Tag: 2025

PRESS RELEASE : UK expands campaign to stop migrant smugglers and their lies [March 2025]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 4 March 2025.

Digital advertising launched today in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) as part of the government’s international campaign to warn prospective migrants about people smugglers’ lies, expanding on the campaigns in Vietnam and Albania.

Quotes from real migrants who have attempted the journey are featured, to counter the myths and misinformation peddled by criminals to dupe people online, as the UK government secures its borders as part of the Plan for Change.

The campaign forms part of this government’s work to expand the UK’s international partnerships and boost cooperation, to dismantle the people smuggling gangs operating across borders and protect vulnerable people, delivered through the Border Security Command.

It comes as the UK is set to sign a joint communiqué today (4 March 2025) with the Vietnamese government at the third annual UK-Vietnam Migration Dialogue, hosted in Hanoi, agreeing to build on our joint work to prevent the exploitation of irregular migrants, disrupt criminal gang operations, strengthen intelligence sharing and return those with no right to be in the UK.

The communiqué includes commitments to enable swifter and more effective returns, and for the UK government to continue its communications campaign in Vietnam to tackle migrant smugglers’ lies.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said:

Ruthless criminal gangs spread dangerous lies on social media to exploit people for money, and we are exposing them using the real stories of their victims.

This campaign helps to break the business model of these criminals and protect people from falling victim, securing our borders as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

No one should be in any doubt that putting your life in the hands of a smuggler is not worth the risk. Too many people have died in the English Channel at the hands of these criminals, and we will stop at nothing to bring them to justice.

The UK’s Border Security Commander, Martin Hewitt, also visited Iraq and the KRI last week, to progress the world-first agreements reached between the Federal Government of Iraq and the UK Government in November and further progress our cooperation on strengthening mutual border security.

He met with senior officials in the Federal Government of Iraq and within the Kurdistan Regional Government and its agencies to discuss ongoing cooperation, including increased joint working to tackle organised immigration crime and strengthen our mutual border security co-operation.

Through the Border Security Command, the UK government is working on a whole system approach, preventing irregular migration through communications, increasing international collaboration to tackle this issue across borders, and arming law enforcement with the powers it needs.

Bold new counterterror-style powers in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which is back in Parliament today for committee stage, will help bolster law enforcement to intercept and smash the people smuggling gangs earlier and faster.

This includes stronger powers to seize and search mobile phones to investigate organised immigration crime and new offences against gangs conspiring to plan crossings, selling or handling small boat parts for use in the Channel, or supplying forged identity documents for migrants attempting to come here illegally.

Border Security Commander Martin Hewitt, said:

International partnerships are an essential part of our work to stop criminal gangs operating across borders to exploit vulnerable people.

By strengthening these relationships and working closely with law enforcement partners across the world, we will bring down these gangs, break their business models, and put a stop to the misery and harm they inflict.

Communications are an important part of this work, and our international campaign is sending a clear message to prospective migrants that these criminals cannot be trusted.

The Home Office has today published a short film explaining the Border Security Command’s mission, its work to date, and its future plans.

The video features the Border Security Commander, Martin Hewitt, and key staff setting out the challenge the UK faces from criminal gangs determined to abuse our borders and exploit people for profit, and how the Border Security Command will defeat them and bring them to justice.

The UK’s international communications campaign will also ramp up this year to inform prospective migrants at every stage of the journey about the risks and realities of entering the UK illegally, including informing diaspora communities in the UK about the dangers their friends and families overseas face from people smugglers.

March 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Boost in funding for care homes providing nursing [March 2025]

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 4 March 2025.

The government is set to increase funding for care homes providing nursing care in the community.

More than 75,000 people will be better supported in the community following an increase in funding for nursing care.

The government has announced a 7.7% increase in funding for care homes providing nursing care in the community, which is tailored to an individual’s needs and health outcomes. This includes administering medicines and performing procedures.

The funding will help reduce the pressure on hospitals by preventing unnecessary admissions and supports the discharge of individuals into social care settings to free up hospital beds.

