Tag: Downing Street

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 August 2026.

Joint Declaration of intent between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ukraine on a UK-Ukraine Artificial Intelligence Partnership.

We, the President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, meeting at a decisive moment for European security, and united in our resolve to shape the transformation of modern warfare,

ACKNOWLEDGING the profound impact of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and network-enabled capability, and the strategic imperative for our two nations to lead in the safe, responsible, and operationally decisive application of Defence AI,

RESOLVED that the technological edge of democracies must be preserved as a foundation of deterrence;

RECOGNISING that Ukraine’s defence, resilience, and unparalleled operational experience represent a crucial contribution not only to its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also to the stability and security of the eastern flank of Europe, NATO, and the Euro-Atlantic community,

RECALLING the existing framework of bilateral commitments between our two nations, in particular the 100-Year Partnership Agreement and the Agreement on Security Co-operation,

DETERMINED that the United Kingdom and Ukraine should advance together — combining Ukraine’s unrivalled battlefield experience with the United Kingdom’s technological, industrial and research strength to build the AI-era armed forces our two nations, and our allies, will depend on,

AFFIRMING our shared and existing determination to deepen our defence partnership and jointly contribute to the development of future European defence capabilities,

Declare the following intent:

I. Strategic Vision. We will act as close partners in developing next-generation, AI-enabled armed forces – leveraging our engineering, industry, academic capacity and defence organisations’ expertise to accelerate the development and deployment of AI-enabled military capabilities that strengthen Ukraine’s battlefield advantage and support the development of next-generation AI-driven Armed Forces powered by rapid innovation, autonomous systems, and network advantage.

II. Cooperation Model. Our cooperation will proceed through three interlocking pillars: (1) Government-to-Government collaboration on co-developed models, secure data and compute pathways, and joint assurance; (2) Industry, coordinated through government-to-government arrangements to develop, test and deploy AI-enabled capabilities linked to agreed operational problem sets; and (3) Academia and Research, on autonomy, AI assurance, cyber security and synthetic data. Together, we will establish a model for developing and fielding AI-enabled military capabilities that others can follow.

III. Principles. Cooperation will respect the sovereignty of each Party’s assets and data; be underpinned by trusted safeguards on data, IP and export controls in line with the national legislation; combine agility with proportionate governance; and deliver mutual strategic benefit and NATO interoperability. By mutual agreement, we will extend the outputs of this Partnership to trusted allies and partners.

IV. Leadership and Oversight. We will steward this Partnership at the highest political level, with senior Defence leads empowered to drive delivery in line with the mutually agreed objectives.

V. Framework for Implementation. We resolve to proceed on a pilot-first basis, giving priority to practical cooperation already underway. Further arrangements will be brought forward within the next few months, ensuring that this Partnership takes a tangible form from the outset and moves at the pace that our shared security requires.

This Declaration reflects our shared political intent and does not create legally binding obligations.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 August 2026.

The leaders of the Coalition of the Willing convened today in Kyiv and by video conference to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the restoration of the Independence of Ukraine.

The leaders of the Coalition of the Willing convened today in Kyiv and by video conference to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the restoration of the Independence of Ukraine. They were united in their continued support of Ukraine’s fight to defend its sovereignty, freedom and territorial integrity. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz chaired the meeting alongside President Zelenskyy.

The leaders condemned Russia’s systematic and escalating strikes against Ukraine’s cities, critical infrastructure and civilians, causing the highest number of civilian casualties since the beginning of the full scale invasion in 2022, and damaging a children’s hospital in Kyiv the previous week. They also condemned Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s cultural heritage sites, which form an integral part of Ukraine’s national identity, including the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. 

Leaders reiterated Ukraine’s clear and inherent right to defend itself against the Russian war of aggression, in full compliance with international law and Article 51 of the UN Charter, and confirmed that they would not be deterred from their support for Ukraine by irresponsible Russian threats. They expressed their determination to increase military support to Ukraine, strengthen its air defence as a matter of urgent priority, enhance cooperation with its defence industry, and share relevant technologies, including through the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition. They also committed to ratchet up sanctions on Russia’s military industrial complex and those supporting it.

