Tag: 2025

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

Over 500 town centres have signed up to the Home Secretary’s Safer Streets summer blitz that will see increased police patrols and local action.

Thousands of shoppers and businesses will see increased police presence, stronger prevention and enforcement action by police and councils to support safer high streets this summer.

Over recent years street crime has sky-rocketed, with theft from the person more than doubling between December 2022 and December 2024, and there has been record levels of shop theft, up by more than 60% – with offenders increasingly using violence and abuse against shopworkers.

This marks a key step in delivering the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which from July will see named, contactable officers in every community, increased peak time patrols in town centres and anti-social behaviour leads in every force.

Commissioned by the Home Secretary, Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales have developed bespoke local action plans with police, businesses and local councils to crackdown on crime this summer.

The aim is to support town centres to be vibrant places where people want to live, work and spend time, and restore faith in community policing after years of declining police officer presence on Britain’s streets.

These plans include increased visible town centre policing and ramping up the use of targeted enforcement powers against troublemakers – including banning perpetrators from hotspots.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

High streets and town centres are the very heart of our communities. Residents and businesses have the right to feel safe in their towns. But the last government left a surge in shop theft, street crime and anti-social behaviour which has left too many town centres feeling abandoned.

It’s time to turn this round, that’s why I have called on police forces and councils alike to work together to deliver a summer blitz on town centre crime to send a clear message to those people who bring misery to our towns that their crimes will no longer go unpunished.

The fact that 500 towns have signed up shows the strength of feeling on this issue.

Through our Safer Streets Mission and Plan for Change, we are putting officers back on the beat where you can see them and making our town centres safe again.

The summer initiative will also support young people, making sure there are activities across the 500 towns for young people to be involved in throughout the holidays.

The Home Office, alongside police, retailers and industry are also launching a new Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy, which will use shared data to assist in disrupting not just organised criminal gangs, but all types of perpetrators including prolific offenders who are stealing to fund an addiction and ‘opportunist’ offenders.

Creating thriving town centres where businesses and communities can flourish supports the government’s growth mission, raising living standards, backing local economies and supporting communities.

Initiatives taking place this summer include:

• in Humberside, police are using real-time mapping to deliver dynamic patrols to target emerging problem locations while reassuring local communities
• in Devon and Cornwall, police are embedding specialist anti-social behaviour lawyers to fast-track enforcement activity
• in Derbyshire, police have developed a Night Time Economy Charter to help deliver consistent proactive policing and coordinated management across the four largest local town centres
• in Wales, Dyfed-Powys Police are targeting seasonal, tourist towns through early police visibility, deterrence and community reassurance
• in Nottinghamshire, police have introduced a new diversionary intervention programme for Out of Court Resolutions with conditions attached for problem offenders

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

We are on the side of local businesses, and our Plan for Change is helping create the right conditions for our great British high streets to thrive.

The Safer Streets Summer Initiative will play a vital role in achieving this by keeping footfall high, communities and those that work in them safe, and the economy growing.

Shop theft and the abuse of shopworkers has become an endemic problem for Britain’s high streets with many shopworkers victimised in the same communities where they live.

The government is set to introduce a new law to protect shop workers from this vile abuse.

Record levels of shop theft have been driven not just by organised crime gangs but drug addiction for some prolific offenders and opportunism for others.

The new Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy will bring together multiple sources of data from industry and policing to create a single avenue for intelligence to help better target and respond to perpetrators.

Police and retailers will also team up with security firms and local communities to locate the highest harm areas and identify the role offender management programmes can play in breaking the cycle of crime for repeat offenders.

Anthony Hemmerdinger, Managing Director, Boots said:

Retail theft alongside intimidation and abuse of our team members is unacceptable, so we welcome this additional support from government and the police to strengthen shopworker protection.

While we continue to invest significantly in schemes to deter and disrupt crime, including our state-of-the-art CCTV monitoring centre and bodycams for our team members in stores, it is only through collaboration with government, police forces, and local communities, that we can ensure high streets feel like welcoming and safe spaces for people to work, shop and visit, all the time.

Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Emily Spurrell said:

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Deputy Mayors know how much people want to rid their neighbourhoods of criminal and anti-social behaviour (ASB) that blights too many communities. Tackling retail crime and ASB is essential to allowing our town centres to flourish. People have a right to feel safe and shop workers shouldn’t have to defend their stores against regular and organised theft, putting themselves at risk of violence.

As the public’s voice in policing, we have long understood that neighbourhood policing is key to addressing these issues which is why we welcomed the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. It will see thousands more officers on our streets and introduce specialist training for them to operate effectively within local communities, building trust.

