Tag: Home Office

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

Chief constables will chair police misconduct hearing panels.

New measures laid in Parliament today (16 April 2024) will make it easier for police chiefs to sack rogue officers during misconduct hearings.

Police chief constables will be given the responsibility of chairing the hearings which decide on the removal of officers found guilty of police misconduct.

By giving these powers to chief constables, police leaders will be held increasingly accountable for their own officers and be able to influence any dismissal decisions impacting their own force.

Policing Minister Chris Philp said:

Officers unfit to serve must be rooted out at the earliest opportunity and these changes will ensure chief constables are given greater control over this process.

The public need greater confidence that the officers who serve their communities are dedicated to keeping them safe.

We have already made progress in improving the police dismissals process, which includes the police carrying out the largest-ever integrity screening exercise of their workforce and through strengthened vetting, which will go further in booting out corrupt officers.

In some circumstances, such as where misconduct allegations are more minor, chiefs will be able to delegate their role on the panel to a senior police staff member to ensure best possible use of public and policing resources.

Under the new measures, police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will also have greater responsibility for scrutinising the decisions made by dismissals panels. Chiefs, or in some cases senior police officers, will need to provide justifications for decisions where requested. For example, where it has been decided that a misconduct hearing should be held in private.

The democratically elected commissioners will be tasked with holding those making dismissals decisions to account. PCCs will choose independent members to form the rest of the panel and sit alongside the chair and supportive legal advisors. This will ensure that any conflicts of interest are avoided to uphold the fairness of any hearings.

Previously these panels were chaired by independent lawyers known as legally qualified chairs. Legal advisors will remain an important part of hearings but will now be known as a ‘legally qualified person’ who can provide independent legal advice in a more supportive role. The outcome of the hearings will still be determined by a majority panel decision, and hearings will continue to be held in public to maintain transparency and fairness.

These changes, which will come into force on 7 May 2024, follow a comprehensive review into police dismissals following the conviction of David Carrick, a serving police officer, for numerous sexual offences.

In February, the government set out further changes to the police disciplinary system which will mean that any officer charged with an indictable offence will be automatically suspended from duty until an outcome is reached, alongside legislation that will make it easier to sack officers who fail to hold basic vetting when re-checked, as well as anyone found guilty of gross misconduct.

The Home Office has also committed to providing funding to develop an automated and continuous integrity screening system of the police workforce to ensure that officers are continuously vetted throughout their career.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 April 2024.

Income required to bring family to the UK increased as final measure of package to reduce legal migration comes into force.

The Home Secretary has delivered on his promise to transform the UK’s immigration system, cut unsustainable and unfair levels of migration, and ensure those arriving here do not burden the taxpayer.

The final measure in the Prime Minister and Home Secretary’s package to reduce legal migration will see the minimum income required to sponsor someone coming to the UK on a family visa increased from £18,600 to £29,000 from today (11 April) – an increase of more than 55%. By early 2025, this will have increased 2 more times, rising to £38,700 – to meet the new salary threshold for a Skilled Worker visa.

Today’s change comes as the Home Secretary meets his commitment to implement his major package of reforms to the immigration system within weeks of announcing them – which came following the unveiling of measures to tighten the student visa route in May 2023. It means approximately 300,000 people arriving in the UK last year would no longer be able to.

The full set of measures, which have all been implemented, include:

• ending the ability of nearly all students to bring dependants to the UK
• restricting care workers from bringing family members
• requiring care providers to register with the Care Quality Commission if they are sponsoring migrant care workers
• commissioning the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to carry out a rapid review of the Graduate route for international students to prevent abuse, protect the integrity and quality of UK higher education and ensure it works in the best interests of the UK
• increasing the minimum salary required for those arriving on the Skilled Worker visa, from £26,200 to £38,700
• replacing the Shortage Occupation List with a new Immigration Salary List, with employers no longer able to pay migrants less than UK workers in shortage occupations

Home Secretary, James Cleverly, said:

We have reached a tipping point with mass migration. There is no simple solution or easy decision which cuts numbers to levels acceptable to the British people.

Whether it was words unsupported by action, unfounded optimism or just plain wishful thinking that migration would fall on its own, indifference of any kind is never going to work – only determined action, backed by strong resolve, will deliver needed change.