Leaders also agreed on the urgency of providing immediate assistance for Ukraine’s energy sector ahead of the upcoming winter, including through the Ukraine Energy Support Fund and provision of specialist equipment. They emphasised the need to continue to support Ukraine’s economic resilience in the face of Russia’s intensified attempts to renew their maritime blockade on Ukraine’s ports.

The leaders agreed to continue efforts to constrain Russia’s war chest through the use of sanctions, wider economic measures, and clamping down on sanctions circumvention and Russia’s Shadow Fleet. This joint action to date has deprived Russia’s war chest of at least $495 billion since February 2022. The leaders welcomed the US Senate’s efforts to apply further economic pressure on Russia, and committed to working closely with the US over the coming months on coordinated action to drain Russia’s means to continue its illegal war.

The leaders commended President Zelenskyy’s continued readiness to enter into meaningful peace talks, in order to bring about a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, and reiterated their call for Russia to agree to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire starting from the line of contact.

The Coalition would continue to prepare the Multinational-Force Ukraine to deploy once a credible cessation of hostilities was in place, as part of a wider set of robust politically and legally binding security guarantees to ensure Ukraine’s future security and prosperity once a ceasefire enters into force.

Concluding, the leaders once again reaffirmed their commitment to support Ukraine’s independence, as part of Europe’s wider peace and security. They offered President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine their steadfast solidarity today on the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Independence, and every day, for as long as it takes.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 23 August 2026.

Mayors across England are to be given ‘call in’ powers to take the most important planning decisions in their areas.

Under proposals to be published next week, a mayor will now be able to take over key planning applications which impact on local growth, and direct a council to take it forward or refuse it.

The move has been backed by ten mayors from different parties and will bring mayors across the country in line with powers the Mayor of London already has.

The national thresholds are being set outside of London for the first time: schemes with more than 150 homes, more than 15,000 square metres of commercial space, or any building over 30 metres or taller, roughly ten storeys will be in scope.

Mayors will also be able to grant up front permission for development, so that building can begin without a developer having to apply.

Councils will continue to decide the majority of applications, and many are already getting homes built at scale. Over the last three years, Salford has delivered 7,584 homes against a requirement of 4,249. Leeds has delivered 11,690 homes against a requirement of 10,151, and Knowsley has delivered 1,888 – well over double the requirement of 772 homes.

Every decision must follow the planning rules, the local plan, and national policy. Applicants keep the right of appeal, and ministers retain a backstop power to intervene themselves.

Mayors will also have a bigger say over how national housing funding is spent in their areas. Homes England will still lead on the biggest projects, but its funding and expertise will be focused on the priorities agreed by local mayors.

A £1.3bn portion of the national fund for land and infrastructure has already been allocated to the seven most established mayoral areas, with an additional £234 million of brownfield funding to seven MSAs, and £1.5 billion committed for devolution through the Housing Accelerator Fund.

Mayors outside London will also be able to charge a levy on development to fund major infrastructure, using the same tool that helped deliver the Elizabeth line, which has boosted rail capacity, supported housing growth and regeneration, and become the UK’s busiest railway service.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 22 August 2026.

Joint Statement from the Leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the European Commission, the Netherlands, Canada, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Greece, Cyprus and Finland on the E1 West Bank Settlement Plan.

The Israeli Government’s decision to publish construction tenders for the E1 settlement project is unacceptable. The international community has long opposed this settlement expansion, and has voiced their grave concerns privately and publicly. The E1 settlement will undermine the prospect of the two-state solution by driving a wedge through the West Bank and harming the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian Territories.

International law is clear that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal. This is the position of the international community reaffirmed by the United Nations Security Council.

At a time of grave instability in the West Bank with unprecedented levels of violence by settlers against civilians, and serious restrictions on the Palestinian economy, this decision is even more concerning.

We urge the Government of Israel to retract these plans immediately and end its expansion of settlements in the West Bank. Not only will they take us further from peace, but they further undermine Israel’s international standing.

