Tag: Home Office

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 August 2023.

Tom Tugendhat is in New Delhi discussing the UK and India’s joint work to fight extremism and will travel to Kolkata for G20 anti-corruption talks on Saturday.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 10 August 2023.

Decorated police officer will join the Home Office later this year.

One of the UK’s most senior police officers will be joining the Home Office to lead the efforts to tackle illegal migration.

Bas Javid, currently Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police Service, will become Director General of Immigration Enforcement in November.

Mr Javid will come to the Home Office following a 30 year career in policing, previously serving at Avon and Somerset Police, West Midlands Police and the Met.

As Director General of Immigration Enforcement, he will spearhead the operational response to immigration offending in the UK and build on the efforts already being made to tackle this problem.

Immigration enforcement visits are at their highest since 2019 and are up by almost 50% on last year.

His team will work in conjunction with other law enforcement, including police and Border Force.

Bas Javid said:

Protecting the integrity of the UK’s immigration system is vital, so it is an honour to be appointed to this important role.

I am excited to begin leading a group of dedicated, hardworking and talented public servants to ensure we uphold our rules and laws.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

Immigration abuse is a scourge on our society and I will leave no stone unturned in clamping down on this illegality.

Bas brings a wealth of law enforcement experience and will further ramp up our efforts to tackle immigration offending, as the British people would expect.

His appointment was overseen by the Civil Service Commission which regulates senior civil service recruitment and followed a rigorous, fair and open competition.

Home Office Permanent Secretary Sir Matthew Rycroft said:

I look forward to welcoming Bas to the Home Office and working alongside him to tackle illegal migration, which is the top priority for the department.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 9 August 2023.

The UK and Türkiye have agreed a new partnership to enhance cooperation on tackling the illegal movement of migrants, and keep both countries safer.

UK and Turkish law enforcement officers will step up joint operations to tackle organised immigration crime and disrupt the supply chain of boat parts and other materials used as part of illegal migration journeys.

The move follows Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick’s visit to Türkiye last month, the latest in a number of strategically important international visits to strengthen cooperation on the challenge of tackling illegal migration and disrupting the routes used by smugglers.

This has included visits to Belgium, Tunisia, Italy and Türkiye, where he visited the Turkish-Bulgarian Border Check Point at Kapikule – the largest and busiest border crossing point in Europe – and saw first-hand the joint operational work to target organised crime, and the importance of close collaboration between the UK and its international partners on this issue.

This enhanced partnership also follows recent agreements with countries including Bulgaria and Georgia, as well as strengthened partnerships with France and Albania which have resulted in a 90% drop in Albanian small boat arrivals in the first quarter of 2023, compared to the same period last year, and a 40% increase in the number of illegal crossing attempts prevented by the French last year, compared to the year before.

The deepened partnership between the UK and Türkiye includes support by the UK for a new centre based in Türkiye to be established by the Turkish National Police, which will act as a new operational “Centre of Excellence” to tackle organised immigration crime. The centre will build on existing collaboration between our law enforcement agencies and increase alignment of UK and Turkish intelligence, allowing operational staff to act more quickly on information.

A new memorandum of understanding will also cover the increase and quicker exchange of customs data, information and intelligence feeds between the UK and Turkish authorities, to further support our joint efforts to disrupt the small boats supply chain.

The 2 countries are also bolstering their resources to pursue these common goals. The centre will strengthen collaboration between NCA and Home Office Intelligence staff based in Türkiye and their Turkish counterparts; and the UK will deploy more officers in Türkiye to enable collaboration on joint operations to disrupt the criminal gangs who are facilitating illegal journeys.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

As I’ve made clear, we must do everything we can to smash the people smuggling gangs and stop the boats.

Our partnership with Türkiye , a close friend and ally, will enable our law enforcement agencies to work together on this international problem and tackle the small boat supply chain.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said:

Illegal migration is a global challenge, and this new partnership with Türkiye cements our 2 countries as foremost strategic partners, working together in the fight against organised immigration crime.