With our local police forces and other partners in support of the Safer Streets Summer initiative, PCCs and Deputy Mayors will be working harder than ever to target criminal and anti-social behaviour so that people feel safe and have pride in where they live and work. We are determined to deliver real and demonstrable change so that communities and town centres can thrive and prosper.

The initiative launches today at an event hosted by the Home Office and the English Football League at Derby County Football Club, attended by partner representatives from police, businesses, local councils and local government.

It will see increased collaborative community-led interventions across sectors such as schemes to keep kids out of trouble during the summer holidays and targeted prevention activity with businesses, to not only tackle crime, but prevent crime and anti-social behaviour happening in the first place.

English Football League’s Director of Community Debbie Cook said:

Today at Derby County Football Club, EFL in the Community was proud to stand alongside the Home Office as the government reaffirmed its commitment to working hand-in-hand with trusted local organisations — like our clubs — to prioritise public safety and tackle town centre crime, street violence, and anti-social behaviour.

Beyond the pitch, football clubs and their charities across England and Wales play a transformative role in people’s lives. Through innovative initiatives — like Bristol City Foundation’s free ‘turn-up and play’ sessions in supermarket car parks and South Yorkshire clubs uniting to combat violence against women and girls — our clubs are contributing to creating safer, stronger, and more connected communities. We look forward to this work continuing and growing.

Harvinder Saimbhi, CEO of ASB Help, said:

We welcome the Safer Streets Summer Initiative as we know that ASB can increase during these months with lighter nights and improved weather. One of the most effective ways to address shop theft, street theft and anti-social behaviour is through effective partnerships that work proactively in addressing and tackling issues at the forefront.

This proactive initiative will contribute towards communities and businesses in feeling safer by seeing boosted police presence and council operations working together to make town centres safer. We are pleased to see that this initiative will not be only enforcement driven but will focus on creating more positive activities for young people and keeping vulnerable groups safer where everyone can feel secure.

Hetal Patel, National President of the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) said:

This crackdown on shop theft, street theft and anti-social behaviour is timely and welcome. Shop theft is often seen as a victimless crime but this is not the case. It takes a heavy toll mentally, physically and financially on shop owners, their families and their employees. At the same time, the financial costs of retail crime will eventually impact on customers through inflated prices.

ASB, meanwhile, can cost independent retailers dear in terms of cleaning and clearing up, as well as increasing premiums, deterring footfall and shoppers.

A recent Fed survey found that 72% of respondents had experienced shoplifting, break ins and damage to their property and they and their staff had been physically or verbally threatened.  A whopping 91% of respondents called for more police patrols on streets.

Everyone deserves to feel safe at work and for their businesses to be protected against criminals.

Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods said:

Our colleagues and customers are our number one priority at Iceland, and I hope this increase in visible policing will give them more confidence to enjoy our high streets and communities in safety this summer.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, said:

With the huge rise in retail theft and the continued impact of violence and abuse on retail colleagues, we welcome the announcement of increased police patrols and local action to tackle town centre crime and anti-social behaviour. We must stamp out this scourge of crime up and down the country, and this announcement is certainly a step in the right direction.

Superintendent Lisa Maslen of the National Business Crime Centre said:

Retail crime continues to have a significant impact on businesses, staff, and communities across the country. The Tackling Retail Crime Together strategy and campaign is about strengthening the vital partnerships between policing and the retail sector to deliver meaningful action. The NBCC received £2 million of funding from the Home Office to support police and partners in tackling retail crime and we have used some of the funding to develop the first national campaign to highlight the amount of work being done to respond to, prevent and detect retail crime offences across the country.

There will also be increased collaborative community led interventions across sectors such as schemes to keep kids out of trouble during the summer holidays and targeted prevention activity with businesses, to not only tackle crime but prevent crime and anti-social behaviour happening in the first place.

Jason Towse, Managing Director, Business Services, Mitie said:

We all deserve to live and work in a safe environment and the Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy has been developed to fuse industry knowledge and data with policing powers.

With momentum building as towns across the country rally behind this initiative, the intelligence shared will inform a collaborative approach across regions and enable the right interventions to be deployed to break the cycle of offending.

Together, our actions will deter potential offenders, ensure criminals face consequences and ultimately create safer, thriving communities.

The APCC joint leads for Business and Retail Crime, Katie Bourne OBE, Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex, and Andy Dunbobbin, North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, said:

This strategy is an acknowledgement of the urgent need to focus on tackling unacceptable levels of shop theft and violence against retail workers.