Businesses should not consider bidding for construction tenders. They should be aware of legal and reputational consequences including the risk of involving themselves in serious breaches of international law.

We reiterate our commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution. We will continue to act in its interest.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 19 August 2026.

One month after making his first instruction as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham today has announced the next steps in his national drive to end rough sleeping by announcing immediate action to offer everyone who needs it a route off the streets by Christmas, backed by increased funding of £442 million.

• Everyone sleeping rough is to be offered a route off the streets this winter if they need it, the first major milestone in the Prime Minister’s commitment to end rough sleeping
• Under a boosted £442 million package, areas with the greatest need will receive the largest share of support, to get people out of the cold this winter and give people facing long-term homelessness a settled home and the support to keep it
• In a drive to bring everyone together to play their part, the Prime Minister is announcing a first of its kind national summit on tackling rough sleeping to take place in the Autumn.

One month after making his first instruction as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham today (Wednesday 19 August) has announced the next steps in his national drive to end rough sleeping by announcing immediate action to offer everyone who needs it a route off the streets by Christmas, backed by increased funding of £442 million. 

New accommodation and support will be rolled out across England this winter, learning from innovative approaches put into place during the pandemic. 

Alongside emergency accommodation to end the need for rough sleeping, the programme, fully funded within MHCLG budgets, will offer practical help with housing, health and other needs, helping people build a more stable future. 

In addition, the Prime Minister has announced he will host a first of its kind national summit in the Autumn to bring together leaders from across society – from business, finance, charities, health, faith communities and more – to ask what role each of them can play in ending rough sleeping.

The new commitment to offer everyone a route off the streets this Christmas, along with boosted funding and a landmark summit, reflect the Prime Minister’s approach of bringing everyone together in a national drive to step up and play their part in ending rough sleeping – with everyone pulling in the same direction at a local level to make real change backed by funding at a national level.

The plans will not only change the lives of those being given somewhere to sleep and a foundation to rebuild their lives but have huge benefits for the whole country, as research from Crisis suggests preventing 40,000 people from becoming homeless for a year could save taxpayers around £370 million. 

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

No-one should have to bed down in a doorway or outside a station. But we’ve seen it for so long that it feels like Westminster has started to accept it.

I won’t accept it. That’s why my first instruction as Prime Minister was to end rough sleeping. And it’s why today we’re getting started with a national drive to get everyone in for Christmas.

We did it in the pandemic. We can do it again. But it needs all of us. Government will put the money in. But I’m asking leaders in communities and sectors across society to play their part locally too.

Let’s get people out the cold. And let’s bring back hope.

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said:

When the Prime Minister pledged to end rough sleeping, we said we’d move urgently from words to action. Today we’re delivering on that promise.

This funding will help thousands of people leave the streets behind, move into secure homes and get the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Working alongside councils, mayors and charities, we’re backing local areas to tackle rough sleeping at its roots, giving people the security, dignity and opportunity they deserve, and restoring hope to those who have been let down for far too long.

The government is also confirming project allocations for this programme, which includes the investment into long term accommodation announced in July. 

As well as off the street provision, the funding will help local areas deliver more than 1,000 settled homes over the next three years, alongside intensive wraparound support to help people rebuild their lives. Areas facing the greatest pressures will receive the largest share of support, with communities all across England getting support to address rough sleeping in their area. Working alongside councils, Mayors will play a leading role in driving local action to end rough sleeping and making the decisions that are right for their communities to deliver help where it is needed most. 

Alongside funding allocations, the Government is publishing guidance to help local areas mobilise quickly and deliver a consistent route off the street offer this winter. The guidance will make clear the need to ensure adequate and accessible provision for women experiencing rough sleeping, recognising that women are often underrepresented in official statistics and may be at greater risk of violence, abuse, and exploitation. Guidance encourages local areas to consider single sex accommodation with specialist, intensive and trauma informed support, for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence. This will support the government’s commitment to halve violence against women and girls in the next ten years.

