Tag: Home Office

The press release issued by the Home Office on 1 April 2026.

New law will target those who harass women and girls in public because of their sex.

Everyone will be safer to walk the streets freely without fear of public sexual harassment after the government brought in a powerful new law today.

For far too long, women and girls in particular have been expected to endure obscene comments, threats of sexual violence, and unnecessary, threatening invasions of their personal space to intimidate them in public.

These behaviours can force women and girls to change their routes, routines and behaviour just to feel safe. The perpetrators can all too often leave their victims feeling anxious, shattering their confidence, and forcing them to stay on high alert just to go about their lives freely. Too often, when this behaviour goes unchecked, we know that it can form part of a wider pattern of behaviour involving more serious crimes.

This government will not tolerate this. We have declared violence against women and girls a national emergency and are using the full power of the state to tackle these crimes with the seriousness they deserve, stepping in early to stop harassment escalating into more serious violence.

The new sex-based harassment offence introduced today gives police stronger powers to act decisively. It covers intentional harassment directed at someone because of their sex including where perpetrators target women and girls in public places, including streets, parks, public transport, taxis, shops and other everyday spaces.

Crucially, the law, which began as a Private Members’ Bill brought in by Greg Clark and Lord Wolfson of Tredegar, sees perpetrators receiving tougher consequences, including up to 2 years behind bars.

The government will work closely with police, frontline organisations, and campaign groups to ensure the new law is enforced robustly.

Police will follow new statutory guidance published today so the law is applied consistently across England and Wales, ensuring offenders have nowhere to hide and face real consequences.

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

The sad reality is that many women and girls have been cornered, leered at or shouted at in public, or have faced intimidating threats of violence.

Too often they’ve been made to feel like it’s their problem to manage. That is not good enough.

Instead of forcing women and girls to change their behaviour, we are going after those who choose to target and intimidate them.

These new laws put the focus on perpetrators. If you harass someone in public because of their sex, it will not be tolerated and you can face a criminal record and up to 2 years behind bars.

Rose Caldwell, the CEO at Plan International UK, said:

Everyone deserves to move through public spaces without fear. For too long, girls and young women have been left alone to navigate harassment that chips away at their confidence, dignity and freedom. Today marks a long-overdue shift that will make a genuine difference to their lives.

As the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act comes into force, we now have clear guidance that names these behaviours for what they are: illegal and unacceptable. Girls shouldn’t have to fear uninvited touching on public transport or accept that it’s ‘just the way things are’ when they get catcalled on the street.

This is a win for all those who campaigned for safer streets and really matters in a world where we are seeing women and girls’ rights increasingly under attack. We’ll keep advocating to ensure victims feel safe to report this crime and continue banging the drum that this must be paired with prevention. This includes tackling misogyny early in our schools. Without addressing root causes of sexual harassment, we won’t fix the system that holds us all back from a fairer world.

Georgia Theodoulou, Director of Advocacy at Our Streets Now, said:

As a grassroots organisation, we are extremely proud to have affected legal change in the UK, which is testament to the power of young campaigners and the MPs and lawyers who supported us over the years.

We know that whilst this sends a message that public sexual harassment will no longer be normalised for so many women and girls, the law alone will not change the problematic culture we still live in.

We will carry this success forward in our preventative education work with professionals and young people in the UK.

Michael Kill, CEO of Night Time Industries Association, said:

This is a significant and welcome step forward in tackling behaviour that has too often been normalised or dismissed. No one should feel unsafe or intimidated simply for going about their daily life, and it is right that the focus is now firmly on those who perpetrate this conduct rather than those who endure it.

From an industry perspective, particularly across the night-time economy, we recognise both the responsibility and the opportunity to support these measures. Venues, transport providers and security teams all play a vital role in creating safer public spaces, and clear legislation strengthens the framework we operate within.

However, legislation alone is not enough. Consistent enforcement, public awareness, and partnership between government, police and businesses will be key to making this meaningful in practice.

This must mark the beginning of a cultural shift where harassment is not tolerated anywhere, at any time.

Plan UK, Our Streets Now and organisations across the violence against women and girls sector have long called for stronger action on public sexual harassment, and today’s commencement delivers on what campaigners have been urging for years.

