Tag: Home Office

The press release issued by the Home Office on 18 August 2026.

New AI call-routing system for 101 will get callers to the right service faster, while freeing up police to tackle crime and help victims.

New AI software will slash waiting times for reporting crimes to the police, helping to unclog the 101 service amid huge levels of misdirected, nuisance and prank calls. 

The police’s non-emergency line receives 20 million calls each year. Around 20% – four million – of these are for non-policing organisations such as local councils, NHS 111 or the 105 power outage helpline.  

However, the line also receives ridiculous reports on issues from delayed pizza delivery to slow pub service and requests for a lift, wasting vital time that police should be spending tackling crime.  

Backed by a £1.4 million government investment, the new system will get the public to the right organisation faster, while freeing up call handlers to respond to crime reports, safeguarding concerns and victims more quickly. 

It is estimated that the new system will save policing up to £8.5 million each year, releasing funds for local forces to invest in their most pressing priorities. 

Crime and Policing Minister, Sarah Jones, said:  

Police call handlers are wasting hours fielding calls meant for other organisations. Every minute spent on these calls is time taken away from helping people who genuinely need their support.  

AI is already helping police catch dangerous criminals and speed up investigations. Now, it will help bring control rooms into the 21st century, freeing up time and unlocking millions of pounds. Forces can reinvest those savings into tackling the crime on our streets.

The system has been developed by the Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council, with delivery partner Vodafone Business. It uses an AI model to match why someone is calling 101 to a set of likely reasons, then redirects non-police issues to the correct agency before the caller enters a queue.  

At present, these calls are only identified after someone has spoken to a handler, wasting the caller’s time and increasing wait times for people who need police assistance.  

The new system has been subject to rigorous training and testing by the Home Office and police to ensure its performance is not affected by factors such as callers’ accents and phrasing. During pilots in 15 police forces it successfully diverted non-police issues including damage-only road traffic incidents, fly tipping and noise complaints to the right agencies. 

There are strong safeguards in place to ensure that no one in need of police assistance is ever accidently diverted. Callers are told how the system has understood their reason for calling and must accept or reject this.  

Where the reason for calling falls into a broad category, additional safeguarding questions are asked. If the system is in any doubt, the call is passed directly to the police without delay. Callers will always be able to speak to a handler if they wish.

The use of the system may vary by force, depending on what telephone menu services they already have in place. The current 999 system has not changed.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Contact Operations, A/Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hooper, said: 

This innovation addresses a long-standing challenge in public contact by using AI to triage and redirect non-police calls. It’ll help forces manage demand more effectively, freeing up call handlers to focus on those who genuinely need police support. 

By reducing unnecessary call handling, this system marks a major step forward in modernising how the public interacts with policing – making services more efficient, responsive, and easier to navigate. 

We’re extremely grateful to our partners at the Home Office and Vodafone, whose work and vision have been essential in designing and delivering this capability.

Nick Gliddon, Business Director, VodafoneThree, said:  

The 101 service plays a vital role in connecting people with the police when they need them, but not every call requires police intervention. By using AI to understand the reason for a caller’s contact and help direct them to the right service, we can reduce unnecessary demand and help police teams focus their time and resources where they are needed most. This is a practical example of how technology can support public services, making it easier for people to get the help they need while helping to protect valuable police resources.

As part of its landmark police reform initiatives, the government is investing a record £16.5 million to modernise how the police and public interact. Alongside the new 101 triage system, this will include AI that transcribes 999 and 101 calls, and links crime reports to identify patterns in demand.   

John Hayward-Cripps, CEO, Neighbourhood Watch Network, said: 

Neighbourhood Watch volunteers and supporters have long fed back on the delays and poor service from the overloaded 101 service reported to them from local members of the public. This new AI call-routing system is a practical step towards a faster, smarter and more responsive 101 service. By directing non-policing calls to the right organisation at the start, it will help reduce waiting times for the public, protect vital police resources, and ensure officers and call handlers can focus on tackling crime, safeguarding vulnerable people and supporting victims. Neighbourhood Watch fully support this government initiative and hope it can be implemented quickly.