Charities, faith groups and community organisations are at the heart of efforts to end homelessness. That is why, in addition to holding a first of its kind national summit bringing together leaders across society with a role to play, £8.4 million of the new funding is going specifically to the Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund. This takes total funding allocations announced today for 100 different projects to £47 million over three years, helping small and medium-sized organisations provide life-changing support to people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.

Together, these measures form the foundation of cross-government work to end rough sleeping at the earliest opportunity, combining immediate action this winter with lasting solutions to help people rebuild their lives for good.

Notes to editors: 

• In July, the PM announced £340m of funding for new support to bring forward settled accommodation for people sleeping rough long-term.
• Today’s announcement builds on this by confirming an additional £102m, which will be used to fund a range of support to provide immediate routes off the street this winter and beyond, including uplifting the Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund.  
• This exceptional £442m package is fully funded, from uncommitted MHCLG budgets.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 August 2026.

High streets that have been hollowed out by the unchecked spread of vape stores, betting shops, and rogue businesses that do little to serve local communities are set to face a crackdown under new powers announced by the Prime Minister today.

• Local people to get a real say over what opens on their high street as Prime Minister hands new powers to communities and councils
• Planning loopholes closed and outdated “Aim to Permit” rule to be scrapped to stop unwanted vape and betting shops taking over high streets
• Dodgy businesses linked to organised crime to be shut down for longer under tougher powers for police and local authorities
• Part of the Prime Minister’s plan to put power back in the hands of local communities and to bring back hope

High streets that have been hollowed out by the unchecked spread of vape stores, betting shops, and rogue businesses that do little to serve local communities are set to face a crackdown under new powers announced by the Prime Minister today [Tuesday 11 August].

The measures will put communities back in control of their high streets by giving local people a real say over what businesses can open in their town centres and how local high streets should look, as well as tougher powers for the police and local authorities to crack down on rogue operators.

As part of the PM’s plans to save Britain’s high streets, the Government intends to revoke the Gambling Act’s outdated “Aim to Permit” rule, which currently restricts the ability of councils to refuse new betting shops and 24-hour slot machine shops even where there are strong local concerns.

The change would give communities and councils a stronger say over whether new betting shops are right for their area, helping stop them spreading unchecked across struggling high streets.

The government will also require planning permission for vape shops to finally give local people and councils a say over whether they open and to stop them opening near schools. The definition of a vape shop will also be tightened to stop businesses getting around the new rules by claiming to be a general convenience store or retailer.

Adult Gaming Centres (AGCs), which are adult-only venues offering up to 24-hour access to gambling machines such as slot and fruit machines, will also require planning permission under proposals due to come into effect at the start of next year.

The changes come as vape shops and adult gaming centres have spread rapidly across many town centres. Unlike most businesses that communities raise concerns about, they can currently open without planning permission under the same rules that apply to coffee shops and clothing retailers.

Analysis by the Centre for Social Justice has found that Britain has lost nearly 1,800 pubs and bars, while the number of vape and tobacco shops increased to almost 2,200 since 2016. Similar concerns have been raised about the clustering of gambling premises in local communities, particularly in more deprived areas. In the London Borough of Brent alone, there are more than 80 gambling venues, including in Harlesden where there are 10 betting shops within a 10-minute walk.

The maximum length of Closure Orders will also double from six to 12 months, giving police and local authorities more time to investigate premises linked to organised crime, pursue prosecutions, and prevent rogue businesses – from illegal vape shops, and dodgy barber shops – reopening before investigations are complete.

High streets sit at the heart of communities across the country, but too many have been hollowed out by years of decline. The loss of shops, services and community spaces has left many people feeling like the places they grew up in are changing beyond recognition and the decline of our high streets has mirrored a wider sense of decline across Britain.

The Government is taking practical action to give local people a real say over the future of their high streets, including shaping how the new measures will work in practice.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

“For many people, the high streets they grew up with have been hollowed out and become unrecognisable over decades of decline. The rise of vape shops, betting shops and rogue operators have replaced the shops, services, and community spaces that people are crying out for. 