This legislation reflects the tireless work of VAWG charities, survivors and advocates who have consistently highlighted the harm caused by public sexual harassment and pushed for meaningful change.

The rollout of the law is a key delivery milestone from the government’s violence against women and girls strategy published in December, which focuses on prevention, early intervention and relentless action against offenders.

Other sweeping measures in the strategy include ensuring there are specialist rape and serious sexual offence teams in every police force to ensure rapists and serious sexual offenders are tracked down and brought to justice.

At the same time, the government is tackling violence before it starts, with new lessons to challenge misogyny and promote healthy relationships in schools, stronger guidance on teenage relationship abuse, and early intervention to challenge harmful attitudes among boys and young men.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 26 March 2026.

Miners and campaigners will finally get the answers they deserve as the government launches an inquiry into the violent events at Orgreave in 1984.

From today (26 March), the inquiry will begin investigating the violence that arose between police and picketing miners at Orgreave Coking Plant on 18 June 1984, resulting in 95 arrests and scores of injuries. Those arrested were charged with riot and unlawful assembly, but all charges were later dropped after police evidence was discredited.

The terms of reference, which have been published today, were developed in consultation with the Chair, the Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox, the Bishop of Sheffield, informed by his engagement with campaigners, policing bodies, and local representatives.

The inquiry will focus on securing and disclosing historical material so that the full picture can finally be understood. Using its statutory powers where necessary, it will have access to relevant records including those held by police, central and local government, trade unions, media organisations, and other public and private bodies.

The inquiry will seek to establish what happened at Orgreave by examining:

Planning undertaken by the police and government for the policing of the demonstration at Orgreave on 18 June 1984: This includes relevant decision-making in the leadup to the day.

What happened on the day and afterwards: The inquiry will examine the events at Orgreave on 18 June 1984, the immediate aftermath, and the lasting impact on individuals and communities, as well as the public narrative.

What happened to those arrested: This includes the charging decisions and prosecutions, all of which collapsed after police evidence was discredited.

The inquiry will also establish a publicly accessible digital archive of disclosed material. This approach reflects the strong views of campaigners that transparency must sit at the heart of the inquiry.

Minister of State for Policing and Crime, Sarah Jones MP, said:

For more than four decades miners, their families and their communities have lived with unanswered questions about what happened at Orgreave. Today we have delivered on our promise to these tireless campaigners to ensure the facts finally come to light.

The terms of the inquiry have been shaped by the Chair’s close engagement with campaigners, and they place transparency at the very heart of the panel’s work.

I am confident that they will bring the independence, expertise and balance needed to uncover the truth of what happened — however difficult that truth may be.

The Right Reverend Dr Pete Wilcox, Chair of the Inquiry said:

I am very pleased the Orgreave Inquiry, announced by the UK government in July 2025, is now live.

In reaching this point, the government has approved the Terms of Reference and confirmed the Panel to support me as Chair; and I am fully satisfied with both.

These foundations allow us to begin the inquiry’s work with confidence, and engagement with stakeholders will begin immediately.

I am acutely aware of the weight of expectation placed on this inquiry. It is my ambition, with the panel, to deliver an outstanding inquiry as swiftly as thoroughness will allow.

The Orgreave inquiry was a government manifesto commitment to ensure the truth about the events at Orgreave comes to light. The inquiry will be carried out independently by the Chair and its carefully selected panel.

The 4 panel members who will support the Bishop in delivering the inquiry have been confirmed today as:

Wendy Williams CBE, a former chief prosecutor in the Crown Prosecution Service and, between 2015 – 2024, an Inspector in His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services. She published the report of her independent Windrush Lessons Learned Review in March 2020, and her update report on the Home Office’s response in March 2022. Ms Williams will provide independent insight on police governance, and the decision-making and effectiveness of police forces.

Baroness Mary Bousted, a former senior trade union leader representing teachers, leaders, and support staff and workers. She led the panel which, in April 2025, published the report of its independent review of the Police Federation of England and Wales. Baroness Bousted will provide relevant knowledge and insight concerning the strategic and operational leadership and management of trades unions.

Doctor Joanna Gilmore, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of York, whose research expertise includes public order law, human rights and policing policy. Drawing on her socio-legal and historical research into the 1984-85 miners’ strike, Dr Gilmore will contribute analysis of the broader societal, legal and political issues arising from the events at Orgreave.

