Tag: Home Office

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

Government tables 2 amendments to the Immigration and Asylum Bill as part of a wider package of reforms.

Migrants who misrepresent their family circumstances or make last-minute asylum claims will face tougher rules under new measures to prevent abuse of the system.  

The government has tabled amendments to the Immigration and Asylum Bill to close Article 8 loopholes and crack down on individuals who lodge last-minute asylum claims.  

The Home Secretary is determined to stop foreign criminals and other migrants abusing human rights laws to dodge deportation from the UK.   

New reforms will mean that courts will have to consider how long and how often a parent has been in contact with their child when considering if family life exists. 

This follows the bill defining ‘family life’ as typically restricted to core, co-habiting family relationships. This week’s amendments aim to strengthen the rules further, preventing migrants from bolstering their Article 8 claims by moving back into the family home shortly before making a claim. 

New rules will also be introduced to enable immigration claims made at the last-minute without good reason to damage a person’s credibility, with decision-makers required to factor in the timing of evidence when considering claims. 

This will build on measures in the Immigration and Asylum Bill to introduce an expedited decision-making process for late claims, helping to address the issue of individuals withholding information or raising a last minute claim which severely delays their legitimate removal from the UK. 

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: 

The British public must trust that their immigration system is secure, controlled and not open to abuse. 

These reforms will protect its integrity, prevent exploitation and ensure that those with no right to be here are swiftly removed. 

This builds on our work to ramp up removals and slash asylum costs, while providing sanctuary to those who need it.

The bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons with a majority of 174 in July. 

It will establish a mechanism to require asylum seekers receiving taxpayer-funded accommodation and other support to contribute to those costs when they are financially able to do so. 

The payment will take the form of a flat-rate charge, with eligible adults making regular payments above a threshold set by the Home Secretary.  

An Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA) will also be set up to deliver a swift and fair appeals system that restores public confidence. It can scale to meet changing demand and ensure cases flow through quickly to removal where appeals are unsuccessful. 

As part of this, a single appeal route process will be established to ensure there is no advantage to bringing forward new claims to frustrate the system.   

A single definition of a protection claim will also be introduced, combining refugee status and humanitarian protection, thereby simplifying the decision-making and the appeals process. 

The bill will enter the line-by-line scrutiny stage of its progression through Parliament next week.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 2 October 2026.

New controls proposed for toxic substances, acting on recommendations made by the Southport Inquiry.

Chemicals that could be used to make explosives and dangerous weapons – including those found in the Southport attacker’s home – will be tightly controlled under new proposals to boost national security. 

Under the proposed changes, access to natural materials needed to produce the toxic substances ricin and abrin will be heavily restricted to reduce the risk of people using them to cause harm.  

During searches of the Southport attack perpetrator’s home, police found evidence that he had bought castor beans online to make ricin, leading to his conviction under the Biological Weapons Act 1974.  

In response, the government is proposing to add castor beans containing ricin and rosary peas containing abrin to the list of regulated poisons under UK law. This will make it a criminal offence to sell them to members of the public who do not hold a valid licence.

This action comes as part of the government’s commitment to implement all the recommendations made in phase one of the Southport Inquiry, which recommended greater regulation was needed around the availability of castor beans.

Ricin and abrin are already strictly controlled under UK law because of their extreme toxicity, but the seeds which can be used to produce these dangerous chemicals can be purchased for use in gardening and decoration.

Security Minister, Dan Jarvis said: 

Protecting the public is our first duty. While these substances can have legitimate uses, we must stop them from being weaponised by those who want to cause harm.

We will close the gaps exposed by the Southport attack and tighten the law to stop these dangerous chemicals falling into the wrong hands.

As part of the move, the government is also seeking to make it harder for people to access other dangerous poisons and chemicals which can be used to make explosives and pose risks to national security. 

This would mean that it would be much harder for people to access these substances without having a licence and require shops and businesses to report any suspicious transactions. 

The proposed changes come under the Poisons Act 1972, which controls poisons and explosives precursors, restricting the general public’s access to the most dangerous materials.  