Al Murray, Interim Director at PoliceAI, said: 

Every minute spent dealing with a misdirected call is a minute that could be spent helping a victim or responding to a crime. This initiative shows how AI can better redirect non-police related calls from the system, get the public to the right service faster and free police officers to focus on the work only they can do. At a time when policing is facing growing demand, that matters more than ever. It is a powerful example of how technology can improve the public’s experience, strengthen support for victims and make better use of valuable police time.  

When introduced responsibly and with the right safeguards, AI has the potential to transform public services. This investment will help policing work more efficiently, deliver better value for taxpayers and allow officers and staff to spend more time protecting communities and tackling crime. It’s exactly the kind of practical, people-focused innovation that PoliceAI exists to support.

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

Individuals with no right to be in the UK will be able to be deported faster as the government looks to cut waiting times for asylum and immigration appeals by over a third.  

As of 12 August 2026, the First-tier Tribunal will be expected to hear new asylum and immigration appeals from non-detained foreign national offenders (FNOs) and individuals in receipt of asylum support and accommodation within 24 weeks of being received by the tribunal. Currently, the average wait time for a case to be decided by a judge is 67 weeks.  

This will speed up the removal of those who are unsuccessful at appeal and have no right to be in the UK, free up space in accommodation and cut costs, contributing to taxpayer savings of an estimated £6.9 billion. 

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Anna Turley, said: 

For too long, asylum and immigration appeals have been plagued by delays, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill while cases drag on for months and sometimes years. 

This new 24-week target will see cases resolved faster, reduce reliance on taxpayer-funded accommodation and speed up the removal of those with no right to be in the UK.

The 24-week target will apply to in-scope cases submitted to the First-tier Tribunal from 12 August. But, despite the work of the judiciary, over 150,000 appeals are still waiting to be heard. Wider reform is therefore needed to ensure that the system can deal with cases more quickly and prevent it from becoming a barrier to removal.  

The Immigration and Asylum Bill, which passed its second reading earlier this month, will create a new Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA)  to provide a simpler, faster route for deciding appeals.  

The IIAA will run alongside the First-tier Tribunal for several years and will gradually take on new cases to allow the tribunal to clear the existing backlog as quickly as possible. Independent adjudicators working for the IIAA will be able to prioritise the most urgent cases and those in the public interest, such as high-harm FNOs and dubious human rights claims.  

Overall, asylum costs have already fallen by £1 billion since the 2024 general election. The government will also close every asylum hotel by the end of this parliament, with under 170 now in use, down from the peak of 400 in 2023. 

Nearly 10,000 FNOs have also been removed, up 36% compared to the 21 months before the election. Appeals from FNOs who are detained are already prioritised by the judiciary, with the new timeframes ensuring appeals from FNOs who are not held in detention are also expediated.   

As well as the new target, the government is increasing capacity in the appeals system. This year sitting days are due to increase by 19% in the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber compared with 2024 to 2025, so more cases can be heard and decisions made faster.

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

The Bloomsbury Institute, a higher education provider in central London, has had its licence to sponsor international students revoked after failing to meet the Basic Compliance Assessment. 

The Basic Compliance Assessment is an annual check that all sponsors must pass, measuring visa refusal rates, course enrolment and completion. 

At the time of the assessment, sponsors were required to meet three thresholds: a visa refusal rate of less than 10%, an enrolment rate of at least 90%, and a course completion rate of at least 85%.  

The assessment was carried out under thresholds that applied before the compliance standards were strengthened on 1 June 2026.  

The Bloomsbury Institute would also have failed to meet the new, stricter standards. 

Failure to meet these standards represents a serious breach of its duties as an international student sponsor, and as a result, its licence was revoked on Wednesday 5 August. 

Student sponsors must meet the standards required to retain their licence. Where standards are not met, the Home Office will take action to protect students and the integrity of the immigration system.  

The Bloomsbury Institute has been removed from the Register of Student Sponsors and can no longer sponsor new international students under the Student Route.  

Support for existing students 

The Home Office’s priority is to minimise disruption for international students already enrolled at the Bloomsbury Institute.  

Existing students will not be affected immediately, and the Bloomsbury Institute will be permitted to continue teaching its current sponsored students for a short period.  