Doctor Angie Sutton-Vane, a historian with extensive experience in evidence-based research, historical accountability and the archiving, preservation of and access to police force records. Dr Sutton-Vane will provide expertise on the interpretation of historical records, particularly those of the police.

This panel has been carefully selected to ensure the inquiry is independent, fair, and equipped with the necessary expertise.

Chris Kitchen, General Secretary, National Union of Mineworkers said:

The National Union of Mineworkers welcomes the government’s announcement today launching the inquiry into the battle of Orgreave, delivering on a long-standing manifesto commitment.

We have full confidence that the Chair, Rt Reverend Dr. Pete Wilcox, and the panel members, have the knowledge required to get to the truth about what happened, why it happened, who orchestrated the events at Orgreave on 18 June 1984, and why no one was held accountable. The NUM are fully committed to assisting the inquiry in its work.

Our hope is that once the truth has been brought to light, those directly and indirectly affected can finally start to move on.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 20 March 2026.

Entering a football match without a ticket will become a criminal offence this weekend, with offenders facing a banning order alongside up to £1,000 fine.

Football fans who try to enter grounds without a ticket will face lengthy banning orders and hefty fines under strict new laws that come into force this weekend. 

The government and authorities have teamed up as part of the clampdown on ‘tailgating’ – where supporters force their way through stadium turnstiles by staying closely behind legitimate ticket holders. 

Bespoke new laws will be in place from Sunday ahead of the Carabao Cup Final between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley. The national stadium was the scene of serious disorder at the Euro 2020 Final as thousands of ticketless hooligans smashed their way in using this tactic. 

The new act makes it illegal to enter a football match without a ticket, stopping tailgating and forced entry to keep fans and matchday staff safe. It will also be illegal to knowingly attempt to gain entry using forged tickets, passes and accreditation documents, or by posing as a member of stadium or playing staff.

Until now, there were no specific legal penalties for entering a football match without a ticket – a gap this act firmly closes. 

Offenders will be arrested and face a football banning order of up to 5 years – preventing repeat offenders for jeopardising public safety – and a fine of up to £1,000.

Tailgating and forced entry puts fans at risks, particularly at sold out or high-profile fixtures. They can cause overcrowding and injury, divert police resource away from other critical areas, and increase tension between legitimate ticket holders and ticketless fans.  

Crime and Policing Minister, Sarah Jones, said:  

Football fans should be able to enjoy the game without feeling unsafe or threatened. We’re giving the police the tools they need to ensure the chaos we saw at Wembley 5 years ago never happens again.  

Anyone who endangers others by forcing their way into stadiums faces serious consequences.

In response to the Euro 2020 final, the Football Association (FA) commissioned Baroness Louise Casey to undertake an independent review into the disorder at Euro 2020.  

The review recommended strengthening the legal framework to deter football-related disorder, including tailgating and forced entry.  

A government-sponsored Private Member’s Bill was introduced by Linsey Farnsworth, Labour MP for Amber Valley.  

With England and Wales set to co-host Euro 2028, the Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act will tackle these risks now so that fans can enjoy world-class football safely. 

Baroness Casey of Blackstock said:

Forcing your way into a football match without a ticket isn’t harmless. It jeopardises the safety of legitimate fans and staff. 

Making tailgating a criminal offence makes it clear that this behaviour is dangerous, won’t be tolerated and those who do it will face consequences.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 19 March 2026.

The UK makes it quicker to return Nigerians with no legal right to remain.

Visa overstayers, foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers will be removed from British soil far more easily under a new agreement struck this week during the state visit of Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu.

UK letters, an alternative identification document issued to individuals without a valid passport and used to support the return of people with no right to remain in the UK, will be recognised by the Nigerian government for the first time.

The agreement, reached between the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, removes one of the major administrative hurdles to returning people, meaning the UK will no longer have to wait for emergency travel documents to be issued by Nigeria.

The new deal adds to the sweeping reforms the Home Secretary has made to the UK immigration system to secure the UK’s borders and remove incentives attracting illegal migrants to Britain.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris said: 

Anyone who abuses our systems, breaks our laws or tries to cheat their way into Britain will be stopped and removed.