In certain circumstances, people can apply for a licence to buy and use a regulated substance if they have a genuine need for it and there is no safer alternative.

The changes will be subject to a consultation which was launched yesterday. It seeks views from the public, industry and business to gauge how these changes would affect them.

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

Week of action targets criminal gangs who illegally try to enter the UK from Ireland, comes alongside a wider 74% surge in organised immigration crime arrests.

Immigration Enforcement has handed a blow to organised criminal gangs illegally smuggling people from Ireland to the UK, with 49 arrests across 3 days of targeted action at UK ports. 

Between Tuesday 22 September and Thursday 24 September, law enforcement agencies patrolled a number of seaports, airports, roads and rail networks across Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales in a bid to catch those circumventing UK immigration laws. 

Operation Comby, a multi-agency crackdown targeting individuals who have illegally passed from Ireland to the UK has led to the arrest of over 250 organised criminals and immigration offenders since the election – of which 113 have been removed. The operation has also seen the seizure of almost half a million pounds in cash. 

It aims to stamp out abuse of the Common Travel Area (CTA) between the United Kingdom and Ireland. The CTA is a long-standing arrangement between the United Kingdom and Ireland which allows British and Irish citizens to move freely between each country. 

This activity works alongside Immigration Enforcement’s Operation Gull which provides routine deployments across Northern Irish ports and airports, tackling everyday abuse of the CTA which has led to almost 1,000 arrests in the last year.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Anna Turley said:

We are bearing down on these organised criminal gangs who operate on wicked lies and deception.

Individuals who think they can get round our laws will quickly find out that they will not be successful.

This operation is a very clear example of Immigration Enforcement’s round the clock work disrupt these criminal gangs and remove those with no right to be in the UK.

At Belfast International Airport, 2 Romanian women were arrested as illegal entrants to the UK, having travelled from Ireland to Northern Ireland without required permissions. Further checks identified them as possible victims of people trafficking. Intelligence was gained on the criminals who pushed them into the journey. One was detained for removal back to Romania and the other voluntarily returned back to Ireland. 

Following intelligence sharing, Belfast Harbour Police stopped a vehicle at Belfast Port carrying 4 Romanian nationals. Searches of the vehicle found £130,000 worth of counterfeit Apple products. All 4 individuals were arrested and now face removal from the UK. 

Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime, Eddy Montgomery, said:

As part of our wider crackdown on abuse of the Common Travel Area, Operation Comby is delivering an intelligence-led approach to disrupting Organised Immigration Crime, targeting criminal networks that exploit these routes.

Immigration crime can take many forms, but at the heart of what we do is protecting vulnerable people and ensuring the criminal gangs who exploit them are brought down.

Between July 2024 and June 2026, Immigration Enforcement conducted almost 3,000 enforcement visits in Northern Ireland resulting in over 2,400 arrests.   

Nearly 1,000 people have been subsequently returned, with almost 500 of these being to Ireland.   

On top of this, the Home Secretary announced that she will double the Immigration Enforcement budget by 2028/29 and boost workforce numbers by 60%. This will see tens of thousands more raids, arrests, and removal of those with no right to be in the UK.  

The government has already begun the work of restoring control and order to our borders. Since the election, over 80,000 immigration offenders and foreign criminals have been removed from the UK.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 27 August 2026.

US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand back a package of UK-led measures to strengthen international action against fraud and online scams.

The UK is joining forces with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to crack down on global fraud networks and protect the public from scammers.

At the Five Country Ministerial in Sydney, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and her Five Eyes counterparts backed a package of UK-led measures to strengthen the international response to fraud and online scams, bringing together governments, law enforcement and industry to tackle one of the world’s fastest-growing crimes.

The need for a more co-ordinated international response has grown as organised crime groups become increasingly sophisticated, exploiting global communications networks, digital platforms and financial systems to target victims across borders.

New measures will strengthen partners’ ability to detect and disrupt fraud before more people become victims. This includes faster intelligence-sharing to identify fraud operations spanning multiple countries, including scam centres, and coordinated action between governments, law enforcement and industry to shut down the accounts, services and communications channels criminals use to target victims and move their profits.

