ofsted to issue fines to illegal children’s homes.

Boosted by increased funding, Ofsted is greatly expanding its Unregistered Social Care team to identify and investigate unregistered providers and pursue enforcement action, including prosecuting, where necessary.

Ofsted is also consulting on changes to its inspections of local authorities’ children’s services, including how it evaluates local authorities’ use of unregistered children’s homes. Measures proposed include making use of illegal placements a limiting criterion in the framework for inspecting local authority children’s services (ILACS), meaning that a local authority would not be meeting the ‘expected standard’ in the proposed ‘impact of leaders’ evaluation area.

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver said:

It is heartbreaking that so many vulnerable children are placed in unregistered children’s homes where we have no assurance that they are safe or receiving the care they need and deserve.

This outcome marks an important milestone in our efforts to tackle illegal children’s homes and sends a clear message that operating outside the law will have consequences. We are determined to make increased use of prosecutions to tackle the offenders running these settings. We are currently consulting on proposals to downgrade local authorities who commission these illegal homes.

Children and Families Minister, Josh MacAlister, said:

This prosecution is a welcome start to our wider crackdown on illegal children’s homes, and we have given Ofsted new powers to issue fines under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act.

Vulnerable children deserve to be safe and properly cared for, and I want to see more action of this kind. This case should send a clear signal to anyone running an illegal children’s home: the law will catch up with you and you will face consequences.
07/08/2026
NEWS STORY : Burnham orders urgent review over grooming gang early release loophole

STORY

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ordered an urgent review of historical grooming gang cases after concerns that some offenders could remain eligible for early release despite Government promises to exclude grooming gang members from the scheme. Downing Street said the Prime Minister had personally intervened in the issue.

The concern relates to offenders convicted for abuse committed before changes to sexual offences legislation in 2003. Some were prosecuted for offences such as indecent assault rather than offences that now fall within the Government’s explicit exclusions, creating the possibility that the legal wording of older convictions could affect eligibility.

Around 5,000 prisoners are expected to qualify for earlier release under the revised sentencing arrangements, reduced from an earlier estimate of 6,000 after additional categories of serious sexual offenders were excluded. The Ministry of Justice is examining case records to identify grooming-related convictions and determine whether further changes are required before the scheme begins.

07/08/2026
NEWS STORY : Norwich man Komborero Sibanda found guilty of sexual offences

STORY

Komborero Sibanda has been found guilty following a trial arising from allegations that he sexually assaulted women at a nightclub in Norwich. The case concerned incidents at Mojo’s Nightclub on Prince of Wales Road, with Sibanda having previously denied charges of sexual touching.

The court had heard that the allegations related to separate incidents involving two women at the venue. Sibanda, who was reported as being 38 when he appeared before Norwich Magistrates’ Court last year, had pleaded not guilty. He had also faced an allegation of assault involving a security guard following an incident on 25 May 2026.

Sibanda was found guilty at the trial but avoided prison, being sentenced to a twelve month community order.

07/08/2026
NEWS STORY : Prevent referrals rise 39% to record high after Southport attacks

STORY

Referrals to the Government’s Prevent counter-radicalisation programme rose by 39% to 10,293 in the latest annual figures, the highest total recorded since the current data series began. The increase followed heightened concern about people displaying an interest in extreme violence after the Southport murders committed by Axel Rudakubana.

The figures show that extreme right-wing ideology was the largest identified ideological category, accounting for around one fifth of referrals and increasing on the previous year. Referrals linked to Islamist extremism fell, while a newer category covering fascination with extreme violence without a clear ideological motivation accounted for hundreds of cases.

Rudakubana had previously been referred to Prevent on three occasions, but the cases were closed because officials did not identify a clear terrorist ideology. The case prompted renewed scrutiny of how the programme deals with individuals whose behaviour presents serious concerns without fitting established extremist categories.

07/08/2026
NEWS STORY : Labour membership falls 20% as Greens close gap

STORY

Labour Party membership fell by around 20% during 2025, according to the party’s latest accounts, reducing its membership from 333,235 at the end of 2024 to 264,754 a year later. The figures place Labour much closer to the membership total being claimed by the Green Party of England and Wales.

The Greens reported 186,441 members at the end of December 2025 and said in May that the total had subsequently risen to around 230,000. If that figure remains accurate, the gap between the two parties would be about 35,000 members, although the totals relate to different dates and are therefore not directly comparable.

A Green Party spokesperson said membership had increased sharply since Zack Polanski became leader. Labour remains substantially larger in parliamentary representation, but the membership figures provide a measure of the changing activist bases of the two parties as they compete for support on the political left.

07/08/2026
NEWS STORY : Conservatives propose removing foreign nationals from social housing

STORY

The Conservative Party has proposed making most foreign nationals ineligible for social housing in England, including ending some existing tenancies. The party says the policy could make around 228,000 homes available to British families and would require affected tenants to leave within six months.

Under the proposal, UK and Irish citizens and people with EU settled status would remain eligible. Foreign nationals with refugee status or other humanitarian protections who currently qualify could lose access under the Conservative plan, while asylum seekers are already generally ineligible for social housing except in limited circumstances.