The uplift for 2025 to 2026 means the standard weekly rate per person provided for NHS-funded nursing care will increase from £235.88 to £254.06 from 1 April 2025, with funding paid by the NHS directly to care homes which provide nursing care. The higher rate will increase from £324.50 to £349.50.

Care homes play a vital role in our healthcare system, providing specialist nursing care to some of our most vulnerable citizens.

The uplift follows the government’s immediate actions to improve adult social care, as part of the Plan for Change, to help create a sustainable care system for the future. This includes making available £3.7 billion to local authorities, and providing a total of £172 million in additional funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant to deliver around 15,000 new adaptations to help disabled people live safely and independently in their own homes.

In the longer term, Baroness Louise Casey is leading an independent commission to develop recommendations for a national care service which will provide high-quality care for everybody who needs it and rebuild the sector so that it is fit for the future.

March 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : This resolution retains a powerful package of sanctions to further degrade Al-Shabaab – UK statement at the UN Security Council [March 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 March 2025.

Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, following the vote on the UN Security Council Resolution 2776 on Al-Shabaab Sanctions.

The unanimous adoption of this resolution today sends a clear message: the Council is united in its determination to support Somalia’s efforts in the fight against Al-Shabaab.

This resolution retains a powerful package of sanctions designed to further degrade Al-Shabaab, disrupt its finances, strengthen international collaboration and support Somalia in building its own capabilities.

And it again demonstrates the Council’s commitment to continue working with Somalia to ensure that these measures are adjusted progressively and appropriately in response to the evolving security context.

This was also the first Council resolution on this regime that we have negotiated with Somalia as a fellow member of the Security Council.

We welcome the constructive approach that all Council members took across this negotiation, which enabled us to arrive at this consensus outcome.

And we look forward to continuing our close engagement with Somalia, with Council members and with the region across the many vital upcoming Council decisions on Somalia this year.

Finally President, the resolution we have adopted today also recognises the particular concern posed by flows of weapons from Yemen to Somalia.

Al-Shabaab’s links to the Houthis are part of a wider pattern of Houthi destabilising activity beyond Yemen’s borders.

The 2713 and 2140 sanctions committees should coordinate closely to monitor and counter this trend.

And we call on all Council members to work collectively to tackle these links, which represent a significant risk to the stability of Somalia and the region.

March 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 58 – UK Statement for the Item 2 General Debate [March 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 March 2025.

UK Statement at the 58 Human Rights Council for the Item 2 General Debate. Delivered by UK Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders.

Thank you, Mr Vice President.

And thank you for your update, High Commissioner.

First of all, we share your concern at Thailand’s decision to deport forty Uyghurs to China. We urge China to ensure they are treated in accordance with international standards.

Mr Vice President,

Sudan’s people have suffered enough. This Council’s Fact-Finding Mission has reported appalling violence: women raped and sexually abused, people executed because of their ethnicity, children recruited as soldiers, and heavy artillery shelling including in civilian areas. All parties must adhere to their obligations to protect civilians and perpetrators of atrocities must be held accountable.

We commend DRC for its engagement with the Council and urge all parties to act in accordance with international law.

In Venezuela, civil society and independent media are targeted and political opposition face severe restrictions. We call on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release those arbitrarily detained.

And in Guatemala, the continuing persecution of justice officials linked to the fight against corruption is deeply concerning and must stop.

Finally, Mr President,

The situation in Libya remains precarious, with armed groups and security actors operating with impunity. We urge all Libyan actors to comply with international law and engage in the UN-facilitated and Libyan-led political process in good faith.

March 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 58 – Sri Lanka Core Group Statement at the General Debate on Item 2 [March 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 March 2025.

Sri Lanka Statement at the 58 Human Rights Council during the Item 2 General Debate. Delivered by UK Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders, on behalf of the Core Group on Sri Lanka.

Thank you, Mr President,

This statement is by the Sri Lanka Core Group comprising Canada, Malawi, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and the United Kingdom.