As part of this work, recommendations to strengthen industry action against online scams and financial crime will be developed in partnership with telecommunications providers, technology companies and financial institutions.

The focus will be on tackling vulnerabilities in systems and services that criminals exploit to target victims and move illicit funds. By improving collaboration between the public and private sectors, partners will be better able to identify new threats, respond more quickly and make it harder for criminals to profit from fraud.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:

Fraud is a scourge on our society, ruining lives and costing victims billions of pounds every year.

Criminal gangs don’t respect borders, so our response can’t be restricted by them. By deepening international co-operation and working more closely with industry, we can track down fraudsters, disrupt their operations, and better protect the public.

Together, we must make it harder for criminals to profit from fraud and easier to bring them to justice.

Five Eyes partners also backed enhanced international support for the UK-backed INTERPOL Global Fraud Taskforce. Bringing together law enforcement, governments and industry, the taskforce will help map organised fraud networks, generate intelligence, identify links between criminal groups operating in different countries and support international operations to disrupt their activities and bring perpetrators to justice.

As a global leader in the fight against fraud, the UK is driving the international response to a crime which increasingly crosses national borders.

Earlier this year, the government committed £250 million through its new Fraud Strategy to strengthen law enforcement capabilities, tackle scams at their source and improve support for victims.

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

UK to lead new international Countering Violent Extremism Hub based in the UK.

Action to protect the UK from terrorism is being stepped up with a new international counter-extremism hub to be established in the UK, which will strengthen efforts to stop violent extremism before it threatens British communities.

At the Five Country Ministerial in Sydney, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood secured agreement from her Five Eyes counterparts to establish a permanent joint Countering Violent Extremism Hub in the UK capital.

It follows a number of atrocities in recent years, including attacks linked to individuals radicalised online through exposure to harmful content, extremist propaganda and violent networks. Violent attacks and the radicalising effects of new technologies, including AI, are rapidly emerging as threats across the globe.

The hub will bring together counter-terrorism and counter-extremism specialists from across the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, creating a dedicated centre for intelligence sharing, collaboration and early intervention.

To tackle the increasing online radicalisation of young people, ministers have also agreed a new diversion programme so authorities can intervene faster when people show signs of radicalisation or develop a fixation with violence.

This will complement the UK’s Prevent programme by helping professionals identify vulnerable people online, connect them with the support they need, and refer them to Prevent where necessary.

As part of this work, Five Eyes partners will work closely with technology companies, industry partners and governments to act faster against harmful content and strengthen protections for users. Acting together means greater pressure to remove content that may not be illegal, but could breach terms of service.

This will make it harder for extremists to exploit online platforms for recruitment, radicalisation and the spread of violent material.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:

As we have seen with so many tragic incidents across the world, the threat posed by violent extremists is real and continues to evolve, often fuelled by new technologies.

Bringing together intelligence and expertise from our closest international partners will strengthen our ability to disrupt dangerous networks and prevent violence before lives are put at risk.

The radicalisation of children and young people online is a particular concern across the globe. Our new diversion programme will ensure we act faster to keep everyone safe.

For years, the Five Eyes have worked together to make the citizens of each of our countries safer. This is the next step forward in that shared endeavour.

The new Countering Violent Extremism Hub will identify emerging patterns of behaviour, share lessons from previous incidents and assess risks before they escalate into violence. It will support the development of threat assessments and prevention initiatives, helping intelligence or law enforcement agencies to intervene before harm occurs.

By pooling expertise, intelligence and resources, the hub will reduce duplication, improve coordination and enable partners to learn from each other in real time.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 21 August 2026.

French police units prevented 185 small boat crossing events in the first 3 months of a new UK-France deal.

French units funded by the UK as part of the landmark new UK-France deal have hit the ground running in their first 3 months. 

According to information from the French authorities, officers prevented 185 small boat events between 27 April and 2 August. 

This included action to stop launches, seize equipment including boats, engines and lifejackets, and arrest smugglers. 