A small number of students are expected to be unable to complete their course within that window and they will be supported to transfer to another institution. If they choose not to, they will need to apply for another visa route for which they are eligible or leave the UK.  

The Home Office will work with the institution, the Department for Education, the Office for Students, and relevant sector bodies throughout this process. 

Students studying at the Bloomsbury Institute who are not on a Student Visa, including international students with other forms of permission and domestic students, are not affected by the revocation. 

Further advice for affected students will be available shortly and students can also speak to the Bloomsbury Institute directly. 

About the Basic Compliance Assessment 

All institutions licensed to sponsor international students on a Student Visa must pass an annual Basic Compliance Assessment.  

The assessment measures three metrics: the rate at which visa applications from sponsored students are refused, the proportion of sponsored students who enrol on their course, and the proportion who complete it. 

Institutions that fail the BCA face enforcement action, up to and including revocation of their licence. 

From 1 June 2026, the government further strengthened Student Visa compliance standards. Visa refusal rates must be below 5%; course enrolment rate must be at least 95%, and course completion rate must be at least 85%. For assessments submitted from June 2027, the course completion threshold will rise to at least 90%.

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

More than 100 innovative research companies can now support the world’s brightest researchers to come and work in the UK through the Global Talent visa.

• Global names like AstraZeneca and JLR, as well as fast-growing innovators, will benefit from a bigger pool of leading scientists and engineers. 
• Move cements Britain as top destination for the world’s best talent, enabling innovative businesses to scale and stay in the UK, and laying the foundations for skilled jobs and economic growth in every postcode. 

An expansion of the Global Talent visa announced today (Thursday 6 August) will give more than 100 of the UK’s most innovative companies the ability to support some of the world’s best scientists and engineers to come to live and work in the UK, unlocking a wave of international talent. 

The move will help secure the arrival of some of the world’s best and brightest to drive breakthroughs in clean energy, life sciences and AI, while helping key businesses to innovate, scale and stay in the UK, in one more step towards reindustrialising Britain.  

For the first time, exceptional researchers coming to the UK to work on funded projects can be supported in their move by UK research intensive businesses thanks to the country’s premier visa route for research talent. 

This move isn’t just about attracting the best researchers from around the world. Bringing in top talent from abroad will enable businesses to undertake cutting-edge R&D projects here in the UK – projects which support jobs for British workers.

Having already helped over 12,500 talented people from more than 130 countries build their research careers in Britain via the endorsed funder pathway, this expansion of the Global Talent visa route means some of the UK’s most innovative companies can now host top researchers alongside higher education, academic and independent research institutes and bodies.

World-leading talent brings the ideas, skills and investment that spark entirely new industries, spin out British companies, and create thousands of skilled jobs for workers across the UK. Welcoming the brightest minds drives good growth and opportunity for people in every part of the country, bolstering this government’s effort to make Britain better off.

The Global Talent visa recognises talented individuals at all career stages who have already proven themselves, including through a number of fast-track pathways – a leading academic appointment, a competitive fellowship, or being named on a funded research grant – so the UK can move quickly to welcome the world’s best. This comes alongside a peer-review pathway for established or potential research leaders who do not hold an eligible appointment, fellowship or research grant.  

Today’s expansion means that talented research individuals can now be supported by over 100 commercial research businesses, alongside the already approved universities and research institutes. This will include global names like AstraZeneca and Jaguar Land Rover as well as fast-growing innovators, including Added Value Solutions (AVS), Denroy Plastics and Ffilm Cymru. 

These are innovators at the forefront of developing sustainable technologies of the future like nuclear fusion, creating life changing medicines, putting Britain at the cutting edge of the car industry, and establishing the UK’s leadership in the use of technology in creative industries. 

Top international talent, whose expertise is recognised through a research grant, will be empowered to boost the UK’s science and tech sector by switching to a new firm, or starting their own spin out. It means more world class researchers choosing Britain to unlock new discoveries in the technologies of the future, from life-saving medicines to quantum computing – supporting the skilled jobs and investment that fuels economic growth in every part of the country. 

Jonathan Reynolds, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, said:  

The UK is already a magnet for the world’s most brilliant minds – and the discoveries they make here change lives and grow our economy.  

