Tag: Home Office

The press release issued by the Home Office on 16 January 2025.

Border Force seized 119 tonnes of illegal drugs, a 52% increase from last year, in the highest number of seizures on record.

Border Force has made the highest number of illegal drug seizures since records began, taking action at the border to help prevent harmful substances from reaching communities across the UK.

In the year ending March 2024, over 119 tonnes of illegal drugs were seized by police and Border Force with a street value of around £3 billion. This is a 52% increase from last year and the highest volume since records began.

Combined action from police and Border Force resulted in a total of 217,644 drug seizures in England and Wales last year, a 13% increase compared to 2023. Border Force made a total of 40,639 drug seizures, the highest since records began and a 57% increase from the previous year.

Record amounts of cocaine were taken off the streets last year through relentless action and a zero tolerance approach to illegal drugs at the border. The total quantity of cocaine seized by Border Force and police rose by 52% to over 28 tonnes.

Border Force also saw a strong performance on herbal cannabis seizures, with over 74 tonnes seized. This was the largest quantity since records began in 1973, and a 58% increase from the previous year.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship Seema Malhotra is today visiting Border Force officers at Stansted Airport to thank them for their relentless work in breaking drug supply chains and preventing harmful substances from entering the country.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship Seema Malhotra said:

We are clear in our determination to protect the public from illegal drugs which pose a threat to people’s lives.

I’d like to thank our dedicated Border Force officers who work tirelessly to seize illegal drugs, alongside our police forces and NCA, who keep them off our streets and the public safe.

These statistics send a clear message to organised criminal gangs that they will be caught and face the full force of the law if they try to smuggle drugs into our country.

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 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.

Today’s statistics come as more than 20 dangerous substances have been banned, including xylazine, stepping up efforts to combat the increasing drug threat and make our streets safer.

Through our Plan for Change, the government is working closely with policing and Border Force, expanding the access of the life saving drug naloxone and training Border Force dogs to detect a range of nitazenes and fentanyl.

The collective response in dismantling drug smuggling operations from police and Border Force is helping the government in its safer streets mission by smashing organised crime and saving lives.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 15 January 2025.

More than 20 dangerous substances have been banned by the government as efforts stepped up to combat the increasing drug threat and make our streets safer.

Significant efforts are being made to combat the threat of devastating synthetic drugs, which the UK government warns is increasing.

Measures are being stepped up across government to better equip policing, healthcare and Border Force to deal with this growing issue, as well as contributing to international efforts to better protect communities.

Latest figures show since June 2023, there have been at least 400 drug-related deaths across the UK linked to nitazenes, a type of synthetic opioid, and this figure is expected to increase in the coming years.

As part of the effort to make our streets safer, legislation will come into force today (Wednesday 15 January) which bans xylazine, as well as several other synthetic drugs that can be hundreds of times more potent than heroin, meaning tougher sentences for drug dealers.

Xylazine, often known as ‘tranq’, is a high-strength veterinary sedative, which has increasingly been used in combination with opioids such as heroin. Its effects can leave users prone to non-healing skin lesions and more liable to overdose.

The UK is also training Border Force dogs to detect a range of nitazenes and fentanyl – currently the only country in the world doing so – to stop these substances entering the country in the first place.

As of December 2024, police officers in forces across the country are now trained to carry and administer naloxone – a lifesaving medicine that reverses the effects of opioid overdose. The government is working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to see the provision rolled out across most forces.

The National Crime Agency is also working in partnership with policing and Border Force to ensure that all lines of enquiry are prioritised and vigorously pursued to stem any supply of nitazenes and fentanyl to and within the UK.

Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said:

Synthetic drugs cause devastation wherever they are found – to individuals, to families, to our town centres and our communities.

I have been concerned about the growing presence of these drugs on UK streets and I don’t think enough has been done in recent years to get a grip on it. Stepping up efforts to tackle this threat will form a key part of this government’s approach to drugs, which we hope to set out later this year.

As part of our Plan for Change and mission to make our streets safer, we are dedicated to driving down drug misuse and harms through prevention and treatment while acting quickly to stop the criminals peddling these harmful substances.

As part of the international effort to combat these substances, the UK is spearheading a workstream under the US-led Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats which will focus on how governments across the world can control the availability of these drugs through legislation and further strengthen efforts at the border by sharing intelligence.