This means 61% of all small boat events were stopped across this time, an increase in the event prevention rate of nearly 5% compared to the same time period in 2025. 

French reporting also indicates that in the 3 months since signing the deal, there have been 4 weeks that saw the French intercept every potential crossing event, a prevention rate of 100%. 

Action taken also directly prevented over 4,300 crossing attempts, stopping migrants from reaching UK shores – with potentially hundreds more crossing attempts stopped before they could even reach French beaches. 

French officers deployed a range of tactics and interventions across May, June and July to crack down on the evil smuggling gangs and disrupt migrant crossings. 

This included making direct interceptions on beaches, stopping boats setting off from the shore and preventing migrants from boarding taxi boats. 

In May, French units prevented a potential small boat launch from south of Calais. They identified 3 groups of people totalling nearly 100 migrants, alongside a boat hidden in vegetation, 4 cans of petrol and an engine, and neutralised the crossing.

In the same month, French police dispersed a large group of migrants and apprehended a suspected people smuggler 3 kilometres away from the French coast. 

During another event in July, officers spotted a large group of migrants heading towards Dunkirk. Deploying surveillance technology, officers monitored the group and then swooped in to neutralise the boat being carried, stopping another crossing in its tracks. 

Officers also took action to seize boats and engines from vehicles travelling towards the coast alongside concealed equipment hiding along the shoreline. 

In May, specialist French security officers intercepted a vehicle and discovered a boat with an engine, 3 fuel jerry cans and a fuel tank inside. A suspected people smuggler was arrested, and a crossing attempt was prevented.

In June, officers arrested 2 suspected traffickers for transporting nautical equipment in a vehicle. Inside, they found a boat and 3 jerry cans of fuel.

In July, the Gendarmerie drone detected a group of migrants transporting a boat engine. A sweep of the area was conducted, and a boat was detected and seized. 

Officers are also intercepting boats at sea, using new maritime tactics directly targeting migrant taxi boats. 

Since the first deployment of these new tactics on 3 March, French units have intercepted 12 taxi boats on the water, with 3 taking place in just the last 2 weeks. This prevented them moving further up the coast, loading more and more migrants onto an unsafe vessel. 

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: 

Our new UK-France deal is already having a real impact, stopping crossings before they happen and disrupting the criminal gangs behind them.  

People smugglers should be in no doubt, we’re taking down their operations, seizing their equipment and breaking their business model for good.  

Through our joint work with France, we have stopped over 47,000 small boat crossing attempts since the election and we will not let up.”  

Director of Maritime and Small Boats at Border Security Command, Charlie Eastaugh, said: 

Our partnership with France is stronger than ever. Together, we are piling the pressure on the criminal gangs and preventing these illegal and dangerous crossings. 

French officers are not shy in taking bold action to prevent these launches where it is safe and lawful to do so. They work in difficult and dangerous conditions to stop boats launching, seize equipment and disperse large migrant groups as well as saving thousands of lives at sea.

Our joint efforts are delivering results, and we will go further still to restore control of our borders and put these smugglers out of business.” 

But the focus of French officers goes beyond just preventing launches. 

Under a trial launched on 1 May under the new UK-France deal to remove migrants from French beaches, statistics provided by French authorities show that 119 migrants have been detained in total. 

Of this number, 76 remain in detention, 32 have been released and 40 illegal migrants have been deported from France – either back to their home countries or other EU countries they have passed through – over 33% of the total number of illegal migrants detained so far. 

The trial has been launched while the construction of a permanent Immigration Removal Centre in Dunkirk is ongoing. 

Since the signing of the new deal with France, 2 additional police units are now active on French beaches. This includes a new 50 person riot police unit with specialist skills to contain and disperse groups of illegal migrants on French beaches.

In addition, the French are rolling out millions of pounds worth of drone surveillance, 2 new helicopters and a new camera surveillance system to intercept people smugglers and illegal migrants.  

This month, the Home Secretary announced that a record number of National Crime Agency officers have been deployed to crack down on people smugglers, with the number of dedicated officers doubling since the start of 2025, from 276 to almost 800. These officers are working hand in glove with international partners and have seized over 1,100 small boats or engines since the election. 