By expanding the Global Talent visa to more than 100 businesses, we’re making it easier than ever for our most innovative companies to recruit eligible researchers who will develop the medicines, technologies and industries of the future right here in the UK, underpinning our industrial strategy, creating skilled jobs and driving growth in the process.

UKRI International, Talent and Skills Champion, Professor Christopher Smith, said: 

By providing a route for exceptional researchers to work in and contribute to the UK, the Global Talent visa is playing an important role in our mission to advance knowledge, improve lives and drive growth. 

The expansion of the Global Talent visa to innovative businesses across the country will ensure these benefits are felt across more of the country and in a wide range of sectors, from medicines and AI to the creative and cultural economy.

The R&D companies covered by the expansion each fall into the eight high-growth sectors identified in the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy – including advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, clean energy, life sciences and the creative industries – where access to global talent is critical. 

Today’s expansion to the Global Talent visa is in addition to the change made in April to simplify the visa’s fast-track academic appointments route to cover all roles at approved UK institutions in academic, research or innovation leadership and development, and all PhD-level roles performing research and innovation as a primary function. These changes support our world-leading research base in attracting the best talent at all career stages, including researchers with high potential in the early stages of their career, to come to the UK. 

In a further boost to innovative British businesses, the government is preparing to broaden the Future Technology Research and Innovation (FTRI) scheme. This is a UKRI-run scheme under the Government Authorised Exchange visa route that enables eligible UK companies, working on critical technologies, to host international researchers, scientists, interns and technical specialists for research, training and work placements of up to two years.  

The forthcoming expansion will open FTRI to a wider range of R&D focused businesses, giving more companies in priority technology sectors – like AI, quantum and engineering biology – a way to tap into specialist international expertise. These could be early-career scientists gaining hands-on experience, to seasoned specialists collaborating on cutting-edge projects. 

Faster, more flexible routes for early-career and experienced researchers are part of the wider government strategy to attract the world’s best to UK shores. Through the £54 million Global Talent Fund, we are helping to bring new research group leaders to the UK – driving breakthroughs in clean energy, life sciences and advanced technologies. This has brought 18 leading researchers to the UK so far, each pursuing work key to the UK’s Industrial Strategy.  

This is in addition to launching the Global Talent Taskforce – a dedicated resource to identify and attract top international talent to lay down roots in the UK through a dedicated concierge service. 

Oliver Buckley-Mellor, UK Competitiveness Senior Policy Manager at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), said:  

The UK’s Global Talent visa is one of the most globally competitive routes of its kind, but its potential to boost British science and economic growth was not being fully realised.  

By opening the endorsed funder route to research-intensive businesses, including several ABPI members, the government is helping to address a key gap in our global talent offer.  

We were glad to work with UKRI on this expansion, which is a welcome first step that should be built on enable more exceptional global talent to come to the UK.

Jonathan Legh-Smith, Executive Director, UKQuantum, said: 

Attracting world‑class international talent is critical to sustaining the UK’s momentum in quantum. UKQuantum is delighted to have worked with UKRI to expand the Global Talent Visa scheme to the high‑growth quantum companies operating in the UK, strengthening the sector’s ability to attract world‑class expertise.

Kate Barclay MBE, Skills Consultant, BioIndustry Association, said: 

Our sector thrives on world‑class talent, and the UK’s ability to compete globally depends on attracting and retaining the very best. By supporting our members to take part in this Global Talent visa expansion with UKRI, we are helping innovative life sciences and biotech companies directly access the specialist skills and international experience they need to scale.  

This expansion is a vital, practical opportunity for BIA members to help shape a more agile, responsive immigration system that reflects the realities of a fast‑moving, high-growth industry.

Steve Brierley, CEO and founder of Riverlane, said: 

Riverlane is a Cambridge-born company solving one of the hardest problems in computing today: making quantum computers reliable enough to be useful. Building the team to do that means competing for a small pool of world-class talent across borders.  

The Global Talent visa gives us a fast, flexible route to bring the best people to the UK, and that speed matters when the field is moving as quickly as quantum is right now.