This is a multi-nation effort run by core coalition countries, who are developing their own initiatives that aim to disrupt supply chains and enhance public health interventions.

The government also has an enhanced early warning system, which is designed to improve our ability to respond to emerging drug threats with several new data streams, such as hospital admissions and lab-tested police seizures, which are monitored and fed into the decision-making processes.

Today’s legislation will see 22 substances banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, 6 of which will be controlled as Class A.

This means that anyone caught producing or supplying these could now face up to life in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. Anyone caught possessing a Class A drug can also face up to 7 years in prison, a fine or both.

Xylazine will be controlled as a Class C substance, meaning its unlawful supply carries a maximum sentence of up to 14 years in prison, a fine or both and unlawful possession up to 2 years, a fine or both.

A generic definition of nitazenes, a type of synthetic opioid, has also been introduced into law today, which will prevent drug gangs from trying to make adjustments to drug recipes to attempt to bypass UK drug law.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 15 January 2025.

Frontline emergency services will benefit from a new communications network that will modernise how they work together, as the government announces a new partnership with IBM following a series of delays by previous suppliers.

The Emergency Services Network (ESN) will support more than 300,000 emergency responders in Great Britain, providing them with better technology and faster access to data in emergency situations and frontline operations.

Police forces, fire services and ambulance trusts will be able to share live data and imagery, location reports and essential public safety information as they work on time-critical rescue and response efforts.

After several delays to the rollout of ESN over recent years, the government is committing to delivering the project as quickly as possible and help save lives as a result. The Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson, will chair regular meetings to ensure the project is running to time and cost.

Providing the emergency services with improved technology is a key part of the government’s drive to make the nation’s streets safer, which is a crucial part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, said:

Every day our brave emergency services help members of the public facing life-or-death situations. We must do everything we can to maximise the chances of successful outcomes, and communications between frontline staff is critical to ensuring this.

This government is working tirelessly to support this project, making sure it is delivered in a timely and cost-effective manner, and IBM will be an important part of bringing the Emergency Services Network online.

Rahul Kalia, Managing Partner at IBM UK and Ireland, said:

We are proud to support the Emergency Services Network (ESN) in delivering a secure and resilient communications platform to empower frontline emergency services.

Working with our ecosystem partners, we will deliver mission-critical services for first responders to enhance safety in our communities across Great Britain.

We look forward to working with the government to deliver this in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Software for new handheld devices will provide data-sharing functions and real-time video features, providing personnel with the critical information they need to save lives, as well as a push-to-talk protocol for instant communications.

One real-world example of how the network could work is in a serious road traffic collision:

• the first service to arrive would be able share their exact location using GPS data with the other services
• fire services would be instantly updated with the make and model of vehicle, which can then be cross-referenced with data on how to best use cutting equipment, if someone was trapped, or where batteries are located on electric cars
• they could also update paramedics with passenger details to check medical information and determine if there is anything they need to know such as prior medical conditions
• this would greatly speed up dealing with the incident and the ability to aid the victims involved

Led by the Home Office, ESN will implement the next generation of fast, safe, and secure voice, video, and data communication, allowing emergency services to work in tandem and coordinate efforts when protecting and aiding members of the public. Similar technology has already been rolled out with success in countries including the USA, Canada and South Korea.

As the new user services supplier, IBM will be responsible for leading the design, build and system integration of the ESN platform. Key to achieving this will be IBM’s delivery of IT infrastructure, which will be fundamental to ensuring improved and more efficient communication capabilities for mission-critical services.

The news comes swiftly after EE was awarded the contract to provide the mobile communications infrastructure for the project, as the new government works towards deploying the new ESN and shutting down the current system, Airwave.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 9 January 2025.

The government’s pledge to deliver the highest rate of removals since 2018 has been surpassed, with a surge in returns activity since the election leading to 16,400 people with no right to be in the UK being removed.

Since the government came to office, enforced returns are up 24% compared to the same 12 months prior and Britain’s streets have been made safer with the removal of 2,580 foreign criminals – a 23% increase on last year.

Bespoke charter flights have removed immigration offenders to countries around the world, including 4 of the biggest returns flights in the UK’s history carrying more than 800 people. Individuals removed since the election include criminals convicted of drug offences, theft, rape and murder.