“That’s not on. I said we would improve Britain’s high streets, and that’s exactly what we are starting to do. We’re putting communities back in control and giving local people a real say over what opens on their high street. Local councils will be given the powers they need to rein in unwanted shops and bring town centres back to life.

“High streets are the beating heart of local communities, but for too long Westminster has stood by while they have been in decline. This government is committed to restoring our high streets and bringing back hope across Britain.” 

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner said: 

“People know when their high street isn’t working for them. Whether it’s the vape shop or betting shops that’s opened with no say from locals, the shopfront that’s seen better days, or the sense that nobody’s in control. 

“These problems have built up over years, but this government won’t leave councils and communities powerless to crackdown on everyday eyesores that blight our high streets. 

“That’s why we’re giving local leaders the power to say no to what doesn’t belong on their high street, and the tools to fix it themselves.”

East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward said:

“Our local shops and high streets hold a mirror up to our economy. If that mirror shows us nothing but vape shops, gambling shops, and crime, it destroys pride in place. People, councils, and local businesses should be able to work together to shape their high streets, but as things are, they lack the levers to ensure that everyone plays fair.” 

“This announcement gives places the chance to take back control, ensuring that no one type of business can monopolise the high street and that flagrant criminality can be dealt with. Local powers given to locally accountable councils, together with investment led by regional Mayors will help diverse high streets to flourish.”

Joshua Nicholson, Head of Housing and Communities at the Centre for Social Justice said: 

“Britain’s high streets have been hijacked by a growing number of dodgy vape shops, mini marts, and barbers, many of which are linked to organised crime. 

“The Government is right to give councils new powers to say no to these dodgy shops. High street renewal is vital to restoring security within our communities.”

The Government will also work with councils to improve the appearance of high streets and help restore pride in local town centres. In too many places, poor-quality shopfronts, garish neon signs, and oversized logos have prompted complaints from local people and contributed to high streets feeling less welcoming, at a time when the rise of online shopping has already put increasing pressure on town centres.

To help turn this around, the Government will set clearer expectations for the design and appearance of high street shopfronts. Working with the Planning Advisory Service, it will identify the best examples of attractive, thriving town centres from across the country and provide councils with practical guidance on improving the look and feel of local high streets.

Over the next six months, councils will be supported to improve local high streets, drawing on successful examples such as Cross Street in Oswestry and Keynsham High Street. Building on this, the government will set out further action to tackle the long-term decline that has hollowed out town centres and make high streets places people want to visit, shop, and spend time in again.

The measures build on wider action to tackle rogue businesses linked to organised crime, including a £30 million crackdown on money laundering, tax evasion, and illegal working, backed by raids, shop closures and cash seizures. 

It also builds on action the Prime Minister has taken in his first weeks in office to back local communities and town centres, including a 20% cut to business rates for pubs, social clubs and live music venues across England from next year – changes which are fully funded including through reviewing reliefs for businesses that do not make a positive contribution to their communities, like vape shops. The government will also return to the commitment to reform the wider business rates system, including Small Business Rates Relief, at the Budget.

It forms part of the Government’s wider drive to restore pride in local places, shift power out of Westminster and back into communities, and bring more people back to town centres.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 9 August 2026.

The Prime Minister has announced that he will be rolling out a series of ‘everyday fixes’ to help people with the cost of living, kicking off with two measures today.

• Prime Minister wastes no time to end subscription traps, with new “easy to exit” rules brought forward to help consumers cancel easily and prevent them losing more money
• He is also taking action to tackle misleading discounts and rip off prices that fleece customers
• This is just the start of a series of ‘everyday fixes’ that will be announced to ease the cost of living and give families room to breathe

The Prime Minister has announced that he will be rolling out a series of ‘everyday fixes’ to help people with the cost of living, kicking off with two measures today. 

Pretend prices and deceptive deals will be a thing of the past under the Prime Minister’s plans to ban retailers from making misleading claims to customers about discounts.  Shoppers have increasingly complained about outlets artificially inflating prices to give a false sense of value, such as increasing them only to then immediately advertise ‘discounts’ to make savings look larger than they really are.