Notes to editors 

• The expansion of the Global Talent visa has been delivered with UKRI’s Visa Advisory Board, with the input of the following membership organisations: AIRTO, BioIndustry Association, BioNow, British Plastics Federation, Composites UK, Creative UK and UK Quantum. 
• This latest expansion to the Global Talent visa UKRI Endorsed Funder pathway builds on the initial expansion in May to cover the remaining Association for Innovation, Research and Technology Organisation members (including IBM). 
• The full list of approved host research organisations, including the new businesses, is available here: UKRI list of approved research organisations – GOV.UK
• Details of eligibility criteria can be found here: Work in the UK as a researcher or academic leader (Global Talent visa): UK Research and Innovation endorsement – GOV.UK
•  In April, the Home Office simplified the Global Talent visa’s fast-track Academic Appointments route, making all R&I leadership roles and PhD-level research/innovation roles at approved UK institutions eligible for fast-track endorsement, a key commitment from the Immigration White Paper. 
• The Academic Appointments route provides fast-track endorsement for individuals who have accepted an eligible academic or research position at an approved UK higher education institution or research institute. It is administered by the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society on behalf of the Home Office. 
• It is one of four endorsement pathways open to academics and researchers under the Global Talent visa, alongside Individual Fellowships (fast-track), Endorsed Funders (fast-track), and Peer Review.
• Alongside the Global Talent visa and other talent mobility routes, ARIA continues to attract world-leading research talent to the UK, with 16 Programme Directors now in post and a further open call for a third cohort due to launch in August 2026. 
• Those interested in nominating their research intensive organisation to support those on the Global Talent visa can register their interest by completing this form: Register your interest – UK Research and Innovation – Citizen Space
• The government keeps the UK’s visa and immigration offer, including the Global Talent visa route, under review to ensure the UK can access the high-skilled global talent to drive growth in priority sectors.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 5 August 2026.

Knife-related homicides have dropped to their lowest level in 35 years as the government’s surrender drive takes more than 15,000 knives off Britain’s streets.

Knife-enabled homicides have fallen to 26% while knife crime overall has dropped by 11% under this government.

More than 14,500 knives and weapons including ninja swords, zombie-style knives, machetes, swords and kitchen knives have been taken out of circulation through Home Office funded surrender bins since July last year.

The bins managed by the charity Word 4 Weapons are located in London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. A further 783 knives and weapons were handed in at a mobile surrender van operated by FazAmnesty, which supported the Home Office’s dedicated surrender scheme last summer. Blades like those surrendered have been used in violent crimes and caused devastation to communities across the country.

Building on last year’s success, the government is now making it possible for more people to surrender their weapons by providing new bins across South and West Yorkshire.

The mobile surrender van operated by FazAmnesty will also visit a series of locations across the West Midlands before travelling to London – where it will stop off at 24 boroughs, providing another trusted route for people to anonymously surrender their weapons this month.

Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones said:

Every dangerous weapon that has been surrendered so far is a weapon off our streets and a community made that little bit safer.

That’s why we’re going further and making it easier for more people in more places to do the right thing and hand over their knives.

Knife crime is down by 11% since the general election but we will not stop until we meet our commitment of halving knife crime in a decade.

The location of the 45 surrender bins, including the 8 new ones, and the stop off points for the mobile surrender van have been agreed with local violence reduction partnerships, policing and community safety partners. This helps ensure support is focused in areas most affected by knife crime and serious violence.

The surrender bins and van operate on a ‘no questions asked’ basis in order to encourage people who may otherwise be reluctant to hand over their weapons in fear of the consequences. The weapons, which must be wrapped and sealed in a box or bag, will be disposed of safely and securely.

Faron Paul, CEO of FazAmnesty, survived a knife attack in which he was stabbed 18 times. He has now turned his experience into a mission to prevent others suffering similar harm. Through FazAmnesty, he works with communities across the country to encourage people to safely surrender weapons and has become a leading voice on tackling knife crime and preventing violence.

Faron Paul, CEO of FazAmnesty and member of the Government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said:

We are proud to continue supporting the Home Office’s National Surrender Scheme and to play our part in removing dangerous weapons from our streets. Every weapon surrendered is one less weapon that could be used to seriously harm or take a life.