By restarting asylum processing to help clear the backlog and redeploying 1,000 staff to work on immigration enforcement, the government has been able to achieve this level of removals within 6 months of coming to office.

The ramp up reverses the dramatic decline in removals seen over the past 10 years and, as part of the government’s Plan for Change, is working to fix the foundations of a broken immigration system.

Today, Thursday 9 January, the government also announced the introduction of a new sanctions regime designed to prevent, combat, deter and disrupt irregular migration, holding accountable those making money by putting lives at risk in the Channel.

The world first regime will allow the UK to target individuals and entities enabling dangerous journeys and disrupt the gangs’ finances to make it harder for them to operate. This will boost our ability to prevent and combat irregular migration.

To see first-hand how law enforcement leverages public-private partnerships to stop criminals benefitting from dirty money, Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited City of London Police today. The new sanctions regime will be an additional tool to target those who law enforcement and criminal justice are not currently able to reach.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

This government was elected on a promise of change – and within just 6 months we have redeployed resources for a scheme that returned just 4 volunteers and instead worked to remove 16,400 people with no right to be here.

Our message to those wanting to come here illegally is clear – you are wasting your money putting your trust in these vile gangs and will be returned swiftly.

No more gimmicks. This government is delivering for working people as we restore order to the asylum system through our Plan for Change.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

This government inherited a broken asylum and immigration system. We are taking swift action to increase enforcement and returns of those with no right to be here.

We will continue our crack down on illegal working and make progress with clearing the asylum backlog. We have now exceeded our pledge to get returns to the highest level in half a decade.

Our priority is to ensure the rules are respected and enforced. As part of the Plan for Change, in 2025 we will go further, introducing new legislation to disrupt criminal smuggling networks and working through the Border Security Command to bring these criminal gangs to justice.

In addition to the returns target, following a crackdown on dodgy car washes, nail bars and construction sites, illegal working visits and action against exploitative employers has soared since the government came into power, with 32% more visits and 29% more arrests compared to the same period last year. Biometric kits and body worn cameras will be rolled out to frontline Immigration Enforcement teams throughout 2025 to boost arrests and prosecutions.

Today’s figures follow 6 months of action to restore order to our immigration system, strengthen border security and disrupt smuggling gangs. Since the election we have established the new Border Security Command, announced £150million of game changing investment to fund new technology and hundreds of specialist investigators, and agreed a new anti-smuggling action plan with G7 countries.

As part of the government’s reset of international relations, we’ve boosted the UK’s presence at Europol and struck a landmark deal on border security with Iraq to disrupt the gangs at source.

Asylum caseworker productivity is also up, with asylum interviews increasing tenfold, as plans to speed up decision making, clear the backlog and swiftly remove those whose claims are rejected gain pace.

Looking ahead to this year, the government will also introduce landmark border security legislation to empower law enforcement with the tools they need to dismantle the gangs.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 9 January 2025.

Victims of antisocial behaviour (ASB) are to get better information and access to support as the government continues to implement its Plan for Change and cracks down on ASB in local communities.

At present when victims of antisocial behaviour believe their case is not being dealt with appropriately by the relevant agencies like councils, police, and housing providers they can ask that their case is reviewed through the ASB case review mechanism.

Responding to recommendations from the Victims’ Commissioner, the government is to review the statutory guidance on the current system designed to protect victims, to make ASB case reviews more accessible and effective for those victims who need it.

This will include giving victims a voice within the process by encouraging all agencies involved to communicate the progress of their case and giving victims the opportunity to shape action plans to tackle the antisocial behaviour they have been victims of.

The government will also recommend independent chairs oversee case reviews so that victims feel confident that their case will be dealt with fairly and objectively, while victims will be given one person to turn to rather than dealing with multiple agencies.

A new victims’ code will be published later this year that will make clear that victims of criminal antisocial behaviour fall within the scope of the code, including an entitlement to expect to be able to access support services.

Minister for Crime and Policing Dame Diana Johnson said:

For victims of antisocial behaviour, the impact on their lives can be devastating, but for too long their needs have not been met, with varied levels of support and poor access to information.

These changes will help ensure that the needs of victims are at the forefront of how police and local authorities respond to antisocial behaviour and are another vital step in our mission to deliver safer streets, as part of our Plan for Change.

To improve how the police identify and respond to persistent antisocial behaviour and the harm it causes, new bespoke training for neighbourhood officers is to be included in the Neighbourhood Policing Pathway programme.