High Commissioner, we wish to thank you for your oral update on Sri Lanka

We would like to commend Sri Lanka’s peaceful elections and the smooth transition of power last year. We recognise that the new Sri Lankan Government has only been in place for four months, and we encourage Sri Lanka to use the opportunity that this transition represents to address the challenges it faces.

We appreciate the Government’s commitment to making meaningful progress on reconciliation and the initial steps taken, including returning land, lifting roadblocks, and allowing communities in the North and East to commemorate the past and to memorialise their loved ones.

In order to build and sustain trust, it is essential to ensure the protection of civil society spaces, including by ending surveillance and intimidation of civil society actors and organisations.

We welcome commitments to implement devolution in accordance with the constitution and to make progress on governance reforms.

We take note of the Government’s stated intention to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act and emphasise that any new legislation should be in line with Sri Lanka’s international obligations. We encourage the release of those who remain detained under the Act.

As the Government seeks to make progress on human rights and corruption cases, we urge that any comprehensive reconciliation and accountability process carry the support of affected communities, build on past recommendations and meet international standards.

We also encourage the Government to re-invigorate the work of domestic institutions focused on reparations and missing persons.

We reaffirm our willingness to work with the Government to ensure that any future transitional justice mechanisms are independent, inclusive, meaningful, and meet the expectations of affected communities.

Thank you.

March 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government to turbocharge defence innovation [March 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 3 March 2025.

New defence innovation body to deliver cutting-edge military tech to British troops and create highly skilled jobs across the UK.
- Chancellor and Defence Secretary and Business Secretary host joint roundtable with leaders from 15 of the country’s top defence firms
- Government to launch new defence innovation organisation to quickly deliver cutting-edge military tech to British troops and create highly skilled jobs across the UK
- Follows PM’s announcement to deliver largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War
A new defence innovation body to harness UK ingenuity and boost military technology is set to be launched, as part of a drive to turbocharge innovation in defence and deliver growth as part of the Plan for Change.

The Chancellor, Defence Secretary and Business Secretary have today (28 February) confirmed that a new UK defence innovation organisation will work with innovative firms to rapidly get cutting-edge military technology into the hands of British troops, and harness the ingenuity of the UK’s leading tech and manufacturing sectors.

This new unit – which will be launched at the Spring Statement – is a clear demonstration of how the Government is moving at pace to drive reform in defence and use defence as an engine of economic growth.

The Chancellor, Defence Secretary and Business Secretary today met leaders from 15 British defence firms of all sizes at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire – one of the RAF’s busiest stations with airborne intelligence aircraft and systems – to discuss the how the new unit will operate.

Developed as part of Defence Reform – the biggest overhaul of defence for more than 50 years – the new body is set to simplify and streamline the innovation system within MOD. It will take a new approach by moving quickly and decisively, using different ways of contracting, to enable UK companies to scale up innovative prototypes rapidly by setting out a clear pathway, working with the Government, from initial production to manufacturing at scale.

As part of a defence innovation drive, the government will also look to enhance investment in defence start-ups and scale-up technology and capability, including through the National Security Strategic Investment Fund. Ministers will work with the venture capital and investment community, as well as industry, to leverage private investment in the technology of the future.

The meeting comes after the Prime Minister outlined the Government’s commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027 and the Chancellor’s message to European allies at the G20 in South Africa to jointly go further and faster on defence.

The new innovation unit will help equip Britain’s Armed Forces with cutting-edge tech and grow high-tech British businesses in the defence tech ecosystem. It will take the lessons from the rapidly changing nature of warfare, as seen in the conflict in Ukraine.

Increased defence spending will support highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK. Last year, defence spending supported over 430,000 jobs across the UK, the equivalent to one in every 60, and 68% of defence spending goes outside of London and the Southeast, benefitting every nation and region of the country.

Backing the defence industry will protect UK citizens from threats at home but will also create a secure and stable environment in which businesses can thrive, supporting the Government’s number one mission to deliver economic growth.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:

The world is less certain than it has been for a generation. History tells us that government and industry must rise to meet these moments together. We need to invest in sophisticated, innovative kit and get it into the hands of our fighting men and women.