I promised action and we have delivered at remarkable speed. We’ve acted to cut unsustainable numbers, to protect British workers and their wages, to ensure those bringing family to the UK do not burden taxpayers, and to build an immigration system fit for the future – and one the public can rightly have confidence in.

The staged approach to increasing the income requirement gives predictability to families, enabling them to plan accordingly, whilst ensuring that anyone coming to the UK to be with their family or loved ones is supported financially.

The government has been clear that family life cannot be established in the UK at the expense of taxpayers, and migrants joining their family must integrate into society and play a full part in British life.

The income requirement, which had remained unchanged for more than a decade, helps to ensure families are self-sufficient and not relying on public funds, whilst making a positive impact on the economy. The sponsoring family member, or in combination with the applicant if they are in the UK with permission to work, must now have an income of at least £29,000 earned in the UK. The requirement can be met in a number of ways, including through savings exclusively or in addition to a lower income.

The government has been clear that current levels of immigration are too high – putting pressure on public services, housing, and undercutting British workers – which is why decisive action was taken in December. The government’s ambition for a high-skill, high-wage economy cannot rely on mass migration, and measures introduced as part of the package will protect British workers, encourage business to invest in, and recruit, workers domestically, while prioritising only the very best talent from abroad.

Delivery of this comprehensive series of measures comes as the government cracks down on rising migration, both legally and illegally, and reforms the immigration system. The plan is working, with small boats crossings down by around a third last year. Work continues to tackle this global challenge and this includes stepped-up enforcement action with international partners to clamp down on criminal gangs.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 April 2024.

The proposals, which are subject to parliamentary approval, will include the following:

• a standard online application made from within the UK will rise to £88.50 for adults and £57.50 for children
• a standard postal application will increase to £100.00 for adults and £69.00 for children
• a standard online application when applying from overseas will rise to £101.00 for adults and £65.50 for children
• a standard paper application when applying from overseas will increase to £112.50 for adults and £77.00 for children

The new fees will help ensure that income from these applications better meets the cost of delivering passport and associated operations, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation. The government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications.

The fees contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders. The increase will also help enable the government to continue improving its services.

The new fees include those newly applying or renewing their passport.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 10 April 2024.

Twelve immigration offenders have been arrested following a Home Office raid on a bedding and mattress factory in the West Midlands.

Immigration Enforcement officers descended on the business, acting on intelligence that illegal working was taking place on site.

They arrested 7 men – all Indian nationals – for suspected illegal working.

Four more Indian men were arrested at a nearby cake factory. They were found to be in breach of their visa conditions and one was also working illegally.

An Indian woman was then arrested for immigration offences at a private home, with further raids planned throughout the afternoon.

Four of the offenders were detained pending consideration for removal from the UK. The remaining 8 were bailed on the condition they report regularly to the Home Office.

The 2 businesses could now face substantial fines if it is established they have employed illegal workers and have failed to conduct relevant pre-employment checks.

In February this year, the Home Office tripled fines for employers who allow illegal migrants to work for them. For a first breach this has gone from £15,000 to £45,000 per illegal worker and for repeat breaches within 3 years the fines have increased from £20,000 to £60,000.

Michael Tomlinson MP, Minister for Countering Illegal Migration, said:

This operation is a clear example of the way we are stepping up immigration enforcement activity across the country.

Employers found to be breaching the rules can expect significantly increased fines, and, if workers are found to have no right to live or work here, we will not hesitate to act and remove them from the country.

Eddy Montgomery, Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime at the Home Office said:

Illegal working causes serious harm to communities, puts vulnerable people at risk and defrauds the public purse.

The arrests send a clear message that we are clamping down on this dangerous practice.

People smugglers sell migrants the lie that they can work in the UK. The reality is that they can’t – and those found to be working illegally or facilitating this crime will face the full weight of the law.

More information on our increased fines can be found on GOV.UK

The press release issued by the Home Office on 10 April 2024.

Fifty more asylum hotels are due to be closed, building on the closure of the first 100 at the end of March.