Labour described the policy as unworkable and said it would not address the underlying shortage of homes. Shelter warned that it could increase homelessness and place additional pressure on councils, while the Royal College of Nursing raised concerns about the effect on overseas staff working in public services. Conservative shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately said the party wanted social housing to be prioritised for British families.

07/08/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Knife crime homicides fall to 35-year low [August 2026]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 5 August 2026.

Knife-related homicides have dropped to their lowest level in 35 years as the government’s surrender drive takes more than 15,000 knives off Britain’s streets.

Knife-enabled homicides have fallen to 26% while knife crime overall has dropped by 11% under this government.

More than 14,500 knives and weapons including ninja swords, zombie-style knives, machetes, swords and kitchen knives have been taken out of circulation through Home Office funded surrender bins since July last year.

The bins managed by the charity Word 4 Weapons are located in London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. A further 783 knives and weapons were handed in at a mobile surrender van operated by FazAmnesty, which supported the Home Office’s dedicated surrender scheme last summer. Blades like those surrendered have been used in violent crimes and caused devastation to communities across the country.

Building on last year’s success, the government is now making it possible for more people to surrender their weapons by providing new bins across South and West Yorkshire.

The mobile surrender van operated by FazAmnesty will also visit a series of locations across the West Midlands before travelling to London – where it will stop off at 24 boroughs, providing another trusted route for people to anonymously surrender their weapons this month.

Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones said:

Every dangerous weapon that has been surrendered so far is a weapon off our streets and a community made that little bit safer.

That’s why we’re going further and making it easier for more people in more places to do the right thing and hand over their knives.

Knife crime is down by 11% since the general election but we will not stop until we meet our commitment of halving knife crime in a decade.

The location of the 45 surrender bins, including the 8 new ones, and the stop off points for the mobile surrender van have been agreed with local violence reduction partnerships, policing and community safety partners. This helps ensure support is focused in areas most affected by knife crime and serious violence.

The surrender bins and van operate on a ‘no questions asked’ basis in order to encourage people who may otherwise be reluctant to hand over their weapons in fear of the consequences. The weapons, which must be wrapped and sealed in a box or bag, will be disposed of safely and securely.

Faron Paul, CEO of FazAmnesty, survived a knife attack in which he was stabbed 18 times. He has now turned his experience into a mission to prevent others suffering similar harm. Through FazAmnesty, he works with communities across the country to encourage people to safely surrender weapons and has become a leading voice on tackling knife crime and preventing violence.

Faron Paul, CEO of FazAmnesty and member of the Government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said:

We are proud to continue supporting the Home Office’s National Surrender Scheme and to play our part in removing dangerous weapons from our streets. Every weapon surrendered is one less weapon that could be used to seriously harm or take a life.

The introduction of our mobile surrender van has given direct surrender opportunities into some of the hardest-to-reach communities. By engaging with residents, we are helping to remove barriers that might otherwise prevent someone from surrendering a knife.

Seeing more than 15,000 weapons removed through the government’s surrender bins is a significant milestone and demonstrates what can be achieved when government, policing and community organisations work together with a shared purpose.

The surrender activity also builds on the wider action being delivered through Ronan’s Law, named after 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was killed in 2022 with a ninja sword bought online.

Following campaigning by his mother, Pooja Kanda, the government introduced tougher measures to restrict access to dangerous weapons and close loopholes in online sales.

Weapons surrenders have played an important role in supporting those changes.

Pooja Kanda OBE, founder of the Justice for Ronan Kanda campaign and member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime said:

Every knife handed into a surrender bin is one less weapon that could end a life or devastate a family like mine. I lost my 16-year-old son, Ronan, in a mistaken identity knife attack. He paid the ultimate price because someone else chose to carry a knife. There are no winners in knife crime.

The removal of more than 15,000 knives from our communities is a significant achievement and demonstrates what can be accomplished when government, charities, police and communities work together.

As we mark one year since the introduction of Ronan’s Law, this surrender scheme is another important step in preventing dangerous weapons from causing further harm. It provides young people, and anyone else carrying a dangerous weapon, with a safe and anonymous opportunity to surrender it.

Sandra Campbell, CEO of Word4Weapons and member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said:

We are proud to work in partnership with the Home Office and our wider coalition partners to help remove knives and other dangerous weapons from our streets and communities. Every weapon safely surrendered is one fewer weapon that could be used to destroy lives.

Everyone can choose safe disposal through our Home Office-funded surrender bins, alongside Word 4 Weapons’ established network of bins, which has quietly served communities since 2007.

The government continues to push forward with its mission to halve knife crime in the next decade. Knife crime hotspots will see a dramatic surge in police activity to catch knife criminals, including increased police patrols, new CCTV cameras, live facial recognition deployment and the installation of knife arches.

Action is also being taken to stop young people from ever picking up a weapon in the first place and creating safer environments in which they can grow up. Through initiatives such as Young Futures hubs, mentoring and targeted support for at-risk children, alongside work with schools, youth services and local partners, the government is helping to create safer environments where young people can thrive and reach their full potential.

07/08/2026