The introduction of our mobile surrender van has given direct surrender opportunities into some of the hardest-to-reach communities. By engaging with residents, we are helping to remove barriers that might otherwise prevent someone from surrendering a knife.

Seeing more than 15,000 weapons removed through the government’s surrender bins is a significant milestone and demonstrates what can be achieved when government, policing and community organisations work together with a shared purpose.

The surrender activity also builds on the wider action being delivered through Ronan’s Law, named after 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was killed in 2022 with a ninja sword bought online.

Following campaigning by his mother, Pooja Kanda, the government introduced tougher measures to restrict access to dangerous weapons and close loopholes in online sales.

Weapons surrenders have played an important role in supporting those changes.

Pooja Kanda OBE, founder of the Justice for Ronan Kanda campaign and member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime said:

Every knife handed into a surrender bin is one less weapon that could end a life or devastate a family like mine. I lost my 16-year-old son, Ronan, in a mistaken identity knife attack. He paid the ultimate price because someone else chose to carry a knife. There are no winners in knife crime.

The removal of more than 15,000 knives from our communities is a significant achievement and demonstrates what can be accomplished when government, charities, police and communities work together.

As we mark one year since the introduction of Ronan’s Law, this surrender scheme is another important step in preventing dangerous weapons from causing further harm. It provides young people, and anyone else carrying a dangerous weapon, with a safe and anonymous opportunity to surrender it.

Sandra Campbell, CEO of Word4Weapons and member of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, said:

We are proud to work in partnership with the Home Office and our wider coalition partners to help remove knives and other dangerous weapons from our streets and communities. Every weapon safely surrendered is one fewer weapon that could be used to destroy lives.

Everyone can choose safe disposal through our Home Office-funded surrender bins, alongside Word 4 Weapons’ established network of bins, which has quietly served communities since 2007.

The government continues to push forward with its mission to halve knife crime in the next decade. Knife crime hotspots will see a dramatic surge in police activity to catch knife criminals, including increased police patrols, new CCTV cameras, live facial recognition deployment and the installation of knife arches.

Action is also being taken to stop young people from ever picking up a weapon in the first place and creating safer environments in which they can grow up. Through initiatives such as Young Futures hubs, mentoring and targeted support for at-risk children, alongside work with schools, youth services and local partners, the government is helping to create safer environments where young people can thrive and reach their full potential.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 17 July 2026.

Today (17 July), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR), and Russia’s GRU Volunteer Corps have formally been designated under the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 after Parliament approved an order laid by the Home Secretary on Monday (13 July), in order to protect the safety of the UK.

It is now a criminal offence to express support for these bodies – meaning anyone who glorifies or encourages their activity which threatens the safety of the UK can be prosecuted. It is also now a criminal offence to assist or to accept or obtain a material benefit, such as payment, from any of these bodies. Anyone found guilty of these offences could face up to 14 years imprisonment.

Anyone committing other acts, such as sabotage, on behalf of these groups could be prosecuted for other offences under the National Security Act 2023, in which they could face life imprisonment.

All 3 groups are the first to be designated under these landmark new powers, and they have now been added to the list of designated bodies in the UK.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 7 July 2026.

College of Policing chief executive has 30 years’ policing experience and led significant reforms in professional standards, leadership and technology.

The Home Secretary has today (7 July 2026) confirmed Sir Andy Marsh QPM as the government’s preferred candidate for the role of HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in England and Wales and Chief Inspector of Fire & Rescue in England (HMCI).

Sir Andy Marsh has been Chief Executive of the College of Policing since September 2021.

Sir Andy has over 30 years’ policing experience, having joined Avon and Somerset Police in 1987 and rising to senior leadership roles including Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary and Avon and Somerset Police.

Sir Andy has led significant reform across policing, including improvements in professional standards, leadership development, and the use of technology and evidence-based practice. He was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal in 2018 and was knighted in 2024 for services to policing.

The recommendation follows a fair and open recruitment process, conducted in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Crime and Policing Minister, Sarah Jones, said:

Sir Andy Marsh has extensive experience at the highest levels of policing. He is the right person to take on this vital role as we deliver the most ambitious reforms to policing in two centuries and help shape the future of the fire sector.