One hundred and fifty asylum hotels will be closed by the beginning of May, reducing the strain of illegal migration on local communities, as discussions progress between the Home Office and the local council on the future use of RAF Scampton.

The department is making rapid progress on returning hotels to communities, building on the closure of the hundredth hotel last month, and moving residents into large sites and the private rented sector.

More hotels will be closed in due course, delivering on the Home Secretary’s promise to reduce the use of this type of accommodation.

This means there are 20,000 fewer asylum seekers in hotels than 6 months ago, down from more than 56,000 at the end of September 2023 – a reduction of 36%.

Hotel accommodation, which has cost more than £8 million a day, has always been intended as a temporary solution to ensure the Home Office meets the statutory obligation to accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute during a period of unprecedented numbers of small boat arrivals.

The Home Office continues to negotiate with a range of accommodation providers to find the most affordable accommodation to ensure the greatest value for money and reduce reliance on hotels. Such accommodation relieves pressure on communities and manages asylum seekers in a more appropriate way, bringing the UK in line with the approach taken by other countries in Europe.

Large sites, such as former military sites and barges, reduce demand on an already pressured private rental market, and their larger capacity allows the Home Office to be agile in responding to fluctuations in demand.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

We promised to end the use of asylum hotels and house asylum seekers at more appropriate, cheaper accommodation; we are doing that at a rapid pace.

These closures deliver on the government’s plan to cut the use of hotels in the asylum system and we will keep going until the last hotel is closed.

Alongside hotel closures, the government committed at the end of March to accommodating a smaller number of asylum seekers at RAF Scampton for the shortest possible time in response to local concerns.

The government recognises the heritage assets of Scampton, the vital role it played in the Second World War and the importance of the site to the local community.

The site, which has not yet been opened, is equipped with medical and security services, and the Home Office has limited occupancy to 800 people – rather than 2,000 as originally proposed – to minimise the impact on community cohesion.

The Home Office and West Lindsey District Council continue to work together towards a joint agreement to give greater clarity on the future use of the site for asylum seekers and the community. Those discussions are progressing and we will set out further details in the coming weeks.

The government wants the site to benefit the local community for the long term and be redeveloped for other uses such as tourism, education and research.

The reduction in hotel use is just one part of the government’s relentless action to reduce the strain illegal migration continues to place on British taxpayers. Ultimately, the best way to save money is by deterring people from coming to the UK illegally in the first place, and our partnership with Rwanda intends to do just that.

Government action to crack down on criminals, deter migrants from making dangerous crossings and, alongside our French counterparts, intercept vessels, saw a reduction in small boat crossings by 36% last year. The government also continues to run campaigns to deter would-be migrants from beginning perilous journeys.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 10 April 2024.

Assaulting a retail worker to be made a standalone criminal offence.

To the shoplifters and those abusing shopworkers, enough is enough.

Serial or abusive shoplifters will face tougher punishments as the Prime Minister sets out tough new action to crack down on retail crime and protect UK highstreets.

Assaulting a retail worker will be made a standalone criminal offence, sending a clear message that there will be tough consequences for this unacceptable behaviour.

Perpetrators could be sent to prison for up to 6 months, receive an unlimited fine and be banned from going back to the shop where they committed their crimes, with criminal behaviour orders barring them visiting specific premises. Breaching an order is also a criminal offence and carries a 5-year maximum prison sentence. For the most serious cases of assault, such as causing grievous bodily harm with intent, offenders could face a life sentence.

The move to create the new offence follows longstanding campaigning on this issue from Matt Vickers MP, and some of the biggest retailers, calling for more action to better protect their staff.

The government is also stepping up action to clamp down on offenders who repeatedly target the country’s high streets, with serial offenders forced to wear tags to track their movements.

These tags will be a constant and physical reminder to offenders that the Probation Service can find out where they have been and when, and that they risk being sent to prison if they refuse to obey the rules. Under an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, if an offender is found guilty of assaulting staff 3 times, or is sentenced for shoplifting on 3 separate occasions, they should be made to wear a tag as part of any community order.

Ahead of this legislation coming in, the government will partner with a police force to pilot a bespoke package of community sentencing measures which can be used by judges to tackle high levels of shoplifting, sending a clear message that repeat criminality will not be tolerated.