Today’s agreement is another step in our mission to restore order to the border by ensuring those who have no right to be here are swiftly removed.

Nigeria is a key partner in our work to tackle illegal migration, as the UK’s largest African visa market and home to thousands of Nigerians who have built their lives here. We owe everyone across the system fairness.

Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said:  

For us, as a country, we keep saying that we are totally committed to being a responsible country in fulfilling our core obligations.

It is good that we are starting this with the UK. This relationship with the UK means a lot to Nigeria. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown great commitment to this.

So it is one relationship that we aim to be able to sustain for generations yet to come. And for us to sustain that relationship, we must remember: ‘He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.’ So we need to be as open and as fair as possible.

Hopefully, this strengthened partnership will be a template for other bilateral understandings.

The agreement marks a shared commitment to safe, fair and well‑managed migration. Annual returns to Nigeria have nearly doubled to 1,150. Returns and deportations of illegal migrants and foreign criminals from the UK have reached nearly 60,000 since the 2024 election.

A further agreement to launch joint operations and share information has been reached to crack down on criminal gangs abusing visa routes, making sure all arrivals are genuine and ready to contribute.

Following a series of high‑profile cases involving fake job sponsorships, sham marriages and forged financial or employment records, a new standardised document‑checking system will verify the authenticity of applications. Nigeria will also review its laws to tackle immigration crime, ensuring the toughest possible sentences are handed down to offenders.

The UK has strengthened its commitment to protecting Nigerian women and children at risk of exploitation, while improving business‑visa schemes to help UK and Nigerian companies pursue investment opportunities aimed at driving economic growth.

A new partnership targeting online scammers involved in romance fraud, investment scams and cryptocurrency schemes will also deliver stronger protections for the UK public. The new “fusion cell” model will bring together public‑sector bodies, banks, tech firms and communications companies to rapidly share intelligence on criminal tactics so swift action can be taken.

The UK’s National Economic Crime Centre already uses this fusion‑cell model with strong results, including more than 400 arrests and £7.5 million seized under Operation Henhouse in February 2025.

Today’s partnership will build on work already disrupting high‑harm fraud networks, preventing millions in losses and protecting vulnerable people across the UK. Earlier this year, National Crime Agency officers and the Nigerian Police Force worked with Meta to uncover hundreds of cryptocurrency‑linked social media accounts used to target UK residents, leading to the arrest of 7 suspects in Agbor, Nigeria.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 19 February 2026.

Government announces a record £73.4 million in funding in 2026 to 2027 for protective security at Jewish, Muslim, and other faith sites.

Faith communities across the UK can feel safer, thanks to record levels of funding for protective security announced today.

Up to £73.4 million in funding will be available in 2026 to 2027 through the government’s different protective security schemes for Jewish, Muslim and other faith sites. This funding will pay for on-site security staff and equipment such as CCTV, fencing, intruder alarms and floodlights. 

Up to £28.4 million will be available through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, which is managed by the Community Security Trust (CST), for measures at synagogues, Jewish schools and community centres. 

Up to £40 million will be available through the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, which supports mosques, Muslim schools and community centres.

Eligible organisations can apply on a rolling basis directly with the Home Office. 

Last October, the Prime Minister announced the Jewish and Muslim protective security schemes would receive an additional £10 million uplift in 2025 to 2026 to respond to increased threats. Today’s announcement confirms those record funding levels will be maintained through next year.

Meanwhile, the Places of Worship Protective Security Scheme, which is for all non-Jewish or Muslim faiths, will receive an uplift of £1.5 million, bringing the total available to protect Christian, Hindu, Sikh, and other faith sites to a record £5 million.

The next application window for this scheme will open later this year.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:

Nobody should be forced to live a smaller life in this country because of their faith. 

The funding we have announced today will protect places of worship, faith-based schools and community centres across the country. 

This government will never tolerate religious hatred or intimidation.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

We are ensuring record funding to protect faith communities all across the UK.

This goes further than cameras and alarms, it’s about restoring peace of mind and sending the message: religious persecution and intolerance has no place in Britain.

