Tag: 2025

The press release issued by the Home Office on 26 August 2025.

Victims and survivors of ‘honour’-based abuse will be kept safer and more perpetrators brought to justice in a raft of new measures, as part of the government’s pledge to halve violence against women and girls and the Plan for Change.

New statutory guidance and a legal definition of ‘honour’-based abuse will be brought in to help the police, social workers and others better support victims and make clear that frontline staff must take these crimes seriously. It will also help stop vital information, which could hold perpetrators to account in a criminal trial, from falling through the cracks.

On top of the new guidance, the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) will work with the police to improve how officers assess the risks posed by ‘honour’-based abuse offenders, so they can step in and support victims as soon as possible. This year, that work will focus on identifying challenges alongside what works to identify areas for improvement.

To unearth the full scale of ‘honour’-based abuse, the Home Office will pilot a prevalence study looking at how widespread this crime is, and a community awareness campaign will be launched to encourage victims to come forward.

Teachers, police officers, social workers and healthcare professionals will also receive more training to help them better spot the signs of ‘honour’-based abuse and know how to deal with suspected cases.

These measures have been backed by the charity Karma Nirvana and 22 other specialist ‘honour’-based abuse organisations. The mother of Fawziyah Javed has also welcomed the changes after her daughter’s tragic murder in 2021. Fawziyah was pushed off Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland by her husband. At the time of her death, Fawziyah was pregnant and she had planned to leave the marriage.

Recent statistics showed that 2,755 ‘honour’-based abuse related offences were recorded by the police in England and Wales. For too long, these devastating crimes which include ‘honour’-motivated killings, female genital mutilation and forced marriage, have been allowed to happen in the shadows.

Today’s measures are the latest step in the government’s efforts to tackle ‘honour’-based abuse. Earlier this year, the joint Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Forced Marriage Unit launched a new mission statement and action plan with the aim of improving all operations so the unit can continue to provide the best possible support to victims of forced marriage and the professionals who help them.

This remains a vital part of the government’s efforts to tackle forced marriage, a debilitating and devastating form of ‘honour’-based abuse, so victims can be supported at home and overseas.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

All forms of ‘honour’-based abuse are devastating crimes that can shatter lives. There is no ‘honour’ in them. For too long, these offences have often been misunderstood by professionals, resulting in victims not getting the support they deserve.

Today we are announcing measures to put an end to this and shining a light on this debilitating abuse. This marks a crucial step in this government’s landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls within a decade and its Plan for Change.

Make no mistake – we will use everything at our disposal to make sure perpetrators face justice and victims are protected.

Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, said:

These crimes can cause unimaginable long lasting physical and mental pain for their victims. They have no place in our society and we must do everything we can to put a stop to them.

This starts with a clearer definition of the crime and guidance backed in law so that the government, law enforcement and the voluntary sector can work hand in hand to give victims the support they deserve.

It is also vital that we understand the true scale and nature of these crimes in England and Wales. This will enable us and our partners to help make sure that more victims are protected and more perpetrators face time behind bars.

This is the latest step in our mission to halve violence against women and girls, as part of the Plan for Change.

Yasmin Javed, mother of Fawziyah Javed, said:

As Fawziyah’s mother, I am pleased that the government has listened to our calls for a statutory definition of ‘honour’-based abuse, and that this change has been made in Fawziyah’s memory. I hope that this will help many more people affected by HBA and ensure that the multiple perpetrators of this abuse are properly recognised and addressed.

Natasha Rattu, Executive Director of Karma Nirvana, said:

Today marks a landmark moment in how ‘Honour’-Based Abuse is understood and responded to in this country. For years, Karma Nirvana and survivors have called for a statutory definition, and its introduction is a powerful recognition of their voices.

This step will mean victims are no longer overlooked but seen, heard, and supported, while professionals are better equipped to act. Alongside investment in awareness, training, and the national helpline, this change, in Fawziyah’s memory, has the potential to save countless lives and protect future generations.

Payzee Mahmod, survivor and campaigner, said:

I welcome the government’s commitment to introducing a statutory definition of so-called ‘honour’-based abuse, alongside multi-agency statutory guidance.

As someone who has lost my sister, Banaz to an ‘honour’ killing and as a survivor of child marriage and “honour” based abuse myself, I know how vital it is that professionals from the police to social workers and teachers have the clarity and tools they need to recognise this abuse and act quickly to protect those at risk.

This step represents meaningful progress towards better safeguarding and ensuring that survivors are properly seen, heard, and supported. It is crucial that this commitment is upheld and delivered at the earliest opportunity, so that no one has to suffer in silence or fall through the gaps in our systems.

I am proud to have campaigned for this change, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside government, statutory agencies, and partners to ensure that survivors are protected and that we move closer to a future free from abuse.

Assistant Chief Constable Emma James, national policing lead for Honour-Based Abuse, said:

So-called ‘honour’-based abuse is a complex crime which often happens within community or family networks that many victims find it very difficult to speak out against and can face further threats, violence, or isolation if they do.