The government is also ramping up the use of facial recognition technology to help catch perpetrators and prevent shoplifting in the first place. Backed by a £55.5 million investment over the next 4 years, the police will be able to further roll this new state of the art technology. This will include £4 million for bespoke mobile units that can be deployed to high streets across the country with live facial recognition used in crowded areas to identify people wanted by the police – including repeat shoplifters.

The mobile units will take live footage of crowds in towns and on high streets, comparing images to specific people wanted by the police or banned from that location. Police in the area will then be alerted so they can track down these offenders.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

Since 2010, violent and neighbourhood crime in England and Wales has fallen dramatically, showing our plan to keep our streets safe is working. Yet shoplifting and violence and abuse towards retail workers continues to rise.

I am sending a message to those criminals – whether they are serious organised criminal gangs, repeat offenders or opportunistic thieves – who think they can get away with stealing from these local businesses or abusing shopworkers, enough is enough.

Our local shops are the lifeblood of our communities, and they must be free to trade without the threat of crime or abuse.

The action set out today builds on the successes already through the police’s Retail Crime Action Plan, which was commissioned by the Crime and Policing Minister, Chris Philp last year.

This included a range of measures, such as a police commitment to prioritise urgently attending the scene of shop theft involving violence against a shopworker, where security guards have detained an offender or where attendance is needed to secure evidence, which is showing signs of progress.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

There is quite simply no excuse for threatening behaviour or stealing – which can run other people’s livelihoods into the ground, while being traumatic for workers.

To turn a blind eye to retail crime shakes the foundations of law and order which protect our society and that is unacceptable. We are enhancing our plan and doubling down on the zero-tolerance approach needed to fight back.

The number of offenders being charged for these crimes is increasing and while I want to see more people face consequences for their actions, our plan is designed to help put a stop to these crimes happening in the first place.

The government has driven forward significant efforts to tackle retail crime in the past year, bringing together policing and business to commit to smarter, more joined -up working to reduce criminal behaviour and rebuild public confidence in the police response when it does occur.

Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said:

Sadly if you speak to anyone working in retail, they will tell you of the verbal abuse and sometimes violent assaults they’ve been victims of, simply for trying to do their job.

In no other work place would this be accepted. I have been driving forward action to improve the police response to retail crime since I became Policing Minister, because nothing less than a zero-tolerance approach will do.

That’s why today we’re sending a clear message to criminals that enough is enough bringing forward further measures to protect retail workers and crack down on those who continuously disregard the law.

A specialist new police team set up last year is building intelligence on organised retail crime gangs funded through ‘Pegasus’, a first-of-its-kind business and policing partnership backed by 14 of the UK’s biggest retailers, National Business Crime Solutions and the Home Office, launched to radically improve the way retailers are able to share intelligence with police to identify more offenders. The unit forms part of Opal, the national police intelligence unit for serious organised acquisitive crime.

Where CCTV or other digital images are secured, police are committed to running this through the Police National Database, as standard, to aid efforts to identify prolific offenders or potentially dangerous individuals. This builds on the pledge by police forces across England and Wales that they will follow up on all lines of enquiry, where there is a reasonable chance it could lead them to catching a perpetrator and solving a crime.

All police forces across England and Wales made another significant commitment last year to prioritise police attendance at the scene of a retail crime incident where violence has been used towards shop staff, where an offender has been detained by store security, or where evidence needs to be secured and can only be done by police personnel.

Paul Gerrard, Campaigns and Public Affairs Director of The Co-op Group, said:

The Co-op sees every day the violence and threats our colleagues, like other retail workers, face as they serve the communities they live in.

We have long called for a standalone offence of attacking or abusing a shopworker and so we very much welcome the government’s announcement today.

The Co-op will redouble our work with police forces but these measures will undoubtedly, when implemented, keep our shopworkers safer, protect the shops they work in and help the communities both serve.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said:

After relentless campaigning for a specific offence for assaulting retail workers, the voices of the 3 million people working in retail are finally being heard.

The impact of retail violence has steadily worsened, with people facing racial abuse, sexual harassment, threatening behaviour, physical assault and threats with weapons, often linked to organised crime. Victims are ordinary hardworking people – teenagers taking on their first job, carers looking for part-time work, parents working around childcare.