In the world we face, national security and economic growth are going to go hand in hand. High-skilled, well-paid jobs across the UK will both make our country safer and put pounds in people’s pockets.

Defence Secretary, John Healey said:

The world is changing, and we are changing defence. We will back the high-growth, high-tech UK defence firms of the future, to boost our national security and make defence an engine for growth.

We will make the UK a defence innovation leader, funding and supporting firms of all sizes to take state-of-the-art technology from the drawing board to the production line, and into the hands of our Armed Forces.

Defence has a crucial role to play in economic growth across the UK – built on the foundation of the largest sustained funding increase since the Cold War – to support thousands of highly skilled jobs.

Business and Trade Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds said:

A strong, robust defence sector is vital for a Britain that’s both secure at home and strong abroad, and ensures a world where business can benefit from the economic security it brings.

Nearly half a million UK graduates get good, well-paid jobs thanks to our aerospace, defence, security and space sectors. These are areas where the UK excels on the global stage, and where our innovation can add billions to the economy.

That’s why our Plan for Change puts defence at the heart of our Industrial Strategy, helping us drive economic growth while bolstering our national security for the long term.

Science and Tech Secretary, Peter Kyle said:

Britain’s science and research expertise has always played a role in keeping us safe, and still does: from inventions like radar and codebreaking machines in the 20th century, through to innovations around drone technology and cybersecurity, today.

We are dedicated to making sure the UK tech sector has everything it needs to continue to thrive, and to keep playing a critical role in our national security.

As set out in the Plan for Change, national security is the first duty of the government, and investment in defence will protect UK citizens from threats at home while also creating a secure and stable environment for economic growth.

Economic growth is central to the Government’s Plan for Change to put more money into the pockets of working people and will be a core objective of the defence innovation organisation.

The joint meeting with defence industry organisations comes on the final day of the consultation for the Defence Industrial Strategy, which will ensure a strong defence sector and resilient supply chains across the whole of the UK.

Industry leaders’ quotes:

Andy Fraser, Saab UK Group Managing Director said:

Saab UK welcomes the announcement that the UK Government will increase defence spending to 2.5% by 2027, with a route to 3% in the next Parliament.

We live in a challenging world which requires industry and government in the UK to work together more closely. In the UK, we know that the defence industry benefits growth, investment and offers fantastic careers – while also helping to ensure the UK’s resilience. Saab UK has recently opened new facilities in the UK because we know that together we can achieve our aim to keep people and society safe.
March 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Appointments to the Board of the International Fund for Ireland [March 2025]
The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 3 March 2025.

Earlier today, the Irish and United Kingdom Governments announced new appointments to the Board of the International Fund for Ireland.

The appointments are:
- Ms Shona McCarthy, Chair
- Ms Janet McConkey,
- Ms Katy Hayward,
- Ms Anne Conaghan
- Ms Anne Carr,
- Ms Angila Chada,
- Mr Bill Pauley,
In announcing these appointments, the two governments expressed their very warm appreciation for the services given by the outgoing Board Members whose term of office had ended. Particular thanks are due to Mr Paddy Harte who has shown exceptional leadership of the Board through his service as Chairman during the past six years.

Notes to Editors

The International Fund for Ireland is an international organisation established by the Irish and British Governments in 1986 with the objectives of promoting economic and social advance and of encouraging contact, dialogue and reconciliation between Unionists and Nationalists throughout Ireland. Contributors to the Fund have included the United States of America, the European Union, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Irish and UK Governments. Ms Anne Carr and Ms Anne Conaghan, who were Members of the previous Board, have been re- appointed for a further term.
March 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Conclusion of UK presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance – Lord Pickles’ speech [March 2025]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 March 2025.

International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Chair Lord Pickles spoke about the UK’s achievements over the past year and handed over the presidency to Israel.

In February 1980, I first watched a sunrise over Jerusalem. Whenever I’ve returned to this wonderful city over the past 45 years, I still feel that feeling of warmth and wonderment.

As we stand at the Crossroads of Generations, there is no better place on Earth to draw together the future of remembrance.