The Home Secretary is implementing the most sweeping reforms to our immigration system in modern times, removing the incentives that draw migrants to British soil and scaling up the removal of those with no right to be here. This builds on the over 80,000 returned since taking office.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 21 August 2026.

The new National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism will be observed annually on on 21 August.

The nation will come together today to mark the first ever National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism.

The day will focus on remembering and recognising those impacted by terrorism, supporting victims and survivors to get access to the help they need to rebuild their lives, and amplifying their stories. 

A ceremony, held in Central London later today to mark the day, will bring together hundreds of victims, survivors, bereaved families, emergency responders and government representatives.

A 2-minute silence will be observed at the ceremony to remember those lost to and affected by terrorism. The National Day provides an opportunity for people across the country to reflect and commemorate those whose lives have been changed forever by terrorism.

The new National Day, to be observed annually on 21 August, follows years of campaigning from victims and survivors for better recognition and to raise awareness of the impacts of terrorism. 

Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, said:

I am proud that we now have a national day to honour victims and survivors of terrorism.

There is something remarkable about how we come together as a country in those darkest moments. As time passes, most people go back to their lives, but for those who lived through the trauma, there is no return to normality.

Today matters because it says you are not alone. You have not been forgotten. This is a moment to remember the loved ones lost and anyone who has survived the very worst of humanity.

Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, said:

I am proud to stand with victims and survivors of terrorism as we mark our first ever National Day.

I know how much this day will mean to people across the country. I encourage everyone to join us by taking some time to reflect on the experiences of victims, survivors and all those whose lives have been changed forever by terrorism.

We will never allow terrorism to divide us.

Head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said:

Whenever I speak to survivors and victims of terrorism, I am reminded why our work is so important. It is their experiences, their trauma, that drives all of us at Counter Terrorism Policing in our mission to keep people safe.

It is absolutely right that we now have a formal moment of reflection in the national calendar, but we must never forget that many survivors live with the impact of terrorism every day. They are remarkable people, who deserve to be recognised for their resilience and bravery shown in the face of unimaginable horror.

Travis Frain OBE, survivor of the Westminster Bridge attack, said:

I’m pleased to see this National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism come to fruition, after many hard years of campaigning. This should be a date when we come together as a country to remember those affected by terrorism and set our sights to the future, to understand how we can all play our part in preventing further radicalisation and defeating the spread of violent extremism. It is my hope that this event will be one that we can build on in the years to come, demonstrating clearly that the UK stands firm in the face of terrorism.

M. Victoria Cummock, widow of John B. Cummock, killed in the bombing of Pan Am 103 in the skies over Lockerbie, said:

We are profoundly grateful to the government for establishing this National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism, recognising the experiences of those affected by terror attacks both recent and historic.

Each year, it will enable people across the country to gather in solidarity and fraternity to give voice to the hundreds killed, remember their loved ones, and recognise the survivors and responders whose lives were forever changed.

We take comfort knowing the Support Hub will provide community-wide trauma-informed care, empowering us on our road to healing and recovery. Together we can turn trauma into positive purpose and leave a legacy that teaches the world a lesson in humanity.

This year’s commemorations come following 2 terrorist attacks in the past 12 months at Heaton Park Synagogue and Golders Green, and ahead of the 10th anniversaries of 5 terrorist attacks in 2017.

The National Day builds on the government’s commitment to supporting those affected by terrorism, following the launch of its new Support Hub for victims and survivors of terrorism on 1 June. The Support Hub provides specialist, trauma-informed support for anyone affected by a terrorist incident, ensuring victims can access the help they need at any stage of their recovery.

It has already begun to provide support to victims, survivors and those affected by terrorism, including people who have never previously received support.

The new Support Hub operates 24/7, assigning each victim and survivor a single point of contact for tailored, trauma-informed support. Victims and survivors can access the Support Hub via the website or by phone, ensuring support is available quickly and simply when it is needed.

The government is committed to continuing to support victims and survivors of terrorism and to developing the National Day in the years ahead.

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%.