This announcement sends a clear message that abusive behaviour will not be tolerated and it is vital the police use this new legislation to step up their response to incidents. Together, we must stamp out this scourge in crime that has been sweeping the nation and ensure retail workers are given the vital protections they deserve.

Sharon White, Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said:

Retail crime is never victimless – it costs retailers over £1 billion every year and can have a huge impact on the shopworkers involved.

We’ve long called for violence towards retail workers to be recognised as a standalone offence so welcome this announcement, which sends a clear message that abuse will never be tolerated. It will help deter acts of aggression, and allow police to drive prosecutions should instances escalate.

Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s CEO, said:

There is nothing more important to us than keeping our colleagues and customers safe.

Alongside our own security measures like colleague-worn cameras, in-store detectives and security barriers, today’s announcement is a vital next step in enabling our police forces to clamp down further.

We fully endorse and support this legislative focus and action on driving down retail crime.

Seb James, Managing Director, Boots UK and Ireland, said:

We welcome the measures announced by the government today.

Intimidation and abuse of retail workers is unacceptable, so legislation to strengthen shopworker protection sends a powerful signal and deterrent and we look forward to working with the Home Office, police, and local community partners to put these plans into action.

At Boots, we also continue to invest in our own capability to disrupt and deter criminal activity and protect our team members, including in our CCTV monitoring centre and body-worn video cameras.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 March 2024.

The Home Secretary has secured a new agreement with world leaders to tackle fraud.

All G7 and Five Eyes nations, as well as Singapore and South Korea, have agreed a communiqué which recognises fraud as an organised, transnational threat that has become one of the most prevalent global issues.

The document, released on day 1 of the world’s first Global Fraud Summit, sets out a 4-point framework to combat fraud together.

Under this framework, signatories have pledged to enhance law enforcement cooperation, improve victim support and bolster intelligence sharing.

Nations have also set out a clear requirement for collaboration with the private sector to prevent fraud.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

We’ve been clear that the global community needs to unite to fight fraud head on and this communique is a massive step forward.

The United Kingdom and our friends at this summit possess the finest law enforcement agencies in the world.

We have already reduced fraud by 13% in England and Wales. New action from the international community will help reduce that even further.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

Fraud is a cruel crime that wrecks lives around the world.

This communiqué will strengthen and step up international joint working to fight fraud, showing our Fraud Strategy continues to deliver.

The communiqué recognises the impact of fraud is devastating and universal across the world, even if specific crime types may vary in different regions.

It paves the way for closer working practices between international law enforcement agencies.

Intelligence sharing between law enforcement agencies will be ramped up, with operational resources also enhanced. This will help ensure a comprehensive threat picture is maintained, and that action is taken against criminals operating across borders.

Nations will also to explore ways to improve the repatriation of fraudulently acquired funds from bank accounts across jurisdictions and recover illicitly gained assets.

The use of all diplomatic levers, including sanctions and visa bans, to disrupt organised crime groups will also be further explored.

Separate to the communiqué, a new operational arrangement between the UK and the US was confirmed by the Home Secretary. That agreement was a new way of working between the NCA, FBI, United States Secret Service and Homeland Security Investigations to specifically tackle call centre fraud.

The communiqué also outlines the necessity of preventing fraud.

Global citizens are spending an increasing amount of time online, which has provided fraudsters with an opportunity to target victims through digital platforms. Around 80% of fraud experienced in the UK is estimated to be cyber-enabled.

Nations have therefore made it clear that industry, including social media companies and online messaging platforms, are expected to take further action to prevent fraud. This includes an increased effort to identify and remove fraudulent posts.

The UK has led the way in this approach, with the launch of the Online Fraud Charter in November 2023. The charter sees leading tech companies committing to a series of preventative fraud measures including requiring dating sites to allow their users to opt to interact with verified people only, verifying new advertisers and swifter take down of fraudulent posts.

The summit will continue tomorrow (Tuesday), with a series of working level meetings between government officials, the private sector, law enforcement and civil society organisations.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 March 2024.