We will be intensively sharing intelligence, people and technology to disrupt and dismantle people smuggling gangs and the manufacture and supply of materials which enable small boat crossings.

Having met our partners in Europe, North Africa and indeed Türkiye recently, I’ve seen first-hand the benefits our increased cooperation has on stopping the boats. I am determined that the UK is a leading force in tackling illegal migration and a partner to all those allies who share our determination to defeat it.

The export of small boats and boat parts across the continent of Europe in order to facilitate illegal crossings to the UK is a vital element of people smugglers’ tactics. It is estimated that hundreds of small boats and boat parts are transported through Europe each year for this purpose.

This will be supported through strengthened UK-Turkish engagement at a working level including through the next UK-Türkiye Migration Dialogue meeting taking place this autumn in London. Both countries also committed to raise the issue of illegal migration in international platforms.

This partnership marks the next step in the UK’s efforts to strengthen cooperation with international partners on the global challenge of illegal migration. This joint work with allies is a key strand of the Prime Minister’s plan to stop the boats, driving efforts upstream to clamp down on the criminality that enables illegal crossings to the UK.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 8 August 2023.

Members of a gang which recruited illegal migrants to work as cleaners across a string of Sainsbury’s supermarkets have been sentenced.

Members of a criminal gang which recruited illegal migrants to work as cleaners across a string of Sainsbury’s supermarkets in Oxfordshire and the south-west have been sentenced.

Five defendants were sentenced at Oxfordshire Crown Court yesterday (August 7) over their roles in the organised crime group who profited from the facilitation, work placement and housing of around 40 illegal workers, mainly from west Africa.

The leader of the criminal group, Momodou Chune, 55, from Oxford, was jailed for 6 years after being found guilty of 6 counts of assisting unlawful immigration and 3 counts of concealing criminal property.

The defendants were caught following an investigation by the Home Office’s Criminal and Financial Investigations (CFI) Unit.

It is estimated that over a decade of activity, the gang profited in the region of £600,000 from wages of illegal workers and ‘ghost’ workers. The majority of the illegal workers had more than one name and identity, as Chune created fake employees in order to obtain more money in false wages from his employers.

He did this by supplying illegal workers with multiple PIN numbers which were used to calculate an individual’s pay based on the record of when they logged on and for how long that person had worked.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, said:

This is another example of the excellent work which Immigration Enforcement is carrying out around the clock to pursue offenders and bring them to justice.

Illegal working not only encourages illegal migration – it damages our communities, cheats honest workers out of employment and defrauds the public purse as the businesses and workers do not pay taxes.

That is why this government is cracking down on the practise by increasing our illegal working activity by 50% and relentlessly pursuing the ringleaders.

Investigators found that, from 2006 to 2016, Chune had abused his position as an area manager for two companies ISS Facility Services (ISS) and Exclusive Contract Services (ECS), to employ illegal migrants to work as cleaning staff at nine Sainsbury’s stores in Oxfordshire and Wiltshire.

Chune recruited each of the illegal workers knowing they had no right to work. Evidence showed he had control over what the workers were paid as he had their wages paid into his accounts and the accounts of those close to him.

He also controlled where some of the illegal workers lived by providing them with rooms across his multi-million-pound property portfolio. The court heard Chune would pay illegal workers in cash but would deduct rent from those he housed.

This included one worker who was paid £250 a month in cash, however his rent to Chune was £220 a month. Another illegal worker claimed he was paid £5 an hour cash-in-hand for cleaning.

Chune, alongside others in the gang, was found to have laundered more than £310,000 from Exclusive Contract Service Ltd in wages to illegal workers and fake workers through multiple bank accounts.