This follows the government’s commitment for every force to have a dedicated antisocial behaviour lead to work with local communities to tackle the issue under the new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

The guarantee will see the restoration of visible police patrols, an additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in dedicated neighbourhood policing roles and a named officer for every community to turn to.

The government will also work with police and crime commissioners to ensure that they are promoting access to support services for antisocial behaviour victims locally within communities.

Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said:

We thank Baroness Newlove for her unwavering advocacy of victims of antisocial behaviour. This is a blight on our communities, disrupting lives and causing significant harm.

The changes announced today come ahead of legislation – as announced in the King’s Speech – to strengthen the Victims’ Commissioner’s powers to ensure greater accountability when the needs of victims are not being met.

The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, said:

More must be done to support victims of antisocial behaviour, and I welcome the government’s response to my report as a positive first step.

My report highlighted the transformative impact of a single point of contact (SPOC) to ensure victims feel heard and supported, so I’m pleased this recommendation is being taken forward.

It is so important victims of ASB are given a voice and are listened to. Planned reforms to strengthen statutory guidance for the ASB case review process are a welcome measure to build trust and empower victims. For these reforms to have the greatest impact, changes to the law will be the crucial next step.

I look forward to working with the government to bolster protections and the law. The upcoming consultation on the victims’ code offers a key opportunity for progress. It is essential we get this right, as there is still much more to be done for lasting change.

New respect orders are to be introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill which will enable agencies and courts to place tough restrictions on the behaviour of persistent antisocial behaviour offenders, with tough enforcement and sentencing options if orders are breached.

Harvinder Saimbhi, ASB Help CEO said:

ASB Help fully endorse the recommendations made in the report and are supportive of the government’s response. The report addresses victim’s experiences and pleas for help, which we at ASB Help are inundated with on a daily basis.

The most fundamental tool victims have is the ASB case review and this report clearly highlights that victims are unaware of their rights or how to access the case review.

We need to ensure that partners tackling ASB across England and Wales are appropriately trained to use the tools and powers available within the ASB Crime and Policing Act, and to tackle ASB effectively, bringing respite to those experiencing ASB.

We therefore welcome the government’s response and look forward to continuing to work with them, and other partners, to tackle ASB and ensure better protection and support for victims.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 2 January 2025.

Suspected people smugglers will face travel bans, social media blackouts and restrictions on phone usage under tough new laws to dismantle crime networks.

In a major upgrade to Serious Crime Prevention Orders, new interim orders will allow immediate action to disrupt and deter suspected serious criminality.

These orders are part of a stronger approach to organised crime which will form part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. This new approach will level up our response to serious crime including organised immigration crime, with new powers mirroring those which are already used to disrupt other harmful criminality such as knife crime, slavery and trafficking.

The bill will improve border security, a key foundation for delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.

Currently, securing a Serious Crime Prevention Order imposed on suspects, including people smugglers, can be a complex and lengthy process, restricting the use of this powerful tool.

Interim orders will go further, speeding up the process for placing restrictions on people under investigation to prevent, deter and disrupt serious and organised crime, including people smuggling. These new interim orders will allow the National Crime Agency (NCA), the police and other law enforcement agencies to apply directly to the High Court to impose immediate restrictions while a full order is considered.

By taking immediate action at an early stage, without requiring a conviction, these interim orders will help crack down on people smugglers and other forms of serious and organised crime. This will strengthen the tools of law enforcement to disrupt these individuals who are operating in the UK, in some cases allowing investigations and prosecutions to continue whilst preventing further serious criminality from taking place.

The new orders will form an important part of preventing organised immigration crime while complementing the UK’s relentless pursuit of criminal gangs.

Restrictions will vary on a case-by-case basis but could include:

• travel restrictions
• a ban on laptop or mobile phone usage
• a ban on accessing social media networks, including via a third party
• restrictions on whom someone can associate with
• restrictions on devices and communications with certain individuals
• restrictions on their finances, helping to prevent criminal proceeds from going under the radar

Breaching an interim order could lead to up to 5 years in prison.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

Dangerous criminal people smugglers are profiting from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk. They cannot be allowed to get away with it.

Stronger international collaboration has already led to important arrests and action against dangerous gangs over the last few months. We will give law enforcement stronger powers they need to pursue and stop more of these vile gang networks.