The UK presidency aimed to bring out the best in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), engender confidence in difficult times, and, above all, to strengthen the organisation.

During our year, following a general election, Britain’s government changed from the Conservatives to Labour. There were many disagreements on political issues during the campaign, but there was complete unity on the need to fight antisemitism and to further Holocaust education and remembrance.

Both governments were clear that our presidency would put the interest of IHRA and remembrance before narrow national interest. I hope you agree that we have met those responsibilities.

Those of us who attended the poignant 80th-anniversary ceremony of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in January know that we will never see the like again. Ten years from now, at the 90th anniversary, it is unlikely there will be Holocaust survivors to speak.

We are now the custodians of their memory. We must remember and tell the truth. We must uphold our founding document, the Stockholm Declaration, which is as relevant today as 25 years ago.

IHRA is a consensus organisation, which can be frustrating at times. But there is an upside – it requires the skills of listening and debate. IHRA is not a place for the repetition of prepared statements, it is a place where experts speak the truth to government.

One feature of the past year was bringing remembrance closer to local communities. The ‘My Hometown’ initiative asked young people to research what happened in their towns during the Holocaust. It showed them that history is not distant – it is personal.

The ‘Holocaust in 80 Objects’ project used artefacts to tell the stories of victims and survivors. It reminded us that the Holocaust is not just statistics – it is millions of individual interlocking lives.

Under our leadership, the IHRA-UNESCO Capacity Building Training expanded. It now includes diplomatic networks and embassy staff. Those shaping international discourse must understand the dangers of Holocaust distortion.

This work has left a lasting impact – embedding Holocaust memory into education, public policy, and diplomacy. The move to new technologies that allows memory preservation will ensure that future generations can still connect with survivor voices.

I hope Israel can build on the AI conference we hosted in London. We must unlock the potential of AI, if we don’t our opponents certainly will.

IHRA is the only international organisation focusing on Holocaust remembrance, education and research. That is worth holding on to. To remain relevant, we must be adequately resourced.

I am grateful that the Israeli presidency has pledged there will be proposals to make our finances sustainable when we meet in Jerusalem in June.

I wish Israel a successful presidency. With Dani at the helm and with the support of Ruty and Yossi, Richelle, and Rob Rozette, I look forward to 2025 with confidence.

Finally, I wish for 3 things. As the United Kingdom passes the flickering torch of Holocaust remembrance to Israel:
- may its light shine bright over Jerusalem
- may it illuminate the Crossroads of the Generations
- may it show us the right path
March 20, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government to take over redress for convicted postmasters from Post Office [March 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 3 March 2025.

All postmasters who have had their convictions overturned will now have their conviction claims administered by the government.
- Government to manage redress for postmasters who have had convictions overturned by the Courts to ensure it is delivered promptly and sensitively
- The Post Office will cease to be involved in the redress for postmasters with overturned convictions following calls from campaigners and postmasters
- Redress for victims of Horizon scandal has more than doubled under this government, delivering on a key manifesto commitment
All postmasters who have had their convictions overturned, whether by a court or legislation last year, will now have their conviction claims administered by the government, completely taking them out of the hands of the Post Office – fulfilling a key request from those impacted by the scandal.

After a three-month transitional period, the Department for Business and Trade’s Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) will broaden its scope to take on responsibility for redress for postmasters who have had their convictions overturned by the Courts. These are currently dealt with by the Post Office through their Overturned Convictions scheme. This is something that postmasters, campaigners, and Parliamentarians, including the Business and Trade Select Committee, have all called for.

Postmasters have suffered a huge amount. While the government can’t fully put right what they have been through, it can make sure the compensation process works better for them by listening to their grievances and acting upon them where possible to ensure postmasters are treated with dignity and respect. Today, this means ending the difficulty of dealing with the organisation which upended so many of their lives.

The delivery of redress for victims of the Post office Horizon scandal is a key government manifesto commitment, with a commitment of £1.8 billion to ensure all postmasters receive the justice and financial redress they deserve.