Reforms to restrict care workers from bringing family members are now in force, while care providers are required to register if they are sponsoring migrants.

New rules to radically cut net migration and tackle visa abuse are now in force as part of the government’s plan to bring down unsustainable levels of legal migration.

Care workers will now be restricted from bringing dependants, after a disproportionate 120,000 dependants accompanied 100,000 workers on the route last year.

Care providers in England acting as sponsors for migrants will also be required to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – the industry regulator for Health and Social Care – in order to crack down on worker exploitation and abuse within the sector.

It forms part of a wider package of measures, which is being implemented as soon as possible, which means a total of 300,000 people who were eligible to come to the UK last year would now not be able to do so.

Home Secretary, James Cleverly MP, said:

Care workers make an incredible contribution to our society, taking care of our loved ones in times of need. But we cannot justify inaction in the face of clear abuse, manipulation of our immigration system and unsustainable migration numbers.

It is neither right nor fair to allow this unacceptable situation to continue. We promised the British people action, and we will not rest until we have delivered on our commitment to bring numbers down substantially.

Our plan is robust but fair – protecting British workers while ensuring the very best international talent can work and study here, to add value to our society and grow the economy.

There is clear evidence that care workers have been offered visas under false pretences, travelling thousands of miles for jobs that simply don’t exist or to be paid far below the minimum wage required for their work, exploiting them while undercutting British workers.

These changes come into force as the government is set to lay rules in Parliament later this week (14 March) to prevent the continued undercutting of British workers, which includes raising the salary threshold that a skilled worker must meet in order to get a visa and removing the 20% ‘going-rate’ discount for migrant workers in shortage occupations.

Minister for Social Care, Helen Whately MP, said:

International care workers make an invaluable contribution caring for our loved ones, but international recruitment and more immigration are not long-term solutions to our social care needs. These rules provide a more ethical and sustainable approach.

We are boosting our homegrown workforce by reforming social care careers. These include the first ever national career path for care workers and a new care qualification.

Our reforms will grow the domestic workforce and build on our success over the last year that saw more people working in social care, fewer vacancies and lower staff turnover.

The Home Secretary will also, today, commission a review of the graduate route for international students to prevent abuse, protect the integrity and quality of UK higher education, and ensure it works in the best interests of the UK.

He will ask the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to ensure that demand for the graduate route, through which a total of 175,872 visas have been granted since it was established, is fit for purpose and focused on attracting the best and brightest to the UK.

This follows concerns raised after analysis by the MAC revealed that the number of international postgraduate students attending institutions with the lowest UCAS entry requirements has increased by over 250% between 2018 and 2022.

This follows reforms to student visas which came into force at the start of January, ending the ability of nearly all postgraduate students to bring dependants to the UK. The government expects to see a drastic fall in student dependant applications this year, with early indications already of this downward trend.

In further changes, the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) will be abolished, to be replaced with a new Immigration Salary List on 4 April. This follows a recommendation from the independent MAC, which has also advised the government on which occupations should be temporarily added to the new list initially.

The government has been clear that roles should only be included where they are skilled and in shortage, and that no sector should be permanently reliant on immigration. Inclusion on the list must not serve to reduce pay and undermine the recruitment of British workers.

From 4 April, the minimum salary required for those arriving on the Skilled Worker visa will increase from £26,200 to £38,700 – a 48% increase. This will further drive down numbers, reduce pressure on public services and prevent the undercutting of British workers by employers who look to recruit cheap labour from overseas. The government’s robust approach will prioritise the most talented and highly-skilled people from abroad who will add value and contribute significantly to growth of the economy, whilst encouraging employers to invest in training, upskilling, and recruiting domestic workers.

The minimum income requirement for family visas will also rise, starting at £29,000 from 11 April. By early 2025 this will be increased to £38,700, helping to ensure dependants brought to the UK are supported financially.

The government has been clear that immigration is not the long-term answer to social care needs and care providers should hire more British workers. The Department for Health and Social Care is leading a programme of work to grow and support the domestic social care workforce. This includes better training, clearer career paths and improved job prospects through a new accredited qualification.