We are delighted that the success of the Police and Crime Commissioner-led Pegasus partnership of retailers, Home Office and police has been recognised and is being built upon.

Through the work of Pegasus and policing’s Opal team, a hugely effective, data-led and intelligence-sharing approach has been developed that focuses on organised retail crime gangs with greater police and retailer working at its heart.

Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for retail crime, said:

We know retail crime has a significant impact on victims, damages businesses and communities and goes far beyond financial loss. We also know it is a complex problem with a diverse offender profile and is something which requires a strong partnership approach, tackling the issues together.

Over the last two years we have made significant strides in our fight against retail crime, strengthening relationships with retailers and greatly improving information sharing which has resulted in a number of high harm offenders being brought to justice and the new Retail Crime Strategy builds on this even further. It brings together policing, retailers, the security industry and academia in a shared strategy which makes best use of our collective resources to turn the tide on the volume of offending blighting our communities.

A collective approach is key, ensuring everyone can enjoy where they live, work and spend their leisure time safely.

Clare Sumner, Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer at the Premier League said:

The Premier League welcomes the government’s proposals to create opportunities for young people as part of its Safer Streets Summer Initiative. For the last 20 years, our Premier League Kicks programme has provided support for young people who need it the most, funding free weekly football sessions across 93 Premier League, EFL and National League clubs.

Through the power of football, we offer real opportunities for young people to develop vital life skills and reach their potential, supported by club coaches from similar backgrounds who help to inspire, guide and mentor them to a better future.

LOCATIONS

The press release issued by the Home Office on 3 July 2025.

Victims and survivors of terrorism will receive strengthened support as the government today launches a commercial competition to establish a new dedicated support hub.

As part of the Plan for Change, the government committed to establishing a new dedicated support hub for victims and survivors, supporting their needs in the immediate and long-term aftermath of a terrorist attack.

The new 24/7 support hub will provide specialist, trauma-informed care to victims and survivors of terrorism, ensuring they have access to the help they need.

The tender, which opened on Thursday 3 July, is supported by Pool Re, a strategic partner in the government’s CONTEST strategy and the Counter Terrorism Alliance. Pool Re has provided funding to help deliver on our shared mission of supporting victims and survivors.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said:

The repercussions of a terrorist attack are catastrophic. Victims and survivors require dedicated care to help rebuild their lives.

This new hub will give victims the comprehensive support they need, and I thank Pool Re for being a crucial partner in delivering this.

Tom Clementi, Director and CEO of Pool Re, said:

Pool Re is proud to support victims and survivors of terrorism. As the UK’s largest terrorism reinsurer, we recognise that while the economic impact of terrorism is often in the spotlight, the human cost is just as significant.

This dedicated support hub will help ensure that those affected receive the long-term care they deserve. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Home Office through the Counter Terrorism Alliance, to increase the UK’s resilience to the impact of terrorism attacks.

The 24/7 support hub is a part of wider reforms that have been designed in response to direct engagement with victims and survivors, and insights drawn from international best practice.

In March, the government also announced a consultation on a new National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism. This closed on 11 June and sought views on proposals to help the country to remember and honour those who have been tragically killed or impacted by terrorist attacks. The outcome of the consultation will follow in due course.

The Home Office Victims of Terrorism Unit will continue to engage with key stakeholders on progress.

Support is available to victims and survivors of terrorism and all those affected, regardless of whether the attack took place in the United Kingdom or overseas. More information is available at gov.uk/victimsofterrorism.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 3 July 2025.

Irish people living in the UK can soon benefit from this new British citizenship route.

Irish people living in the UK will soon be able to apply for British citizenship under a new easier, cheaper route, strengthening the unique relationship between the two countries.

Migration and Citizenship Minister Seema Malhotra visited Belfast today (3 July) to formally welcome the commencement of the British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024.

The new route, part of the act, makes it easier for Irish citizens to become British. Applicants will be subject to a more streamlined application process and will not be required to demonstrate knowledge of English language or sit the Life in the UK test.

The registration fee will be 50% cheaper than for other nationalities, at £723 for adults and £607 for children. Children looked after by the local authority will be processed free of charge, as will those who can credibly demonstrate they can’t afford the application fee.

Migration and Citizenship Minister Seema Malhotra said:

The UK and Ireland enjoy a close and continued shared history and geographic links that have fostered deep cultural connections and family ties across generations.

This new route represents the unique relationship between our two countries and builds upon the Common Travel Area arrangements that have benefited citizens of both nations for decades.

I am pleased the route will enable eligible Irish nationals who have made their home in the UK to fully participate in British society while maintaining their Irish citizenship.