Post Office Minister Gareth Thomas said:

My priority upon coming into office was to speed up the delivery of compensation to the victims of the Horizon scandal. We have made significant progress, and we are now moving to ensure there is a quick transfer of schemes from the Post Office to the Department.

In the meantime, I encourage all those eligible to apply for redress under the Overturned Convictions scheme and continue to progress their claims with the Post Office until the transfer date.

The Department for Business and Trade will formally take over on 3 June 2025. The three-month transitional period between now and then will allow for the smooth transfer of active claims from one scheme to the other, ensuring there is no gap in service for postmasters who have claims in the system.

As of 31 January, approximately £663 million has been paid to over 4,300 claimants, which has more than doubled since the end of June 2024.

Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of government actions to address the Post Office Horizon Scandal, including:
- launching the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) for postmasters whose horizon-related convictions were quashed by Parliament. This scheme has made 364 interim payments to eligible claimants and has fully settled 208 claims, paying out a total of £156 million;
- on the HCRS, committing to provide first offers on receipt of detailed claims within 40 working days in 90% of cases;
- beginning payments of a £75,000 fixed offer for those postmasters in the Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) who want to accept it: approximately £171 million has been paid in award top-ups and £75,000 awards;
- publishing our response to the consultant’s report into the Post Office Capture software (predecessor to Horizon) and have committed to offering redress to all non-convicted postmasters who fell victim to flaws in Capture software;
- announcing an independent appeals process for the HSS to provide individuals with a chance to have their claims reassessed through a DBT-run process. We expect the first cases will be ready for submission in the Spring;
- confirmed the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board in place.
March 19, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Beginning of the end for the ‘feudal’ leasehold system [March 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 3 March 2025.

The government has published the Commonhold White Paper today.
- Commonhold, a radical improvement on leasehold ownership, will be reinvigorated under major reforms
- New leasehold flats to be banned as the government takes steps to honour its manifesto commitment to ensure commonhold becomes the default tenure
- Major change will give homeowners a stake in the ownership of their buildings and will hand them more power, control and security over their homes.
- Change will ensure flat owners are not second-class homeowners and that the unfair feudal leasehold system is brought to an end, building on the Plan for Change ambition to drive up living standards
Homeowners will have a stake in the ownership of their buildings from day one, not have to pay ground rent, and will gain control over how their buildings are run under major plans to bring the feudal leasehold system to an end.

Plans to reinvigorate commonhold and make it the default tenure have been announced today. Unlike leasehold ownership where third-party landlords own buildings and make decisions on behalf of homeowners, these changes will empower hard working homeowners to have an ownership stake in their buildings from the outset and will give them greater control over how their home is managed and the bills they pay.

Supporting delivery of a manifesto commitment – these reforms mark the beginning of the end for the feudal leasehold system. The changes complement the Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes, combatting the acute and entrenched housing crisis by making homeownership fit for the future, by putting people in control of the money they spend on their home.

Commonhold-type models are used all over the world. The autonomy and control that it provides for are taken for granted in many other countries. It can and does work and the government is determined, through both new commonhold developments and by making conversion to commonhold easier, to see it take root – so millions of existing leaseholders can also benefit from this step change in rights and security.

Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said:

“This government promised not only to provide immediate relief to leaseholders suffering now but to do what is necessary to bring the feudal leasehold system to an end – and that is precisely what we are doing.

“By taking decisive steps to reinvigorate commonhold and make it the default tenure, we will ensure that it is homeowners, not third-party landlords, who will own the buildings they live in and have a greater say in how their home is managed and the bills they pay.

“These reforms mark the beginning of the end for a system that has seen millions of homeowners subject to unfair practices and unreasonable costs at the hands of their landlords and build on our Plan for Change commitments to drive up living standards and create a housing system fit for the twenty-first century.”

Following the introduction of a comprehensive new legal framework for commonhold, new leasehold flats will be banned, and in the meantime the government will continue to implement reforms to help millions of leaseholders who are currently suffering from unfair and unreasonable practices at the hands of unscrupulous freeholders and managing agents.