Those sentenced alongside Chune today were:

• a 48-year-old woman who was found guilty of concealing criminal property alongside Chune to the sum of £31,685, and was sentenced to 12 months suspended for 2 years.
• a 54-year-old woman who was found guilty of concealing criminal property with Chune to the sum of more than £200,701, and was sentenced to 18 months suspended for 2 years.
• a 50-year-old man who was found guilty of concealing criminal property with Chune to the sum of £78,638, and pleaded guilty to possession of an identity document with intent. He was sentenced to 23 months imprisonment.
• a 41-year-old man who was found guilty of fraud by abusing his position as a supervisor at ECS by receiving wages he was not entitled to, and was sentenced to 2 years suspended for 2 years.

Chris Foster, Deputy Director of Criminal and Financial Investigations at the Home Office, said:

The leader of this criminal gang had ultimate control over these illegal workers to exploit them for personal gain. This has been a complex investigation and I want to thank my officers for their hard work, which has resulted in this crime group being stopped in their tracks.

Immigration Enforcement will continue to dismantle criminal networks involved in illegal working and associated crime, putting offenders before the courts to feel the full weight of the law.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 8 August 2023.

We are stepping up action to support regulatory action and prosecution of unscrupulous lawyers, with a new dedicated taskforce and tougher sentences.

A government clampdown on crooked lawyers who coach illegal migrants to lie will see a dedicated taskforce work with industry bodies and law enforcement to build stronger evidence bases to support prosecutions.

The vast majority of lawyers act with professionalism and integrity but, as recent media reports have demonstrated, a small minority have been helping illegal migrants stay in the UK by encouraging them to make false claims.

The Professional Enablers Taskforce is bringing together regulatory bodies, law enforcement teams and government departments to increase enforcement action against lawyers who help migrants exploit the immigration system.

The taskforce has been up and carrying out preliminary work over the past few months, working with partners to tackle immigration abuse in the legal sector by improving how intelligence and information is shared by regulators. Today marks its official launch.

Law enforcement are also working to bring fresh prosecutions against corrupt immigration lawyers who could face up to life in prison for assisting illegal migrants to remain in the country by deception.

Today the Home Secretary is chairing a roundtable meeting with the Lord Chancellor, Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner to reiterate the government’s drive to bring prosecutions against crooked immigration lawyers.

The taskforce has also developed a new training package for frontline staff who work in the immigration system to help them identify and report suspect activity so they can support law enforcement to prosecute crooked immigration lawyers.

Working with industry bodies, the taskforce will disrupt the business models of firms that are enabling abuse of the immigration system. Their work is aimed at supporting enforcement action against corrupt lawyers by building stronger evidence and improving intelligence sharing, which is then passed on to industry bodies to investigate and bring to law enforcement for prosecution if necessary.

Referrals to law enforcement have also been made where criminal activity is suspected. For example, the taskforce has uncovered a case in which an immigration firm is linked to one of the most wanted human traffickers, which has now been referred to the police.

Last week, the Solicitors Regulation Authority – a legal industry watchdog – suspended 3 legal firms who were caught offering to submit fake asylum claims for migrants.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

Crooked immigration lawyers must be rooted out and brought to justice. While the majority of lawyers act with integrity –  we know that some are lying to help illegal migrants game the system. It is not right or fair on those who play by the rules.

The British people want us to put an end to illegal migration – I am determined to crack down on these immoral lawyers and Stop the Boats.

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Alex Chalk KC said:

The accuracy and honesty of legal advice underpins the integrity of our world-leading legal system, so those who undermine it by encouraging deception must be held to account.

This government is committed to stopping the boats – that means breaking the business model of criminal gangs and holding to account unscrupulous lawyers who aid and abet them by abusing the legal system.

Lawyers found to be coaching migrants on how to remain in the country by fraudulent means could be prosecuted under the Immigration Act 1971, Section 25, for ‘Assisting unlawful immigration to the UK’ and face a sentence of up to life imprisonment.

Tackling the minority of lawyers who exploit the immigration system is a focus across government. Last week, the independent Legal Services Board announced it was consulting on increasing the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s fining powers and exploring other ways to enhance regulators’ powers to ensure rogue legal professionals are punished.

The Professional Enablers Taskforce is currently focusing on abuse in the legal sector, however there are plans to expand to other ‘professional enablers’ – such as doctors, accountants and employers – who use their expertise to facilitate illegal migration.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 7 August 2023.