Border security is one of the foundations of this government’s Plan for Change, including making people better off, delivering safer streets and strengthening our NHS, and we will do everything in our power to deliver for working people.

The announcement comes in the same week as the disruption of a major Afghan people-smuggling ring by a joint operation between the NCA and Belgian authorities, with support from Immigration Enforcement and Border Force officers. Three individuals were arrested in the UK after fleeing Belgium in a small boat to avoid prosecution.

This is the latest development in the government’s crackdown on people-smuggling gangs and the new Border Security Command which is bringing together operational leads to disrupt more gangs across the continent, break their business model and bring them to justice.

The trio were found guilty of being part of an organised crime group responsible for transporting thousands of migrants into Europe, including some to the UK on small boats. The group also committed serious sexual offences against male migrant minors. They now face extradition back to Belgium to face justice, where last month a court in Antwerp convicted and sentenced the trio and 20 other members of the gang to a total of 170 years imprisonment, with sentences ranging from 2 to 18 years.

The landmark Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will strengthen the operational activity of the new Border Security Command, backed up with £150 million, and bringing together key operational experts including Immigration Enforcement, Border Force and vital partners like the NCA. Further measures in the legislation will be brought forward to tackle all aspects of organised immigration crime.

In just under 6 months, there has been major progress in increasing enforcement and restoring order to the chaotic asylum system, stopping the Rwanda plan and restarting asylum processing to start bringing the backlog down. This work has already seen almost 13,500 people with no right to be here returned since the election.

The government’s wide-ranging approach to tackling illegal migration also includes strengthened global partnerships. The UK has signed new agreements with Germany and Iraq to tackle people-smuggling gangs and has enhanced co-operation with the Calais Group.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 17 December 2024.

The vital funding boost includes a significant increase to the police core grant from last year, a key part of our Plan for Change.

Police across England and Wales will be given a £1 billion boost as the government takes action to restore neighbourhood policing and make our streets safer, the Home Secretary has announced.

Part of the government’s Plan for Change, this will take total funding up to £19.5 billion for next year.

The majority of this funding – up to £17.4 billion and an increase of up to £987 million compared to last year – will be given to Police and Crime Commissioners, allowing them to tackle crime in their communities, rid town centres of antisocial behaviour and apprehend persistent offenders. This equates to a cash increase of up to 6.0% and a real terms increase of 3.5%.

This money will include:

• £339 million more for the police core grant to help forces with general running costs and to be allocated by forces to tackle local priorities. This is significantly more than the £184 million rise announced last year
• all costs arising from changes to National Insurance Contributions (NICs), helping police to balance their budgets
• new funding of £100 million to kickstart the recruitment of 13,000 additional neighbourhood officers, community support officers and special constables, as announced by the Prime Minister earlier this month.
• £65 million more for the National and International Capital City (NICC) grant for the London forces, to recognise this has not kept pace with inflation and rising demands of policing the capital

In addition to the money being given to Police and Crime Commissioners, the Home Office is also investing an extra £140 million for Counter Terrorism Policing, ensuring that they have the resources they need to deal with the threats we face and protect the public from serious harm.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

Today’s settlement provides a substantial increase in funding for policing to help deliver on this government’s Safer Streets mission. This vital funding boost will enable forces to kickstart the recruitment of neighbourhood police officers and crack down on the crimes blighting our high streets and town centres.

We recognise the financial and operational challenges that police forces across the country have faced in recent years, and that is why we are providing a significant and much-needed increase in funding to help forces protect the public and keep our streets safe.

We will also work closely with forces at a national and regional level to maximise efficiency and innovation, so that every penny they receive goes as far as possible and provides real value for the public.

The provisional funding settlement will be central to the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change and will help to deliver the manifesto pledge that policing will be reformed to deliver for communities.

The government will put an extra 13,000 police into our neighbourhoods. Dedicated police officers who are visible, named and contactable will support communities and work closely with residents and businesses.

The settlement also comes after the Home Secretary also announced a major package of police reform, including a new Police Performance Unit to track local performance and drive up standards, and a new National Centre of Policing to harness new technology and forensics.