The Department for Work and Pensions is taking decisive action in one of the biggest employment interventions in a generation through its £2.5 billion Back to Work plan, which will help 1.1 million people who are long-term unemployed or long-term sick or disabled break down barriers to work.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 March 2024.

The government has committed to providing UK Muslims with more than £117 million of protective security funding over the next 4 years.

The funding announced today (11 March) will be used to protect mosques, Muslim faith schools and other community centres.

This year the government has made up to £29.4 million available, including an uplift of £4.9 million following the events in Israel on 7 October.

This follows the Prime Minister’s pledge to provide more than £70 million over the next 4 years to the Community Security Trust to protect Jewish community sites, as part of the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant. The funding will increase security at a range of locations across the country, including schools, synagogues and other facilities used by the Jewish community.

Funding was allocated to reflect the number of community sites used by each faith, with British Muslims making up 14 times more of England and Wales’ population than British Jews.

Concerningly, recent events in the Middle East since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict have been used by some as an excuse to stir up indefensible hatred against both faith groups.

Today’s announcement marks a package of longer-term support to provide reassurance that anti-Muslim abuse, threats or harassment or any form of hate crime will not be tolerated.

The funding will provide protective security measures to ensure the UK’s Muslim community can be, and just as importantly, can feel safe. Measures include technology such as CCTV, alarm systems and secure perimeter fencing at mosques, Muslim faith community centres, and Muslim faith schools.

This comes alongside the extension of the deadline for the Protective Security for Mosques Scheme, and the government continues to invite mosques and Muslim faith community centres to register for protective security measures.

The government will continue to work closely with policing and community partners to ensure the safety and security of Muslims.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

Anti-Muslim hatred has absolutely no place in our society. We will not let events in the Middle East be used as an excuse to justify abuse against British Muslims.

The Prime Minister has made clear that we stand with Muslims in the UK. That is exactly why we have committed to this funding, giving reassurance and confidence to UK Muslims at a time when it is crucially needed.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

This funding demonstrates that this government stands firmly against hate crimes, abuse, threats or harassment against British Muslims.

We continue to work closely with policing and community partners to ensure the safety and security of British Muslims.

Some £31 million will also be made available to protect democratic processes and institutions in response to growing extremist threats.

The government condemns the recent rise in reported anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish hatred. Ministers have made it clear they expect the police to fully investigate all hate crimes and work with the CPS to make sure the cowards who commit these appalling offences feel the full force of the law.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 March 2024.

The first Global Fraud Summit, hosted by the Home Secretary, begins in London today. Ministers from the G7, Five Eyes, Singapore and South Korea are attending.

International ministers are set to agree new action to take down fraudsters as the first ever Global Fraud Summit begins today.

Home Secretary James Cleverly will discuss the threats posed by organised crime groups, and how global law enforcement can tackle it, during a series of meetings with senior ministers and representatives from the G7, Five Eyes, Singapore and South Korea, at Lancaster House.

Ministers will explore how closer partnerships with the private sector can be used to counter criminality and reimburse victims of crime.

The need for a bolstered law enforcement response is clear, with a forthcoming Interpol threat assessment expected to show a concerning rise in fraud in all corners of the globe.

Senior leaders from the world’s biggest companies will also be in attendance, to explore further ways of collaboration with the private sector.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

This summit delivers on yet another pledge we made to the British people in our Fraud Strategy and is a clear sign of the UK’s status as a world leader.

Fraudsters have no regard for boundaries, they devastate citizens in all our countries. We will only put a stop to this scourge if we fight it head on together, and that’s precisely what we plan to do.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

Fraud ruins lives. Con artists and thieves are a threat to hard-working families across the country.

The action we’ve taken has already reduced fraud by 13% in England and Wales. However, the majority of frauds originate from overseas, and many are linked to international crime groups.

That’s why we’re hosting the first ever global fraud summit. To lead the international response. And to help bring the global community into this global fight.

Fraud is a global problem, with around 70% of all offences in the UK having ties to overseas criminals, with £3 billion lost to overseas accounts last year. Reversing this trend is not possible without a united global community.

Interpol’s latest report shows fraud is often perpetrated by organised criminal groups, including human traffickers, who force people to work in scam centres which target potential victims of fraud across the world.