Fines are to be more than tripled for employers and landlords who allow illegal migrants to work for them or rent their properties.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 2 August 2023.

A special support service for victims of fraud has also been expanded to cover all 43 police forces in England and Wales.

Plans to ban cold calls for financial products such as sham cryptocurrency schemes, mortgages and insurance have been set out with the launch of a consultation, marking the next step in delivering the government’s Fraud Strategy.

The 8-week consultation, published on 2 August, will cover proposals to ban cold calls offering any financial products to clamp down on fraudsters seeking to trick people into buying fake investments. Once in force, people receiving a cold call offering these types of products will know that it is a scam, and fewer people will become victims.

Fraudulent investment schemes represent a significant threat to the UK economy, consumers, and society, with victims losing £750 million between 2022-23, according to data from the City of London Police.

A specialist team which provides support to victims of fraud, known as the National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit, has also been rolled out to all 43 police forces across England and Wales since the Fraud Strategy was announced.

Part funded by the Home Office, the service has existed as part of City of London Police since 2015, and is estimated to have stopped more than £2.8 million being lost to fraud. Last year its teams supported more than 113,000 victims and its rollout to all police forces will ensure more people receive the help and support they need.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said:

Fighting fraud is at the heart of our campaign to fight crime. The National Economic Crime Victim Care Unit and the cold calling consultation are delivering on our pioneering Fraud Strategy.

Fraud doesn’t just lead to financial loss, it can destroy confidence and lead to severe stress. That’s why it’s so important that victims get the best possible care and support.

The cold calling consultation is an important step forward in our efforts to block fraud at source. It will have a major impact once it is in force.

Andrew Griffith, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said:

Cold calling for financial services and products has long been used by fraudsters to manipulate and trick members of the public into scams. These cold-hearted criminals will often purposely target the most vulnerable and use a range of deceitful tactics to take advantage in any way they can.

We will ban cold calling for all consumer financial services and products, so the public can be sure that it’s not a legitimate firm if they get a call about a financial product out of the blue without their consent.

We want people to feel confident to put the phone down and report these illegitimate calls.

The government’s Fraud Strategy, published on 3 May, is already turning the tide against fraud.

A key pledge within the strategy is to ensure more victims are reimbursed and recently passed legislation will enable this to happen.

The Financial Services and Markets Act, which received Royal Assent on 29 June, enables the Payment Systems Regulator to require payment service providers to reimburse a customer if they become a victim of authorised push payment fraud. These are frauds where the victim has been deceived into sending a payment from their bank account to a fraudster. This change will provide greater protection for victims of these frauds.

Improved support to block fraud and protect victims will also be achieved through the Online Advertising Programme, which will deliver tougher measures to tackle harms caused by illegal advertising online, including fraud.

A range of targeted measures will be put together to address the most serious risks linked to online advertising. The government will launch a consultation on the details of the potential legislation in due course.

The online advertising taskforce set up as part of the programme met for first time last week. It brings together tech trade bodies and the Advertising Standards Authority alongside the government’s Anti-Fraud Champion, Anthony Browne. The shared mission is to prevent fraudulent messaging online and stop age-restricted products being marketed to children.

Anti-Fraud Champion Anthony Browne said:

80% of fraud is cyber-enabled and often starts with scam social media posts, a fraudulent email or false advertising and this makes engaging with the tech sector particularly important.

Our tech sector is among the best in the world and has a proven track record for innovation. It is of the utmost importance that we work with them to bring about better protections for their customers.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency (ECCT) Bill is also anticipated to receive Royal Assent later this year. Once in force, it will reform corporate law by creating a new criminal offence, called failure to prevent fraud, which places an onus on all large companies to actively prevent fraud being committed by their staff.

If a member of staff commits fraud, for the benefit of their employer, their employer will be held criminally liable unless they are able to prove they had implemented reasonable measures to deter such offending. The government will publish guidance on these measures in due course.