This includes discounted prices being the same as they were before the discount, intended to trick consumers into thinking they are getting good value whilst saving them nothing and creating an uneven playing field for honest competitors.

The Prime Minister also wants to see an end to subscription traps, where people find it hard to cancel their subscriptions and contracts are automatically renewed at a higher cost.  New rules will now come into force in January 2027, in time for when customers often start new subscriptions for the year ahead.

Saving an average of £14 a month for every unwanted subscription, the changes will mean businesses will need to provide clearer up-front information, regular reminders and a much easier exit to contracts.  A new 14-day cooling-off period will also let consumers cancel after a trial or long-term contract renews.

With households still watching every pound, it’s right to act to restore fairness. There are around 155 million active subscriptions in the UK, with consumers spending an estimated £1.6 billion a year on ones they don’t actually want, a direct hit to family budgets.

For the many businesses who already give customers plenty of notice before subscriptions renew and make contacts easy to leave, very little is changing. They will benefit from clearer rules and a more level playing field, without being undercut by competitors who have more complicated processes that rip off consumers.

Certain charitable memberships for cultural and heritage organisations will be excluded from the new subscription rules given the unique role they have in preserving and opening up access to the nation’s history, landscapes, and cultural collections.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

I know people are sick and tired of rip-off discounts and subscription traps. Westminster has got used to telling people that everyday hassles like this are just part of life. I don’t think that’s right, especially when the cost of living continues to weigh heavily on so many people’s lives.  I’m determined to pull every single lever we can to provide people with some room to breathe on the cost of living. 

We’re putting an end to phoney bargains. If something is advertised as half price, it should actually be half price. We’re also making it as easy to leave a subscription as it is to join.

These are just two of the everyday fixes we’re going to be rolling out – today is just the start. We want to put more money in people’s pockets and give people hope that politics really can work for them and their everyday lives.

The Prime Minister is determined to use every chance he gets to restore fairness and take pressure off people. This is the start of a series of practical, everyday fixes that will put more money in people’s pockets, give them greater peace of mind, and make life a little easier.

This follows his week-one action to cap bus fares and make energy bills more affordable for millions of households. 

A consultation will launch this autumn to assess whether tactics such as fake “was” prices, invented discounts and misleading recommended retail prices (RRPs) should be added to the list of practices banned under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA).

Under current laws, it can be difficult for enforcers to take on these cases. Adding these tactics to this list would mean they will automatically be considered unfair, making it easier to crack down while making rules simpler for businesses to follow.

Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

There’s nothing worse than realising you’ve been fleeced by a dodgy deal, or seen money leaving your account because of a subscription you didn’t want to renew or couldn’t easily cancel.

This Government is on the side of families working hard to make ends meet, while making sure the rules are clear for businesses and easy to follow.

Sue Davies MBE, Head of Consumer Rights Policy at Which?, said:

Which? has repeatedly exposed businesses, including trusted household brands, ripping off customers with dodgy deals that aren’t what they seem – but regulators have often found it too difficult to take action. It’s great news that the government intends to tighten up the law and explicitly ban misleading pricing practices, while putting an end to subscription traps.

The government must implement these rules swiftly to give consumers much-needed protection against sneaky pricing tactics and hold businesses to account with tough enforcement, including fines, if they fall short.

Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:

For too long consumers have been tricked into paying for products or services they don’t use – or didn’t even want to begin with – costing millions of pounds each year. So we really welcome the government’s move to speed up action on subscription traps and look at banning other tactics firms use to catch consumers out.

At Citizens Advice, we’ve sounded the alarm on this for years, because we know subscription traps and sneaky online practices that hit consumers’ pockets hard are a widespread problem. We previously found that over 13 million people (26% of UK adults) accidentally took out a subscription in a year. 

People shouldn’t have to waste their time and effort avoiding dubious online tactics and fixing unwanted purchases and sign-ups. Today’s announcement is an important move, but it can’t be the end of the story. We look forward to seeing the detail in the consultation on deceptive online pricing and how it will ensure consumers are protected and treated fairly.