A key aim of the summit is to increase partnership work between law enforcement agencies, such as the National Crime Agency, the FBI, Interpol, Europol and the Japan National Police Agency. Sharing more intelligence, expertise and resources will help turn the tide against fraudsters.

Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock said:

Changes in technology and the rapid increase in the scale and volume of organized crime has driven the creation of a range of new ways to defraud innocent people, business and even governments. Urgent action is required.

It is important that there are no safe havens for financial fraudsters to operate. We must close existing gaps and ensure information sharing between sectors and across borders is the norm, not the exception. This summit is both timely, and needed.

Attending nations will not be starting from zero.

In 2022, UK law enforcement agencies worked with international partners, including the FBI, and Europol, to take down an online service known as iSpoof. The website was used to make more than 10 million fraudulent phone calls. Its administrator was jailed for more than 13 years.

The UK, United States and Canada also issued a joint sanctions package against human rights abusers who were forcing trafficked people to work at scam farms in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, in December 2023.

Graeme Biggar, Director General of the National Crime Agency, said:

Over 70% of fraud has an international element, and it is clear that we need an efficient and effective joint response with partners across the globe.

The Global Fraud Summit is an important step forward, bringing together colleagues from the public and private sectors to tackle this persistent and pervasive threat.

It is a priority for the National Crime Agency to reduce the harm that fraud causes, and it is events like this that will help us make an impact at scale.

Temporary Commissioner Peter O’Doherty, from the City of London Police, said:

Fraud is a global threat, requiring a global response from senior leaders from around the world, including law enforcement agencies and industry partners, working together to effectively tackle the ever-growing threat to all our populations.

As the national lead force for fraud in the UK, we work in partnership with international law enforcement agencies to pursue those who seek to defraud the public.  Fraudsters don’t recognise international boundaries and nor should we. This summit is an important opportunity to further build our overseas partnerships.

Industry collaboration to prevent fraud will also be a key focus, which is why senior figures from the world’s biggest companies will also be in attendance. This provides a unique opportunity for international lawmakers to engage with private sector in one place.

The summit will encourage greater collaboration between government and industry to tackle fraud.

The UK is spearheading collaboration with the private sector, as shown by the world-first Online Fraud Charter, a voluntary agreement the UK agreed with 12 leading tech companies in November 2023. It includes measures to verify sellers on peer-to-peer marketplaces, promptly remove fraudulent advertising and allow people using online dating services to only interact with people who have confirmed their identities.

Partner countries agreeing similar charters will severely hinder fraudsters, who rely upon new technologies to commit fraud.

The UK will also raise the prospect of creating a mechanism to repatriate funds that are lost overseas due to fraud.

Antony Walker, Deputy CEO, techUK said:

The Global Fraud Summit will provide tech companies with the platform to build upon their existing efforts and enable better and more consistent cooperation between the private sector, government, and law enforcement in the fight against fraud and online scams.

As the nature of online fraud continues to evolve, tech companies remain committed to taking measures against online fraud, adapting their approaches to effectively counter this criminal activity and protect users.

David Postings, Chief Executive of UK Finance, said:

Fraud is a global problem and we know the devastating impact it has on people. The UK and its financial services sector are at the forefront of efforts to tackle this criminal activity.

We’re delighted to be part of the UK government’s international summit and will continue working to stop fraud from happening in the first place.

It is anticipated all attending nations will agree a communique, pledging more combined action to fight fraud.

Day 2 of the summit will consist entirely of working level meetings between the private sector, civil society and senior civil servants from across the world.

Attending overseas ministers are:

• Stephen Jones, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Australia
• Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, Canada
• Sabrina Agresti-Roubache, Secretary of State for Citizenship, France
• Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of the Interior and Community, Germany
• Matteo Piantedosi, Minister of the Interior, Italy
• Yoshinobu Kusunoki, Deputy Commissioner of the National Police Agency, Japan
• Casey Costello, Minister for Customs, Seniors, New Zealand
• Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information, Singapore
• Lee Sang-Min, Minister of the Interior and Safety, South Korea
• Arun G. Rao, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, United States
• Kelli Ann Burriesci, Deputy Under Secretary for Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans, Department for Homeland Security, United States