Each of the reforms proposed by the ECCT Bill strike the right balance between holding businesses accountable for their actions without placing onerous regulatory demands on them.

It will level the corporate playing field by ensuring all companies play by the same rules.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 30 July 2023.

Toughened-up good character rules will mean the criminality threshold for British citizenship is in line with the government’s Immigration Rules.

Tougher rules will make sure serious criminals cannot claim British citizenship regardless of when or where the crime took place.

The government crackdown will come into effect tomorrow (31 July), with the strengthened rules applying to new applications from anyone who has received at least a 12-month prison sentence. This re-affirms the government’s commitment to protecting UK borders and ensuring no one with a criminal record can abuse the British immigration and nationality system.

The updated rules are stricter and more specific on so-called “good character” requirements, which are a key condition to be granted British citizenship, and look at whether an individual has observed UK law as well as shown respect for the rights and freedoms of British citizens. The requirements include factors such as criminal convictions, immigration offending and serious behaviour like war crimes, terrorism or genocide.

The changes remove the previous rules where some criminals could be granted British citizenship after a prescribed number of years had passed since the end of their sentence – regardless of the type of crime or where it was committed.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

British citizenship is a privilege. Those who commit crimes shouldn’t be able to enjoy the breadth of rights citizenship brings, including holding a British passport, voting and accessing free medical care from the NHS.

I am cracking down on abuse of the UK’s immigration and nationality system, by introducing a tougher threshold so that serious criminals cannot gain British citizenship. This is the fair and right thing to do for our country.

There will be some exceptions to the new rules, which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, for example if someone has mitigating circumstances that support an exceptional grant. Cases like this could include someone who committed a minor offence a long time ago but has made sufficient, positive changes that they are now considered to be of good character.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 26 July 2023.

The NHS, police and government commit to a new approach to ensure those requiring urgent mental health support receive timely care from the most appropriate agency.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 25 July 2023.

Up to £8.3 million of funding has been granted to 55 organisations providing support to victims of abuse, including counselling, training and community outreach.

More victims of crimes including domestic abuse, rape and other sexual offences will benefit from support designed to best meet their individual needs, the government has announced.

Up to £8.3 million will be provided to organisations across England and Wales to fund frontline and specialist support projects for victims and survivors over two years, including counselling, training and community outreach. This is part of the government’s commitment to quadruple funding for victim support services by 2025 compared to 2010.

Many of the organisations being funded are led, designed, and delivered by and for the communities they aim to serve, with organisations providing tailored support to victims such as those from ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled, LGBT and elderly victims. There is also funding for specialist organisations working with male victims specifically.

A £1.2 million training programme has also launched for Independent Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse Advisors who provide emotional and practical support to victims. The government is funding 1,000 of these posts and the training to make sure these vulnerable victims get better help and stay engaged with the criminal justice system.

Minister for Safeguarding at the Home Office, Sarah Dines said:

I have heard first-hand heart-breaking stories of trauma endured by survivors of abuse and I know how important bespoke support which meets victims’ individual needs and circumstances is.

We are proud that this funding will go to such a diverse range of organisations who really make a difference to the communities they serve.

Minister for Victims at the Ministry of Justice, Ed Argar said:

Victims and survivors have a range of different experiences and needs, so it’s vital we have a broad range of support services in place which can provide bespoke care.

By and for services are a vital part of the support available to victims and survivors of crime, and this additional government investment in these services will have a real impact.

In total, 55 organisations will benefit from the funding, enabling them to continue their vital work with victims of abuse.

Preston based Sahara will receive up to £250,000 in grant funding to provide a bilingual, comprehensive face-to-face support service for women from black and minority ethnic backgrounds who are victims of domestic abuse.

This will include one-to-one counselling, training designed to build confidence and develop self-esteem, and self-help groups where they can meet other women and build support networks.

SignHealth, a deaf health charity which has been granted more than £1.7 million in funding, provides specialist support to deaf survivors of domestic abuse. The funding will help them to deliver accessible educational materials, encouraging them to know their rights and seek support.