Hate crime sits at unacceptable levels across the UK. The 2025 hate crime statistics for England and Wales show overall religious hate crime was at all-time record levels. Jewish people were proportionately more affected by these shameful crimes, while 45% of all religious hate crimes last year targeted Muslims. Meanwhile, statistics published by the CST last week show that antisemitic incidents in 2025 were at their second-highest levels since the CST began keeping records.

Local police forces have also stepped up patrols in at-risk areas, and we have given police more powers and resources to manage repeat, intimidating protests, investigate religious hate crimes, and support communities who feel targeted.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 12 February 2026.

Border Force and police seizures of ketamine and cannabis at all-time high and Border Force ramps up the return of foreign smugglers.

Seizures of ketamine, cannabis and nitrous oxide are at an all-time high following a record-breaking year of interceptions by Border Force and police. 

Cocaine interceptions by police are also at record levels with 23,706 seizures in the year to March 2025.  

Almost 150 tonnes of illegal drugs – equivalent to two Boeing 737s – with a street value of £2.6 billion was seized by Border Force. This is a 40% increase on the total quantity seized in the previous year and the highest since records began. 

Border Force and police forces intercepted drugs on a record-breaking 269,000 occasions – an increase of 24% on the previous year.  

The seizures come as new data shows the success of an innovative pilot to immediately remove foreign cannabis smugglers from the UK.   

Border Force’s ‘Seize and Return’ policy, introduced last year, allows officers to return cannabis traffickers to their country of origin, often within hours of arriving. 

To date, 165 criminals responsible for smuggling over 4 tonnes of cannabis into UK airports have been returned.  

This has saved British taxpayers an estimated £11.4million – easing pressure on the prison estate, preventing foreign offenders clogging up the courts system and heading off any potential asylum claims. The scheme has now been rolled out across England and Wales. 

Cannabis was present in 93% of all drugs seized by Border Force in the year ending March 2025, with over 62,000 illegal imports intercepted.  

A record 4 million doses of nitrous oxide was seized by Border Force and police, representing a 2,185% increase from last year.  

The same year also saw a surge in criminals attempting to smuggle ketamine into Britain. The total quantity seized by Border Force and police increased by 55% from the previous year to 1.3 tonnes. 

Home Office Minister Mike Tapp said:  

Drug seizures are at a record high under this government – with British law enforcement depriving evil gangs of almost £3billion worth in one year alone. 

Every seizure strikes a blow at the heart of organised crime and stops dangerous drugs from inflicting misery on our communities.  

We will continue to do whatever it takes to secure Britain’s borders against those doing harm to our country.

Border Force Director General Phil Douglas said:  

Our innovative Seize and Return policy is delivering real results – removing smugglers within hours, saving taxpayers millions, and freeing up our officers to pursue the organised crime gangs that cause the most harm. 

Border Force will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of dangerous criminal networks and disruption of drug supply. 

Working in partnership, police forces, Border Force, the National Crime Agency and international partners use intelligence and technology to keep the UK’s borders safe, prevent drug trafficking and bring those responsible to justice.    

Border Force has also intensified efforts to tackle drug smuggling at sea as organised crime groups attempt to use maritime routes and a range of methodologies, including ‘at-sea-drop-offs’ to smuggle drugs into the country.  

In January last year, 1.5 tonnes of cocaine with a street value of just under £60 million was detected on a vessel arriving into Dover from Peru.  

Officers use a range of methods including hi-tech search equipment to detect and stop illegal and restricted goods that criminals attempt to bring into the country.  Border Force also employs specialist officers trained to conduct deep searches of ships and vessels.  

Organised crime gangs are increasingly using expensive equipment to conceal drugs in the hope that law enforcement will be deterred by the potential costs involved with destroying it. In September last year, Border Force outsmarted criminals who hid one tonne of cocaine in two industrial generators valued at £720,000.   

Under the Plan for Change, Border Force will continue to build on last year’s success through ongoing operations targeting drug smuggling networks.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 9 February 2026.

Government expands Hong Kong British National (Overseas) route.

Thousands more Hong Kongers will be able to build new lives in Britain as the government strengthens safe and legal routes to the UK.

Adult children of British National (Overseas) status holders who were under 18 at the time of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to China will now be eligible to apply for the route independently of their parents. 

Their partners and children will also be able to move to the UK under the expanded route. It is estimated 26,000 people will arrive in the UK over the next 5 years.