Projects that sit within other national priorities are also being protected, including:

• £612 million to help modernise police forces, enhancing their ability to share data, intelligence and evidence with each other and law enforcement partners. This funding will be essential in tackling the increasingly tech-savvy criminals who wreak havoc on people and businesses
• £50 million for Violence Reduction Units, delivering on the government’s pledge to halve knife crime
• £30 million to tackle the ongoing battle against serious organised crime through county lines routes

Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said:

We are determined to deliver for the people up and down this country and make good on our promise to reform policing, halve knife crime and tackle anti-social behaviour head on.

This settlement aims to do just that, providing a significant and substantial increase in funding that will allow polices forces to get a grip on criminality, to make our streets and communities safer.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 17 December 2024.

The Home Secretary has announced a package of measures to better protect the public and young people from youth radicalisation.

The public and young people will be better protected from the growing issue of youth radicalisation through new enforcement tools, extra police funding and improvements to Prevent – the UK’s programme which diverts people away from radicalisation, the Home Secretary has announced.

In recognition of the increasingly complex national security environment – including the threat from terrorism – the government is increasing funding for counter-terror police by £140 million next year, and for the UK intelligence community by £499 million, taking their funding to a record level.

With the proportion of young people in counter-terrorism casework increasing, the government will also bolster the tools available to tackle terrorist risk in these cases with the creation of new youth diversion orders.

Unlike existing counter-terrorism risk management tools, youth diversion orders will be specifically designed for young people to better manage cases which require intervention beyond Prevent. They will reduce the risk of further involvement with the criminal justice system – a key aim of the government’s Safer Streets Mission and the Plan for Change – by enabling the police to intervene earlier, working with partner agencies, before a young person’s activity risks escalating to the level at which a prosecution becomes necessary.

Youth diversion orders build upon a recommendation from the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, Jonathan Hall KC. The measures that are imposed will be subject to judicial oversight and will allow the police to impose both risk management and rehabilitative conditions, such as Prevent interventions or restrictions to online activity. Youth diversion orders will better enable the counter-terrorism system to divert young people involved in activity of terrorism concern online and in our communities.

Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said:

National security is one of the government’s foundations and fundamental to our Plan for Change, which is why we are putting in record levels of funding to our security partners.

For some time now, law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been warning about the rapid increase in youth radicalisation, driven in large part by online activity. Today we are setting out new powers to tackle this and making major improvements to the Prevent programme to recognise the complex range of threats we face.

I am determined that we bring in the changes needed to move young people away from these dangerous ideologies and make the whole system more effective.

While Islamist terrorism remains the primary threat, followed by extreme right-wing terrorism, the overall threat picture is changing to include a growing cohort of young people radicalised online who do not align with any particular ideology and instead have fixations with violence. Recent Prevent statistics showed most referrals were for individuals with a vulnerability but no ideology or counter-terrorism risk.

To address this, the Home Secretary also outlined reforms to strengthen Prevent, the UK’s programme which diverts people away from radicalisation.

These will ensure that the programme keeps pace with the increasingly complex and evolving terrorist threat, stopping people from being drawn towards dangerous and extremist ideologies, carrying out acts of terrorism or supporting terrorism. The measures include:

conducting an end-to-end review of Prevent thresholds, and updating policy and guidance, including on repeat referrals, to ensure they reflect the full range of threats we see today
broadening the interventions available to people supported by the Channel early intervention programme – in addition to ideological mentoring, we will seek to reflect the increasingly diverse drivers of radicalisation, by exploring options to support at-risk individuals with cyber skills, family interventions, or practical mentoring
undertaking a strategic policy review to identify and drive improvements in how individuals referred into Prevent who are neurodivergent or suffer from mental ill-health are supported and managed
strengthening our approach to the monitoring and oversight of referrals that do not meet Prevent thresholds, by launching a pilot in January to test new approaches to cases that are transferred to other services to ensure there is proper monitoring and requirements in place
A new permanent independent Prevent commissioner will also be recruited with the specific remit of reviewing the programme’s effectiveness, identifying gaps and problems before they emerge.

The independent commissioner will oversee the implementation of the new measures outlined by the Home Secretary.

Security Minister, Dan Jarvis said:

There has been a serious emerging trend of increased youth radicalisation across the country, with the proportion of MI5 investigations into under-18s surging threefold in the last 3 years.

Our first duty will always be to keep the public safe, and the measures we’ve set out today will help ensure the Prevent programme keeps pace with the threats we face and has the tools it needs to succeed.