The charity will also translate key materials, such as the landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021, into British Sign Language, and train experts in the deaf sector on issues relating to domestic abuse.

Many organisations have been able to bid as consortium groups, enabling charities with small footprints at the heart of diverse communities to access vital funding.

The Mankind UK consortium, made up of 5 organisations, have been awarded upwards of £500,000 to enable them to deliver specialist counselling for male victims of sexual violence. This aims to help survivors overcome the unique challenges faced by male victims and address and reduce symptoms of trauma and mental health issues.

There is also funding for organisations who tackle specific harms, such as so-called ‘honour-based’ abuse. The Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire is working with Savera UK to increase reporting of what can sometimes be hidden crimes such as forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). This is in addition to enhancing the ability of front-line professionals to identify and support victims of these crimes.

Zafar Coupland, Manager of Sahara Women’s Centre said:

Sahara is very grateful to the Ministry of Justice and Home Office for agreeing fund our Project over the next 2 years. This  will enable us to assist BME women who are the victims of domestic violence in all its forms. The grant will fund a comprehensive support service which will include, advocacy, counselling, confidence building and self-help groups and will be delivered with kindness, dedication and passion so that we make a difference to women whose lives have been blighted by abuse.

Marie Vickers, Head of Domestic Abuse Service at SignHealth said:

Our experience shows that it is essential that deaf survivors of domestic abuse receive local specialist support in their home area in addition to mainstream provision. It is vital that deaf BSL users have the option to communicate in their first language with specialist staff who have lived experience. We are grateful that the Home Office has awarded us this incredible opportunity to create greater impact for the deaf community.

Lucy Hughes, CEO at Mankind UK and 1in6.uk said:

Our sector previously came together to help male survivors online via www.1in6.uk. With this funding, we can take that collaboration further by offering male-centred counselling services across England and Wales and begin to address the geographical inequality in what is on offer for men.

Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs said:

My office’s report ‘A Patchwork of Provision’ highlighted the significant gaps in provision of specialist ‘by and for’ domestic abuse services which support Black and minoritised, deaf and disabled, and LGBT+ survivors.

This fund will make some progress towards responding to these gaps and I look forward to working with the government on the Victims & Prisoners Bill to close this gap further.

This builds on government victim funding commitments set out in the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan, including over £10 million awarded under the Children Affected by Domestic Abuse Fund, over £7 million awarded under the What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls Fund and the recent Flexible Fund delivering emergency support to victims of domestic abuse.

As part of the Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan, the government has committed a total of over £230 million from 2022-2025, including the Ministry of Justice quadrupling funding for victim and witness support services by 2024/25.

The new funding is just one part of the extensive work across government to improve outcomes for victims of abuse.

Earlier this month, all 43 police forces across England and Wales, and all rape prosecutors across the country, began implementing a new approach to dealing with rape and other serious sexual offences, ensuring forces conduct thorough investigations which put the focus on the suspect and centre the rights and needs of victims.

Known as Operation Soteria and previously piloted in 19 police forces and 9 Crown Prosecution Areas, the programme brings together police forces with academics, using evidence and new insight to enable forces and prosecutors to transform their response to rape and serious sexual offences.

Total funding amounts allocated through the VAWG Specialist and Support Services Fund