That’s why it’s so important that policing works closely with other agencies to identify abuse and protect victims at the earliest opportunity. We welcome the announcements from the government today that will help policing pay its part in protecting the most vulnerable in our communities.

Victims’ Commissioner, Baroness Newlove, said:

So-called ‘honour’-based abuse is a devastating crime, often leaving victims terrorised, isolated, and controlled by the very family and community that should be protecting them. The introduction of a statutory definition is a welcome and crucial next step in strengthening our collective response to this serious and complex abuse.

The accompanying package of measures will ensure this crime is tackled in a joined-up way, helping victims access the support they need to flee and stay safe.

This victory has been hard won by campaigners, families and survivors alike. I applaud their tireless dedication and commend the government for taking this critical step.

Jaswant Narwal, Crown Prosecution Service National Lead for ‘honour’-based abuse, said:

We welcome the Home Office’s announcement to develop a statutory ‘honour’-based abuse definition. When introduced, it will provide clarity, consistency and confidence in the way these crimes are identified and brought through the criminal justice system. We are dedicated to working with government agencies, stakeholders, and survivors to improve the way we bring abusers to justice and break the silence against these crimes which are too-often hidden in plain sight.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 24 August 2025.

A new independent body will be set up to speed up decision making on asylum appeal cases.

Asylum appeals will be overhauled and speeded up to clear the backlog, accelerate returns and end hotel use under some of the most significant changes to the asylum system in decades.

As part of efforts to fix the broken asylum system the government inherited and end the use of asylum hotels, a new independent body to deal with asylum appeals made up of independent professional adjudicators, will be established to hear cases more quickly.

The proposals, driven jointly by the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, will reduce the number of asylum appeal cases in the system by ensuring cases awaiting decision can be heard faster, in turn reducing the backlog and creating a more efficient system. They are driven by serious concerns among Ministers that existing measures including increased investment in court sitting days are not delivering the pace of change needed to clear the asylum appeal backlog.

The new body will be fully independent of government with safeguards to ensure high standards and is expected to use the expertise of independent professionally trained adjudicators focusing particularly on asylum appeals, and will allow capacity to be surged so cases can be cleared. It will have statutory powers to prioritise cases from those in asylum accommodation and foreign national offenders.

Currently, there is a backlog of 106,000 cases waiting to be heard by the First-Tier Tribunal, including at least 51,000 asylum appeals. Wait times are increasing, with an average wait time of 53 weeks.

As initial asylum decisions have accelerated, court delays over appeals are now the biggest cause of pressure in the asylum accommodation system which is costing the taxpayer billions of pounds each year.

Doubling of asylum decisions since the election means that the number of asylum seekers waiting for an initial decision has gone down 24% in the space of 12 months and is falling further. However, the number of failed asylum seekers now waiting in the appeal system has increased substantially as most failed asylum seekers then appeal and decisions even on a first appeal can take more than a year to be made.

To relieve pressure on the system, the government has provided funding to increase the number of sitting days in the First-tier Tribunal, with the aim of ensuring it operates at maximum capacity. However, the tribunal cannot keep up with fluctuating and increasing demand, so an alternative approach is needed that can provide wider and more flexible capacity.

Ministers are also introducing a new legal requirement for a 24-week timeframe for the First Tier Tribunal to determine asylum appeals by those receiving asylum accommodation support and appeals by foreign offenders.

But the current tribunal system is still failing to keep up with the particular requirements to clear the asylum system so that failed asylum seekers can be returned as swiftly as possible. Nor can it accommodate a fast track system for safe countries.

The government will set out further details of our plans to fast-track cases in the asylum system this autumn.

Lessons are also being learned from other European countries who have faster appeal systems including countries which run independent appeal bodies rather than absorbing appeals entirely into the main courts and judicial systems.

Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP, said:

We inherited an asylum system in complete chaos with a soaring backlog of asylum cases and a broken appeals system with   thousands of people in the system for years on end. That is why we are taking practical steps to fix the foundations and restore control and order to the system.

We are determined to substantially reduce the number of people in the asylum system as part of our plan to end asylum hotels. Already since the election we have reduced the backlog of people waiting for initial decisions by 24% and increased failed asylum returns by 30%.

But we cannot carry on with these completely unacceptable delays in appeals as a result of the system we have inherited which mean that failed asylum seekers stay in the system for years on end at huge cost to the taxpayer. Overhauling the appeals system so that it is swift, fair and independent, with high standards in place, is a central part of our Plan for Change.

Since taking office, this government has taken immediate action to fix the asylum system to start exiting hotels and surging returns of more than 35,000 people with no right to be here, including more than 5,000 foreign national offenders.

At its peak under the last government over 400 asylum hotels were open in summer 2023, costing almost £9 million a day. There are now just over 200 and better use of the hotels of the ones we must use have helped cut asylum costs by 11%.

The government has surged asylum decision-making capacity, delivering over 31,000 initial decisions to people per quarter – triple the average under the previous government.

The case backlog is down 18%, with the number of people waiting decisions down by 24% and we’ve achieved the third-highest quarterly decision rate since records began in 2002.

The Immigration White Paper announced in May also details plans to introduce legislation that tightens the application of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights on such appeals.