Helen Undy OBE, CEO of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, said:

It can be hard for anyone to spot a misleading discount, but this is particularly difficult for people with mental health problems who can struggle with concentration, impulsivity and decision-making, which can make it harder to resist pressure selling tactics and compare prices to get a fair deal.

This group is already at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis – people with mental health problems are three times as likely to currently be behind on some or all household bills – so it’s good news that the government is taking action to help tight budgets go further, and it’s important that it happens quickly. 

It’s also encouraging to see that the subscription trap protections will be brought forward. We know that the symptoms of mental health problems such as increased impulsivity and memory problems, can contribute to someone signing up without realising and forgetting about a subscription. We’ve long argued that it should be as easy to cancel a subscription as it is to sign up – and as ever the proof will be in how companies put this into practice. 

Today’s announcement is good news – however, subscription traps and misleading discounts are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to unfair practices that make it harder to get a fair deal when you’re struggling with your mental health. We look forward to working with the government to see what further action can be taken in future.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 4 August 2026.

The Prime Minister has ordered that rape, serious child sex and other grooming offences will be barred from upcoming changes to prison sentences, protecting the public from these dangerous criminals.

• Prime Minister blocks cuts to sentences for rape, serious child sex and other grooming offences
• Prime Minister wanted to go even further, but can’t without the prison system collapsing, putting the public at greater risk
• Offenders will now face tougher community supervision and new GPS monitoring for rapists to restrict movements
• New package to give victims stronger, specialist support and better access to information

The Prime Minister has ordered that rape, serious child sex and other grooming offences will be barred from upcoming changes to prison sentences, protecting the public from these dangerous criminals.

This follows the Prime Minister halting planned changes to sentencing and demanding the policy be reconsidered within days of coming into office.

After listening to victims’ concerns, rape and serious child sex offences, including vile grooming gang offences, will now be blocked from the upcoming sentencing changes, meaning these dangerous criminals will see no change to their custodial sentence and stay locked up for longer. 

The changes mean rape and child sexual offences will be added to the exclusions that were already in place for 18,000 offenders, including those who have been found by a court to be the most dangerous or anyone serving a life sentence.

The Prime Minister wanted to go even further, and he recognises that people will be worried about other offenders being released. The significant changes he is making go as far as possible without putting the prison system at risk of collapse, which would put the public at greater risk. 

The Prime Minister has insisted that offenders face tough new surveillance after leaving prison. There will be a presumption that all offenders are tagged, tougher periods of supervision and robust new rules, including restriction zones for offenders. He has also been clear that victims must be placed at the heart of the justice system, announcing a new package of victim support – backed by £10 million – to provide better, trauma-informed contact. This is alongside a new national helpline and efforts to contact all affected victims to offer information and support. 

A lack of investment in the prisons estate for over a decade has led to a situation where adult male prisons are now at 98% capacity. That’s why the Government will take decisive action to fix the broken prison system, with prison building moving at the fastest rate since the Victoria era, with 14,000 new prison places expected by 2031.

The Prime Minister has also asked the Justice Secretary to move rapidly on scoping and accelerating the next generation of prisons, providing a long-term shift in capacity to resolve this crisis. He has also asked the Justice Secretary to look at how we can remove foreign offenders from our prisoners faster and in greater numbers, review outdated Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences and free up space in the women’s prison estate.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

Keeping the public safe is my top priority. That’s why I asked for an urgent review of the prisoner release scheme. I fully understand the anger, anxiety and distress that’s been caused. I’ve heard that loud and clear. That’s why we’re making significant changes: offenders who have been sentenced for rape, serious child sex offences and other grooming offences will be excluded from the changes.

I want to be honest – I wanted to go even further as I know there will still be concerns about other offenders having their sentence shortened. But it’s not possible without the prison system reaching capacity and collapsing, which would put public safety at much greater risk. That’s why we will also be introducing much tougher community measures. There will be a presumption that all offenders are tagged, longer periods of supervision and tough new rules, including restriction zones for offenders.