Lead Organisation	Indicative Funding (FY 23-24 and 24-25)	Service Summary
Blackpool Teaching Hospital	£207,562	Ensuring victims of sexual violence who present at hospital and wish to make a disclosure are offered timely and appropriate trauma-informed support. Empowers hospital staff to identify possible victims, building on the success of the Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) programme. Also aims to reduce the number of patients presenting to emergency departments repeatedly, as sexual violence is known to be the underlying cause of a significant number of mental health admissions.
Diversity Matters North West	£316,234	Addresses current gaps in domestic abuse support services which make them inaccessible to women from ethnic minority communities. Creates a forum for awareness through community engagements and national campaigns, establishes an advisory group to evaluate service provision.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority	£682,600	Provides a hub for services for ethnic minority women and girls across Greater Manchester, including migrant women with no recourse to public funds. The objective is to provide an all-encompassing hub where women can have their complex needs met by one team, including provision of advice, and access and signposting to specialist services.
Hourglass	£793,230	Strengthens and maintains telephone and text helplines and online services, to support older people and those concerned about domestic abuse of older people. Also enables provision of information and advice around abuse, ensuring people are informed of the indicators of domestic abuse and the support options available. Will also increase casework support and volunteer capacity, including specialist training.
London Community Foundation	£1,200,000	Capacity building for 22 organisations addressing VAWG among ethnic minority communities in London. Provides support to smaller specialist organisations, invests in training and organisational development, improves local network response and invests in partnerships.
Mankind UK	£552,184	Provides victims with access to specialist online male-centred sexual violence counselling. This will improve outcomes for more adult victims of sexual violence, reducing their trauma symptoms (including anxiety, depression and risk of suicide and self harm). Additionally, it will deliver high quality service user-created content and advice through www.1in6.uk and build the capacity of three smaller partner charities.
New Pathways	£298,508	Supporting people from the LGBTQ+ community who have been affected by sexual violence. Effecting changes within sexual violence organisations for LGBTQ+ victims through research informed service design to allow all aspects of client engagement: awareness raising, communications, initial engagement and assessment, service delivery and after-service needs.
Peterborough Women’s Aid	£284,740	Extends specialist services to support victims of VAWG from the Asian community in Peterborough. Increases professional awareness and improved response to this community.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire	£321,588	Enables effective support for victims of ‘honour’-based abuse/harmful practices, including forced marriage and female genital mutilation, across Cheshire. Supports expansion of victim support services, increasing the volume of reports made to front-line professionals and enhancing the ability of professionals to identify and provide support to victims, and reducing the scale of offending behaviour through educational and community awareness activity.
Rape Crisis England & Wales	£358,801	Building on Rape Crisis’s National Service Standards model, ensuring that victim-survivor voices are central, relevant services are accountable to victims, and they have access to the services they want and need. Delivers bespoke training across member centres based on emerging trends. Using service design methods to: better understand and map victim-survivors’ help-seeking journeys and needs; co-design/prototype/test potential new services to meet the needs of people on waiting lists.
Refuge	£550,569	Refuge work collaboratively with specialist by-and-for organisations to support them in responding effectively to the risks of technology facilitated abuse through training. The project will also support survivors representing disabled survivors, LGBTQI+ survivors, and those at risk of so-called honour-based violence, to understand how technology facilitated abuse impacts their service users and develop bespoke training.
RSVP (West Midlands) Ltd	£206,368	Delivery of pre-therapy support across the region, licensed to other providers and with training provided to the facilitators. The programme consists of a 5-week closed psycho-educational group, standalone workshops for specific trauma-related issues and individual sessions.
Sahara in Preston	£250,000	Provides a bilingual comprehensive support service to women from ethnic minorities who are the victims of domestic violence in all its forms. The project will provide counselling, advocacy support, confidence building training and facilitated self-help groups.
SignHealth	£1,720,564	Provides online support to Deaf survivors across England and supports education about healthy relationships (via social media and digital content). Also includes translation of new legislation into British Sign Language and supports engagement with professionals to design future services. Will deliver workshops, deaf awareness training for Deaf communities, domestic abuse professionals and other support services.
The Survivors Trust	£150,000	The Survivors Trust work with employers to raise awareness of domestic abuse and train their employees on how to identify domestic abuse, better understand the impact that domestic abuse has on victims and equip their staff with the right tools to respond appropriately, ensuring that victims receive the support they need.
Trevi Women	£378,811	Through existing women’s centres, providing trauma-informed support to women wishing to exit on-street prostitution and survivors of VAWG crimes; reducing the barriers for women seeking to exit sex working and helping ensure long-term support. Aims to reduce the likelihood of clients returning to sex work and reduce the prevalence of harm.