The expansion honours the UK’s historic commitment to the people of Hong Kong and comes amid continuing deterioration of rights and freedoms in the territory. 

Today’s sentencing of Jimmy Lai, a British citizen, for 20 years, shows how the Beijing-imposed National Security Law has criminalised dissent, prompting many to leave the territory. The Prime Minister raised Mr Lai’s case directly with President Xi during his visit, opening up discussion of the UK’s most acute concerns directly with the Chinese government, at the highest levels. Now that the sentencing has happened, the government will rapidly engage further on Mr Lai’s case.

In November, the Home Secretary further affirmed her commitment to Hong Kongers by confirming they will retain a 5-year pathway to permanent UK settlement – compared to a new standard baseline of 10 years’ residence for most other migrants.

As part of the most sweeping reforms to the asylum system in a generation, the government has announced plans to create new humanitarian routes for those genuinely fleeing war and persecution. The capped routes will offer safe and legal alternatives to dangerous small boat crossings to people around the world and be established once order has been restored to Britain’s borders.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:  

This country will always honour its historic commitment to the people of Hong Kong.

We are proud to have already provided a safe haven to almost 170,000 Hong Kongers since 2021. In the face of the continued deterioration of rights and freedoms, we are now expanding eligibility so more families can build new lives here.

While we must restore order and control to our borders, the British people will always welcome those in genuine need of sanctuary.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

Though Hong Kong’s rights and freedoms continue to erode, this government’s support for its people remains steadfast, and that’s why we are ensuring that young people who missed out on resettlement protection because of their age will now be covered.

Since the BN(O) route was launched, over 230,000 people have been granted a visa and almost 170,000 have moved to the UK.

The route’s expansion closes a gap in eligibility that has led to unfair outcomes within families, with some children able to resettle and others not.

In September, the government extended the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme by another year. The UK has offered a safe place to live for 310,000 Ukrainians and their families while the war with Russia continues.

Since 2021, the UK has also welcomed over 37,000 Afghans and their families, including over 12,000 who supported British troops during operations in the country.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 6 February 2026.

Illegal migrants and criminals from 3 African countries will be deported following a threat by the Home Secretary to shut down their visas to Britain.

A month after the Home Secretary threatened visa penalties, Namibia and Angola agreed to cooperate on returns. The Home Secretary has now secured cooperation from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) just weeks after she stripped VIPs and decision makers of preferential visa treatment, as well as revoking fast-track visa processing services for all nationals. 

Within 3 months, cooperation has been secured, and flights are already off the ground, showcasing the effectiveness of threatening visa penalties. These results show successful delivery of reforms set out by the Home Secretary in November, marking a major step forward in restoring order and control to the immigration system.  

While Angola, Namibia and DRC are now cooperating on returns, other countries are still frustrating the returns process and not taking back their nationals who have no right to remain in the UK.

The Home Secretary has been clear that those who refuse to work with the UK on returns cannot expect a normal visa relationship, with further threats expected where countries are not cooperating.  

The new approach follows the Prime Minister urging departments to pull every lever possible to restore order and control to the immigration system, and adopting a more transactional approach with countries depending on their cooperation on returns.

Removals of illegal migrants with no right to be in the UK are at an all-time high, with 58,500 people removed or deported since this government came into power, and now over 3,000 nationals from these 3 countries could be eligible due to the cooperation received.  

The move forms part of sweeping reforms being delivered by the Home Secretary to rip away the incentives that draw illegal migrants to Britain and ramp up removals of those with no right to be in the country.  

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood MP said: 

My message is clear, if foreign governments refuse to accept the return of their citizens, then they will face consequences. 

Illegal migrants and dangerous criminals will now be removed and deported back to Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  

I will do what it takes to restore order and control to our borders.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 26 January 2026.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced the largest reforms to policing since the police service was founded two centuries ago.

The  largest reforms to policing since forces were professionalised 2 centuries ago have been announced today (26 January) by the Home Secretary.

A white paper titled ‘From local to national: a new model for policing’, outlines a radical blueprint for reform, so local forces protect their community and national policing protects us all.

Force mergers

The government will launch a review into dramatically reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales.