I would like to thank Michelle Skeer for her leadership of the Inspectorate since April.

Sir Andy Marsh said:

It is a privilege to be named as preferred candidate at what is a pivotal moment for policing and fire. I’ve spent my career alongside the dedicated officers and staff who work every day to keep the public safe, and I know first-hand the difference the right leadership, standards and support can make. My focus will be on the issues that matter most to our communities, and on making sure the people doing this vital work have everything they need to do it well.

Pre-appointment scrutiny by the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) will follow shortly, which is an important part of the process for some of the most significant public appointments made by ministers. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to verify that the recruitment meets the principles set out in the Governance Code.

If Sir Andy’s appointment is finalised, he will succeed HMCI Michelle Skeer OBE QPM, who has been in post on an interim basis since the departure of HMCI Sir Andy Cooke QPM DL in April 2026.

Following a pre-appointment hearing on 14 July, HASC will publish their recommendations, which the government will consider before deciding whether to finalise the appointment.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 30 June 2026.

Asylum seekers who can afford to will be required to repay a flat-rate contribution towards the cost of their accommodation and support.

Asylum seekers who are able to pay back the cost of support and accommodation will now be required to, under new laws.

The Immigration and Asylum Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament today, sets out new powers for the Home Office to recover costs from adults who have received asylum support such as subsistence or accommodation, provided they have access to sufficient funds.

The payment will take the form of a flat-rate charge, with eligible adults paying off an amount each month above a set threshold.

There will be various methods for those individuals to pay. The primary mechanism for this is expected to be through direct payments to the Home Office with options also being explored to use the tax and benefits systems. 

Migrants will be required to pay off the full amount before being eligible for settlement. Anyone who leaves the UK will be required to make their payments if they wish to return at a future date.

The Home Secretary will have the power to adjust the charge and the thresholds, ensuring they are both fair to the taxpayer and will not force any migrant into destitution. Under plans, migrants are expected to have to pay a total sum of around £10,000. This figure will be a contribution to the overall cost of their asylum support.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, said:

The cost of asylum accommodation on the British taxpayer is too high.

We have already reduced asylum costs by £1 billion, but it is also right that we ask those who can contribute to do so.

Receiving asylum support is a right, but it is also a responsibility. Once people can contribute and repay the generosity of the British people, we expect them to do so.

Currently, asylum seekers in the UK receive a package of support which has become a financial burden on the taxpayer, with annual costs of £4 billion across accommodation and support last year.

The government has already cut these costs by nearly a billion pounds since taking office and is going further by ending the use of asylum hotels, with 31 closed since April and hundreds of asylum seekers moved into basic accommodation including ex-military sites.

Requiring individuals to pay towards the cost of their support will allow those on a pathway to settlement to make a contribution to UK society and repay some of our generosity. For those without a right to remain it will ensure they take responsibility for the financial impact of their presence in this country.

The Home Office estimates the average cost per person per night of accommodating asylum seekers is £23.25 in dispersal accommodation and £144 in hotels, while subsistence payment range from £9.95 to £49.18 per person per week.

This legislation will now also ensure that recipients of asylum support contribute to their own costs, once they are able to do so.

A quarter of 16 to 64-year-olds granted asylum refugees between 2015 and 2023 were in employment within the same calendar year they were granted status, with that number rising to 50% 2 years after refugee status was granted.

Of those who were in employment 8 years after the grant, 37% were in full-time work with median earnings of £23,000, with 40% earning more than minimum wage.

The Immigration and Asylum Bill will bring into force the most significant policy proposals in a generation to create a firm but fair asylum system that works for Britain, restoring order and control to the immigration system and reducing the pull factors driving illegal migration.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 30 June 2026.

New independent appeals body to speed up removals of foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers.

A once-in-a-generation overhaul of asylum and immigration appeals will create a single route and end the merry-go-round of repeated appeals. This will lead to faster, fairer decisions, and speed up the removals of foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers.  

The average time taken to clear cases stands at 61 weeks, leaving more than 150,000 immigration and asylum appeals waiting to be heard. 