The government will continue to take every possible step to counter dangerous ideologies and stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 16 December 2024.

The government is on track to deliver highest number of returns for 5 years as nearly 13,500 removed from the UK since election.

The Home Secretary has pledged a step change in tackling exploitative and illegal working in the UK, with new technology to be deployed to frontline officers to stop abuse of the system.

The intervention comes as almost 13,500 people with no right to be here have been removed since the new government came to office and surged the capacity of removal teams, as the department is on track to deliver its pledge to have the highest rate of returns since 2018 in their first 6 months.

Yesterday (Sunday 15 December), Yvette Cooper set out a new crackdown on illegal working to address the promise of illegal jobs that are used by criminal smuggling gangs to sell spaces in small boats crossing the Channel.

New figures show illegal working operations and arrests since the new government came into power are up by almost a third on the same period last year. Six employers have also been charged for employing illegal workers in the last 5 months, compared to just 4 in the 2 and a half years before the election.

To further drive this crackdown, the Home Secretary will boost the capability of Immigration Enforcement by introducing new technology to bolster arrests and prosecutions. Some £5 million will be spent to rollout body worn cameras to over 1,200 frontline officers next year to strengthen the evidence that can be collected on illegal working raids, increase prosecutions and action against exploitative employers, and prevent delays.

£3 million will also be invested in new fingerprint kits for all enforcement officers which will enhance identity checks and enable officers to better identify high-risk individuals.

The measures are part of this government’s plan to rip apart the business models of smuggling gangs and restore order to the asylum system, by processing claims and returning people swiftly while preventing people from making these dangerous journeys in the first place.

It comes as the Home Office launches new ‘upstream communications campaigns’ aimed at exposing the lies told by criminal smuggling gangs. This activity will include warnings to prospective migrants about the exploitative practices of employers and the dire and inhumane living conditions some of those found to be working illegally face, based on real testimonies.

The announcement is being made as the Home Secretary visited Rome on Saturday 14 December to meet her counterpart, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, to drive action against people smuggling gangs, including looking at action to take down the money networks being used by organised immigration crime.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

Illegal working is a blight on our economy. It is deeply exploitative and undercuts those employers who do the right thing and play by the rules. Since the election, we have intensified our efforts to crackdown on exploitation and illegal working – the number of operations and arrests are up, and we are on track to meet our target of increasing removals to the highest level for five years.

I am boosting the capabilities of our immigration enforcement officers to make sure they have the tools they need to further crack down on illegal working and shine a light on the hidden economy and false promises that criminal smuggling gangs are using to encourage people to cross the Channel in small boats. If you employ people illegally, you will face consequences. The rules must be respected and enforced.

Border Security is one of the foundations that underpin the government’s mission-driven “plan for change”, and the new government immediately redeployed 1,000 additional people into immigration enforcement. This has supported the delivery of the four biggest returns flights in the UK’s history, carrying more than 800 people. Thirty-three bespoke charter flights have taken off returning migrants to countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.

Enforced returns are up 25% compared to the same period last year as a programme of regular charter flights returns those with no right to be here to countries across the world.

In 2 cases, these were the first returns charter flights to those countries in several years, as the new government’s work to boost international collaboration strengthens our capability to return those with no right to be here.

More than 2,100 foreign criminals have been removed since 5 July 2024, a 20% increase on the same period last year – moving foreign offenders out of taxpayer-funded prisons and back to their home countries. Those removed were convicted of drug offences, theft, rape and murder.

Body worn video will support operational teams build cases against those working illegally in the UK or unscrupulous businesses employing them.

Immigration officers have encountered situations where there is clear illegal working or exploitation but because they do not have photographic evidence, people have been able to evade justice.

1,200 officers will be given body worn video in 2025 to improve evidence gathering.

More biometric fingerprinting kits will be deployed to the frontline as well, allowing immigration enforcement officers to check those they apprehend in illegal working raids against police databases on the spot, rather than having to take them to local police stations.

Last week, the Home Secretary co-hosted the Calais Group with Germany, hosting Interior Ministers from Belgium, France and the Netherlands. She also signed a deal with Germany to break the business model of people smuggling gangs and save lives, with Germany confirming intention for future law change to tackle smuggling and supply chains.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 28 November 2024.

Shameless employers who commit serious offences will be banned from hiring overseas workers as part of a government crackdown on visa abuse and prevent exploitation.