Consolidating the current model will make the police more cost-efficient, giving the taxpayer more value for money, while also ensuring a less fragmented system that will better serve the public and make them safer.

This is a moment to reset policing’s focus and return to its core principles – restoring neighbourhood policing and tackling local crime by delivering a structural overhaul to meet the demands of the modern world. 

National Police Service

A new nationwide police force will be established to fight the most complex and serious crimes.

The new National Police Service will attract world-class talent and use state of the art technology to fight complex and serious crimes, lifting the burden on overstretched local forces and allowing them to focus on catching local criminals.

The service will bring the capabilities of the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, regional organised crime units, police helicopters and national roads policing under a single organisation.

As one force, it will be better equipped to share technology, intelligence and resources to stop the growing threat from crime that has become increasingly complex, digital, online and with no respect for constabulary borders.

A national police commissioner will be appointed to lead the force and will serve as the most senior police officer in the country.

It will enable local officers to spend more time supporting victims of crime and delivering neighbourhood policing, rather than navigating the forensics system.

This will give victims confidence as their case will be supported by world‑class specialist expertise, and the latest technology, no matter where they live.

Part of the new National Police Service’s remit will be to take on responsibility for forensics from the 43 local forces with direction set centrally from the new organisation.

Demand for specialist digital forensics means there are 20,000 devices awaiting analysis at any time. The service will deal with these backlogs and help the police keep up with the ever-increasing pace of change in technology.

Frontline policing will save £350 million by scrapping outdated procurement approaches, which will instead be used to fight crime.

Under the current localised model, each of the 43 forces often procure technology, equipment and clothing themselves, meaning 43 different teams undertaking the same work.

The new National Police Service will end this inefficiency, taking on the responsibility for shared services, equipment and IT.

The National Police Service will buy equipment once on behalf of all, saving money through economies of scale and reinvesting the savings back into frontline policing to go after criminals.

Accountability and standards

Ministers will be handed new powers to intervene directly in failing forces, sending in specialist teams to turn them around so they fight crime more effectively.  

If crime solving rates or police response times are poor, the Home Secretary will be able to send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, so they catch more criminals.  

The Home Secretary will restore the power to sack failing chief constables. New laws will hand ministers statutory powers to force the retirement, resignation or suspension of chief constables if they are poorly performing. 

The forces will also be directly accountable to the public, with new targets on 999 response times, victim satisfaction, public trust and confidence. These results will be published and forces graded so communities can compare. 

To further reinforce accountability, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire & Rescue Services will gain statutory powers to issue directions when forces fail to act on its recommendations. 

Alongside these force-wide measures, the government will also ensure the highest standards from individual officers. To strengthen safeguards and ensure those unfit for policing are kept out of the profession, the government will introduce laws to impose robust, mandatory vetting standards for all police forces, ensuring the public is protected.  

These new standards will enable forces to exclude those with a caution or conviction for violence against women and girls offences from policing.

Stronger requirements on forces to suspend officers who are under investigation for these crimes will also be introduced. 

Police officers will be required to hold and renew a licence throughout their career so they learn new skills as criminal techniques evolve.  

The Licence to Practise will ensure officers are best equipped with problem solving and technological skills they need to catch more criminals. 

Drawn from other professions such as lawyers and doctors, officers will have to demonstrate that they have the skills needed to fight crime. Those who fail to reach the required standard, following opportunities to try again, will be removed from the profession.

Neighbourhood policing

Under new reforms, response officers will be expected to reach the scene of the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in cities and 20 minutes in rural areas, and forces will be expected to answer 999 phone calls within 10 seconds. 

These new targets will ensure that all forces provide the same level of police response to crimes. 

Currently, data on response times is collected differently across forces, and police are not held accountable if targets are not met. Reforming the system will create more transparency and consistency across the country.

Where forces fail to deliver, the Home Secretary will send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, including when unmet response‑time targets are part of broader systemic failing.

To fight everyday crime, the government will ramp up its pledge to restore visible neighbourhood policing and patrols in communities through an extension of its Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. 

This has already placed named, contactable officers in each neighbourhood. Under the extension, every council ward in England and Wales will have its own named, contactable officers, creating more local points of contact and giving officers a deeper understanding of the issues in their area.