The government has already empowered leaseholders with more rights and security – enabling them to buy their freehold or extend their lease without having to wait two years from the point they purchased their property, and overhauling the right to manage – putting more leaseholders in the driving seat of the management of their property and service charges.

Progress will be made as quickly as possible to make it cheaper and easier for leaseholders to buy their freehold or extend their lease, and to make it easier for leaseholders to challenge unreasonable service charge increases.

Changes set out in the Commonhold White paper include:
- New rules that will enable commonhold to work for all types of developments, including mixed-use buildings and allowing shared ownership homes within a commonhold.
- Greater flexibility over development rights, helping developers build with confidence and maintaining safeguards for the consumer.
- Giving mortgage lenders greater assurance with new measures to protect their stake in buildings and protect the solvency of commonholds – such as mandatory public liability insurance and reserve funds and greater oversight by commonhold unit owners to keep costs affordable.
- Strengthening the management of commonholds, with new rules around appointing directors, clear standards for repairs, and mandating use of reserve funds; and
- Providing an enhanced offer for homeowners – including requiring greater opportunities for democracy in agreeing the annual budget, clarifying how owners may change “local rules” over how a building is run and new protections for when things go wrong.
A new Code of Practice will set out how costs should be apportioned in commonhold, aimed at providing consumers with transparency and clarity, and the Government is committed to strengthening regulation of managing agents. The government will also launch a consultation to ban new leasehold flats later this year to explore the best way forward.

An ambitious draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill will be published later this year setting out the legal framework for how reformed commonhold will work.

Further information

Under the current system, leasehold ownership hands the homeowner the right to occupy land or a property for a set period which reverts back to the freeholder once this expires. It means leaseholders don’t own their property outright, are forced to pay potentially escalating ground rent costs in some cases, and have a landlord who determines how the building is run and determines service charges the leaseholder must pay.

Commonhold ownership allows people to fully own their property outright, with no expiring term or need to save to extend a lease. They can have a say in managing their building, and have the benefit of not needing to pay ground rent or have a third party landlord. There are no leases, with the rights, responsibilities and rules for all property owners set out in the Commonhold Community Statement (CCS). This “rulebook” establishes how the shared areas and facilities will be managed, maintained and funded, as well as the obligations for each person. It establishes a democratic system of decision-making and helps prevent disputes.

Each property owner will become part of a commonhold association upon buying their home, which oversees both the governance and management of the building unless it decides to bring in a managing agent – which will be accountable to the commonholders, not to a landlord, including the power to hire and fire them.

Through the commonhold association, homeowners will have a vote on the annual budget, which is for upkeep and for maintenance of the building, and on the charges they have to pay – equivalent to what service charges are used for under the current leasehold system. Homeowners will also be able to effectively plan for longer-term repairs or maintenance under commonhold, and vote on issues that affect them including adopting ‘local rules’ – specific to how they and their neighbours in the same block of flats want to live.

The government is pushing forward the majority of the Law Commission’s recommendations due to the benefits of this tenure over leasehold. Initially introduced in England and Wales in 2002, commonhold has struggled to take off due to flaws in its legal framework, despite its success in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, the US and other parts of the world.

Key differences between commonhold and leasehold:
- Commonhold offers full freehold ownership – real homeownership – unlike leasehold, whereby a property is leased out for a set amount of time before reverting back to the landlord and homeowners have a lack of control over their building.
- Commonhold allows homeowners a say on the annual budget for their building – including how their charges for upkeep and maintenance are spent – unlike leasehold, where a bill is usually imposed on leaseholders by landlords often even after the money has been spent.
- There is no ground rent in a commonhold property, compared to older leasehold properties. The ground rent requirement for newer properties was removed in 2022 (2023 for retirement properties) through the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022.
- Forfeiture is not possible under commonhold, meaning a unit owner cannot be threatened with losing their home and equity as they can in leasehold. The government will also address the disproportionate and draconian threat of forfeiture as a means of compliance with a lease agreement.
- Commonholders have the power to hire or fire a managing agent who works in their interests, unlike in leasehold where one is appointed by the landlord.
March 19, 2025