Delivering on a key manifesto commitment, businesses that repeatedly flout visa rules or commit serious employment breaches, such as not paying the National Minimum Wage, will be barred from hiring overseas workers.

Currently, employers who flagrantly flout visa rules can only be sanctioned for a maximum of 12 months. Under our changes we intend the period for repeat offences to be at least 2 years, double the current length, with final cooling off periods announced in due course.

This government will also not wait until employers have committed serious breaches of the law before taking action, when there are already signs of rule breaking. Action plans bind businesses who commit minor visa breaches to a set of specific actions to help them improve and correct any issues. These are being strengthened further, with the maximum time they can be applied quadrupled from 3 to 12 months, ensuring long-term and sustained compliance with visa rules.

The measures are part of wider efforts to tackle the root causes behind the UK’s long-term reliance on international workers and action to link migration policy with skills and wider labour market policy.

The wide-ranging crackdown will also protect vulnerable workers from exploitation, prohibiting unprincipled companies from engaging in the unethical practice of charging skilled workers for the cost of sponsorship. These costs, which can be passed onto workers at grossly inflated levels, has led to the exploitation and unfair treatment of staff, particularly within the care sector, in some cases burdened with unsustainable levels of debt to their employers.

Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra MP said:

We committed in our manifesto to do everything in our power to ensure those who abuse our immigration system face the strongest possible consequences.

No longer will employers be able to flout the rules with little consequence or exploit international workers for costs they were always supposed to pay if they choose not to recruit domestically.

Worker exploitation is completely unacceptable. Shamefully, these practices have been seen particularly in our care sector, where workers coming to the UK to support our health and social care service have all too often found themselves plunged into unjustifiable insecurity and debt. This can, and must, end.

The new powers will ensure employers who recruit internationally will be required to pay associated costs themselves, which is fair and reasonable for employers that do not recruit from the domestic workforce.

While the longer action plans are in place, employers will face restrictions on their ability to bring in overseas workers. Failure to comply or make the necessary improvements will see their visa sponsor licence revoked.

These changes will be made alongside the government’s new Employments Rights Bill, which is currently going through Parliament. Under the bill, the newly-established Fair Work Agency will bring together existing state enforcement functions including regulations for employment agencies and employment businesses, enforcement of the National Minimum Wage, Statutory Sick Pay and the licensing regime for businesses operating as ‘gangmasters’ in certain sectors.

Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock, said:

Migrant workers are a valuable part of our social care workforce, supporting vulnerable people across the country every day. Many have travelled to the UK with the promise of a rewarding and fulfilling career.

However, there has been an unacceptable rise in the exploitation and abuse of overseas social care workers from rogue operators.

Cracking down on these unethical employers will protect migrant workers from unacceptable and shameful exploitation.

This new crackdown also forms part of the government’s wider action to target rogue employers who abuse the immigration system by exploiting vulnerable migrants who are working in the UK illegally. This government is determined to clamp down on illegal working and the exploitative treatment of illegal workers, and we have rapidly expanded the action we are taking. A range of sanctions will be taken against those employing illegal workers, including:

• financial penalty notices
• business closure orders
• potential prosecution

We have delivered a major surge in Immigration Enforcement’s targeted visits to rogue businesses suspected of employing illegal workers, with 856 visits in October alone – a 55% increase on the same month last year. Between January and October this year, more than 6,600 visits have been made, and 22% increase on the same period last year, with over 4,600 arrests being made, up 21% on last year.

International care workers are particularly vulnerable to abuse, with widespread concerns of exploitation in the sector. The Department of Health and Social Care has already been working closely with the Home Office to share concerns and intelligence on bad practices in the recruitment and employment of overseas care workers, and the measures announced today will further bolster the government’s action against exploitation.

Since July 2022, the government has revoked approximately 450 sponsor licences in the care sector as the government continues to clamp down on abuse. Significant work is ongoing across government, in collaboration with the care sector, to ensure high standards across the immigration system, and to support care workers into alternative jobs when their sponsor has had their licence removed.

Fifteen regional partnerships in England have received £16 million worth of funding to support them to prevent and respond to unethical international recruitment practices in the sector. This includes funding support for international care workers to understand their rights and establishing operational processes with regional partnerships to support individuals to switch employers and remain working in the care sector when they have been impacted by their sponsor’s licence being revoked.