Police forces will also recruit the brightest and best from universities in a new recruitment drive to cut crime and catch more criminals.

Modelled on Teach First, the government is investing up to £7 million into the Police Now programme to attract top students from universities into specially trained graduate neighbourhood police officer roles in England and Wales.

Retailers across the country will see a major crackdown on organised crime gangs thanks to £7 million in new government investment aimed at dismantling criminal networks from the ground up.

This funding will supercharge intelligence-led policing to identify offenders, disrupt the tactics used to target shops, and bring more criminals to justice.

Technology

The government is making the largest investment into state-of-the-art police technology in history, with over £140 million to be invested to roll out technologies to catch more criminals and keep our communities safe

The number of live facial recognition vans will increase five-fold, with 50 vans available to every police force in England and Wales to catch violent and sexual offenders.  

The government will also roll out new artificial intelligence (AI) tools which will help forces identify suspects from CCTV, doorbell and mobile phone footage that has been submitted as evidence by the public. 

A new national centre on AI – Police.AI – will be set up to roll out AI to all forces to free officers from paperwork, delivering up to 6 million hours back to the frontline every year – the equivalent of 3,000 police officers. This means more police on the streets fighting crime and catching criminals. 

More tech specialists will work in police forces to outsmart modern criminals and put more fraudsters and organised crime bosses behind bars.   

The move will enable police forces to uncover more vital hidden evidence on phones and laptops to secure more convictions of professional criminals and keep people safer from crimes such as child sexual abuse.   

Public order

A new senior policing role will be introduced to lead the police’s nationwide response to public disorder, and galvanise and co-ordinate responses to major incidents.

The senior national co-ordinator role for public order policing will sit within the new National Police Service. They will not be responsible for local public order responses, which remain within the remit of chief constables, and instead sit at a higher strategic level of oversight, with responsibility for decision-making over the most significant national public disorder, such as the widespread disorder seen in the summer of 2024 and the riots that started in London in 2011. 

While local policing responses will stay the responsibility of chief constables, the new role will provide national oversight and decision-making on mobilisation and resourcing, with enhanced powers to:

• direct resources under mutual aid arrangements and require forces to contribute during major disorder
• ensure mandatory data sharing between forces
• set a national strategy for public order policing
• monitor and implement relevant recommendations from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services

Officer wellbeing

The government will expand the roll out of the dedicated Mental Health Crisis Line so all officers and staff can access mental health support, and have committed to its funding long term.  

Officers and staff in front-facing and high-risk roles will also be offered psychological risk screenings each year so officers suffering can be signposted to the best support when they need it most. 

Trauma tracker software will be made available to every force and ensure senior leaders can identify and support staff at the highest risk and intervene at an earlier stage.  

Mandatory training around resilience and mental health for new recruits and supervisors will be introduced and treated as protected learning time.  

Special constables

Experts in cybersecurity and technology are being encouraged to join the Special Constabulary, as police forces across England and Wales ramp up their efforts to tackle modern crime. 

Since 2012, the number of special constables in England and Wales has fallen year-on-year to just 5,534 as of March 2025. This is down 73% from 20,343 in 2012.  

To reverse this decline, the Home Office will work with policing to streamline the recruitment process for Specials, making it easier for people to volunteer, while maintaining consistent high standards of vetting and training. Steps will also be taken to ensure existing Specials are incentivised to remain in the role, by better integrating them into the wider police force.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 14 January 2026.

The Home Secretary will have the power to sack failing chief constables, under plans announced by Shabana Mahmood today.

The new laws will hand Home Secretaries’ statutory powers to force the retirement, resignation or suspension of chief constables on performance grounds. 

The previous administration removed the power in 2011 through the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.  

Currently, it is only police and crime commissioners who hold the power to dismiss a chief constable.  

This comes after His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary found significant failings amongst the leadership of the West Midlands police after they recommended banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a match against Aston Villa.  

In the statement, the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: 

When a chief constable is responsible for a damaging failure of leadership, the public rightly expect the Home Secretary to act. And I intend to restore their ability to do so.  

This government will soon reintroduce the Home Secretary’s power to dismiss chief constables.

In her statement, Mahmood has pledged to make police leaders accountable to Parliament and the public ahead of sweeping police reforms to be announced later this month.