As a country, we haven’t invested in the prison estate when we should have, going back over a decade. This has created an unacceptable situation, with our adult male prisons now at 98 per cent capacity. For too long, the problems facing our prison system have been ignored – and it’s the victims who have been paying the price. That is not good enough. My government will deliver the fastest prison building programme since the Victorian era and do what’s necessary to fix the prison crisis.

Justice Secretary Alex Norris:

The Prime Minister and I have reviewed these reforms, listened to the concerns and gone further to protect victims.

These are decisions no Minister would ever want to take but it is right these sickening crimes are excluded from these reforms. Victims will also have access to better support and reassurance that offenders leaving prison face tougher supervision and punishment.

Ministers are also delaying wider releases from prison under the Sentencing Act from September to October, giving probation staff have time to plan for releases and that victims can have a say in the restrictions placed on offenders.

The Sentencing Act will restore order to the prison system and make sure we have cells available for dangerous criminals. This will put an end to the use of repeated early release schemes prior to July 2024, which were emergency, temporary measures forced upon successive governments because of repeated capacity crises.

The changes also introduce a new progression model which will end automatic release for badly behaved offenders. Those who break the rules or are violent behind bars face spending 100% of their sentence locked up.

Additional information:

Under tough new probation measures, a stricter punishment package in the community will create a prison outside prison for offenders, to better protect the public, including:

• Near real-time electronic monitoring data for probation staff to track offender movements. 
• Alerts warning offenders if they risk breaching an exclusion zone. 
• Random drug testing for 1,000 offenders every month. 
• Moves to double the number of regions using chemical suppression to help manage the drivers of sexual offending.
• We are also giving probation the power to ban offenders from driving, pubs and events such as football matches.

To further boost victim protection, offenders convicted of rape or serious child sex offences who have served their full time in prison will now face stronger surveillance after leaving prison, including:

• GPS trail monitoring for 12 months, giving probation constant access to their location via GPS tag.
• Strengthened community supervision, keeping them in the highest probation supervision tiers, with close contact and oversight
• Mandatory consideration of referral to Approved Premises, probation’s most secure community accommodation.
• Offenders flagged as having links to organised child sexual exploitation, such as grooming gangs, will be subject to tougher management. They will now face stricter supervision, including elevated risk assessments, stronger multi-agency plans and robust licence conditions.

The stronger package of support for victims includes:

• Increased and improved contact to all affected victims, regardless of sentence length, offence or if they are in the Victim Contact Scheme. Previously just victims who opted in to the Scheme were able to be contacted.
• A £10m boost for victim support to fund extra local frontline services for victims to get trauma-focussed support. 
• A pause in commencement to ensure more victims are informed and, where they can be reached, have a say on licence conditions, including exclusion zones and restrictions to make them feel safer.
• A dedicated victim helpline available by October for all those affected by the reforms to provide emotional support and practical guidance. 

The Government has already announced £100m of additional funding so prison leavers are tagged on release, and are banned from attending public events, pubs and clubs. This is all part of a record £700m investment into probation and community punishment, with 1,300 extra probation officers.

The changes introduced in the Sentencing Act are part of a new framework which balances the need to keep the system in balance and protect the public.

The Progression Model, a measure introduced in the Sentencing Act, is now due to come into force on 1 October 2026, and will bring forward the following changes:  

• Offenders serving standard determinate sentences with an automatic release of forty or fifty percent, the earliest release point will now be one third.   
• For those serving standard determinate sentences with an automatic release point of two thirds, their earliest possible release will now be one half. Until 2020 release at two-thirds for these offenders was not possible and the release point for all standard determinate sentences was halfway.
• Rape and child sexual offences will be excluded. 
• Offenders found by the court to be the most dangerous – those on indeterminate sentences like life or Extended Determinate Sentences – are excluded.  
• They will not be released any earlier than they are now and will remain subject to Parole Board review.     
• Over 18,000 offenders serving more serious sentences will not be released early. 
• For others, the earlier release point is theirs to lose: if they break the rules and behave badly, they will stay locked up for longer and potentially for 100% of their sentence. 
• The number of individuals released in each tranche will depend on the makeup of the prison population, which will continue to evolve between now and implementation.