Under nationality birth rights in the Good Friday Agreement, people born in Northern Ireland to a British citizen, Irish citizen or a settled person have the right to hold British and Irish nationality.

From 22 July 2025, which is when the British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024 comes into force, Irish citizens living in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will be able to apply for British citizenship under this new, easier route.

An Irish citizen will be able to register as a British citizen where:

• they can show they have been living in the UK for the previous 5 years
• during the 5 years, they must have not been absent for a total of more than 450 days
• during the final year, they must have not been absent for more than 90 days
• during the 5 years, they must have not been in breach of the immigration laws
• they are of good character

The press release issued by the Home Office on 3 July 2025.

Seven members of a suspected organised crime group believed to have made millions have been arrested in West Yorkshire and Essex.

A suspected people-smuggling gang has been arrested for allegedly using false identity documents to smuggle hundreds of people into the UK illegally, luring them into a life of exploitation and misery.

On Tuesday 1 July, Immigration Enforcement officers executed warrants in Greater London, and Batley, West Yorkshire and arrested 7 suspects. The targets are believed to have used forged passports and visas of people with legitimate status in the UK to facilitate their illegal arrival, and subsequent employment in black market businesses.

The gang is believed to have facilitated the illegal entry of over 500 people with no right to be in the UK.

Their alleged money-grabbing scheme is believed to have developed into a wide-scale, dangerous criminal network operating across the country, with the 5 men and 3 women believed to have sent fake documents to beneficiaries to evade detection from law enforcement. The gang, who largely targeted Gambian nationals, are also suspected of re-using the fraudulent documents for different imposters hoping to make it to the UK illegally, with an ongoing investigation revealing a substantial quantity of images of passports found on the main suspect’s mobile phone.

From booking flights to housing the migrants on arrival and providing them with illegal work, the gang provided a full service and charged around £5,000 per person.

This particular gang, like many others, is believed to be charging substantial fees for arranging illegal entry to the UK, with the main suspect believed to have a turnover of over £1.3m in his bank account despite claiming to only earn £35,000 a year working for a furniture manufacturing company.

Another suspect is believed to have a turnover of over £1m across two bank accounts whilst simultaneously receiving Universal Credit. A further investigation will be launched in order to recover the profits made by this suspected organised criminal gang.

At the various addresses visited, officers seized several counterfeit identity documents which are believed to have been used in this criminal scheme.

These arrests form part of this government’s Plan for Change to strengthen the UK’s border security, which is already delivering results, with almost 30,000 people with no right to be here returned since the election and a turbocharge in immigration enforcement activity across the country which has led to a 51% increase in the number of illegal working arrests.

Organised criminal gangs who are driven by profit often go to extreme lengths to make their cash, disregarding the safety of humans. The suspects in this case are believed to have been exploiting those they promised to help by forcing them to work in private homes under their control, leaving the survivors trapped in unsafe situations and exhausted for little or no pay.

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

This operation is a clear display that we will not stand by and let evil criminal gangs abuse our immigration system.

This suspected gang promised their beneficiaries a better life here in the UK. Instead, they face heinous levels of exploitation which is exactly why we are working with law enforcement to ensure survivors of modern slavery are supported and the criminal gangs face justice.

Our Border Security Command has £280m of additional funding over the next 4 years to deliver the step-change required to break their business models and deliver our Plan for Change to restore order to the immigration system.

Ben Ryan, Chief Operating Officer at Medaille Trust, said:

Medaille Trust is delighted to have collaborated on this operation and to have played a part in ensuring that victims were identified and supported to begin their recovery as survivors.

We believe that collaborative efforts like this between the Home Office and civil society provide a model for confronting the evils of modern slavery; with a focus on both pursuing abusers and recognising and supporting survivors.

The Home Office’s Criminal Financial Investigations team works closely with charities like Medaille Trust to support the victims of organised crime by keeping them at the heart of any investigation, providing invaluable expertise and support to the most vulnerable. Through closer collaboration we are able to identify victims and offer them a safe haven to come forward about the abuse they have faced. Medaille Trust provide refuge and freedom from modern slavery and are one of the largest providers of supported safe house beds for victims of modern slavery in the UK.

Cracking down on abuse of the immigration system is central to securing the UK’s borders. As set out in the Immigration White Paper in May, the government will introduce tighter controls, restrictions, and scrutiny of those who attempt to abuse and misuse the immigration system. This includes strengthening border security by rolling out digital identity for all overseas citizens through the implementation of eVisas and new systems for checking visa compliance.