To tackle this, the government will, through the Immigration and Asylum Bill that was confirmed in the King’s Speech, set up a new independent body, which will establish a new framework for appeals to be heard.

The Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA) will be able to prioritise cases in the public interest more easily, including high-harm foreign offenders and human rights claims that are clearly without merit, leading to faster removals. 

New laws will also ensure that those who are abusing the system to delay or prevent their return are no longer able to do so. Currently, migrants can appeal a rejected claim and then bring further claims about new matters before their removal – a duplication that clogs the system. Requiring all claims to be brought together and creating a single appeal route will allow for faster outcomes.

The new authority is set to start hearing appeals from late 2027, to be phased in stages. It will have the flexibility to dynamically scale up and down the number of adjudicators based on demand within the appeals system. 

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:  

Today, our appeals tribunal is overwhelmed. As a result, people are gaming the system, lodging vexatious appeals to frustrate their removal.  

Our new appeals body will ensure claims are heard swiftly and fairly. Those with a legitimate claim will get their hearing. Those who have no right to remain in this country, and are abusing the system, will be swiftly removed.

The IIAA will be staffed by professionally trained and independently appointed adjudicators – much like a magistrate – who will have a broad range of skills and backgrounds, with safeguards to ensure high standards.

Broadening the eligibility criteria for people to apply to become adjudicators will result in a significant increase in capacity within the authority, leading to more decisions being made.

While decisions will be fully independent, the new body will be integrated into the immigration system to ensure cases flow through quickly to removal where appeals are unsuccessful, to scale up removals of those with no right to be here.   

Nearly 70,000 illegal migrants and foreign criminals have been returned or deported since this government came to power.

The Immigration and Asylum Bill will also save taxpayers money by overhauling how asylum claims are processed, with one single decision to be made on asylum and humanitarian protection claims to slash delays.

Significant progress has already been made in tackling the asylum backlog, with the number of people waiting for an initial decision falling by 72% since June 2023.  

In total, 128,000 initial decisions were made in the last year, a 32% increase on the previous year and more than 4 times the annual average in the decade to 2020. 

The government is also increasing capacity in the existing appeals system. This year sitting days are due to increase by 19% in the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber compared with 2024/25, so more cases can be heard and decisions made faster.  

But the scale of the current caseload cannot be sustainably managed within the existing system. Despite the dedicated work of the tribunal and the judiciary, fundamental reform is now needed to stop the appeals system becoming a barrier to removal. 

The Immigration and Asylum Bill will bring into force the most significant policy proposals in a generation to create a firm but fair asylum system that works for Britain, restoring order and control to the immigration system and reducing the pull factors driving illegal migration.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 29 June 2026.

More than 45,000 foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers will be removed over the coming decade thanks to a significant expansion of detention capacity.

The projects at Haslar and Campsfield Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs) will contribute to a 40% increase in the UK’s detention capacity for those with no right to be here.   

These expansions will more than triple the cumulative capacity at these centres from 290 to 1,000 beds, with each additional detention space translating to more offenders and illegal migrants removed from our country. This sends a clear message: if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay. 

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:    

Returns and deportations are at their highest level in nearly a decade.  

Nearly 70,000 individuals with no right to be here have been removed from the UK since this government took office.   

But we will not stop there. These expansions will see thousands more foreign criminals and illegal migrants who have no right to be here removed.

Last week a report from the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration (ICIBI) showed the government inherited a migration system with over 412,000 illegal migrants in the UK.

This expansion will further build on the dramatically intensified enforcement action the Home Office has undertaken since the report, with deportations soaring to the highest level in a decade.   

Nearly 70,000 illegal migrants and foreign criminals have been returned, an increase in 41% compared to the previous 21 month period. Of these, 10,000 were foreign national offenders, an increase of 36%.     

That is why the Home Secretary will double the Immigration Enforcement budget by 2028 to 2029 and boost workforce numbers by 60% from 2024 in 2026 to 2027. This will see tens of thousands more raids, arrests, and deportations of illegal migrants.  

As confirmed in the King’s Speech, the government will also bring forward an Immigration and Asylum Bill, which will reform human rights laws such as modern slavery legislation and Article 8 of the ECHR to end abuse by illegal migrants frustrating their removals.