Tag: Home Office

The press release issued by the Home Office on 3 April 2023.

People who work with children will be legally required to report child sexual abuse or face sanctions under new plans unveiled by the Home Secretary.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has today (Sunday 2 April) committed to a mandatory reporting duty, subject to consultation, for those working or volunteering with children to report child sexual abuse, after the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) heard heart-breaking testimony from thousands of victims let down by professionals turning a blind eye to their suffering.

Mandatory reporting was one of the key recommendations made by the IICSA report to crack down on child sexual abuse and address the systemic under-reporting of this crime.

The first step to introducing the duty is a call for evidence which will be open to professionals, volunteers, parents, victims and survivors, and the wider public. It will be the start of extensive consultation to ensure everyone’s views are represented ahead of implementing the new duty.

Suella Braverman said:

Child sexual abuse is one of the most horrific crimes facing our society, it devastates victims, families and whole communities.

The protection of children is a collective effort. Every adult must be supported to call out child sexual abuse without fear.

That’s why I’m introducing a mandatory reporting duty and launching a call for evidence. We must address the failings identified by the Inquiry and take on board the views of the thousands of victims and survivors who contributed to it.

I would encourage everyone to engage with the process once it starts – it is important to have a national conversation about this to help to shine a light on this terrible – but too often hidden – crime.

The call for evidence will be published alongside the government’s full response to the Inquiry shortly.

To immediately support professionals who work with children, we are providing £600,000 to the NSPCC whistleblowing helpline. If a professional has concerns that their organisation isn’t reporting or handling child abuse cases appropriately, they can contact the NSPCC whistleblowing helpline for support.

The helpline was launched in 2016 following Professor Alexis Jay’s report into the child sexual exploitation in Rotherham. Since then, it has provided advice to 1,062 individuals and led to over 300 referrals to the police.

Additional funding is also going to be made available for the NSPCC’s adult helpline, which is for anyone who is concerned about the welfare of a child. The helpline has established procedures and protocols around referring reports to statutory safeguarding partners, including children’s services and policing, so that they can be investigated and acted on.

The government is also speeding up the process for members of the public to find out if someone they know has committed child abuse in the past in order to better protect vulnerable people from predators close by.

Known as Sarah’s Law in memory of 8-year-old Sarah Payne, who was murdered by a previously convicted sex offender in 2000, the updated guidance for the Child Sex Offender’s Disclosure Scheme will make it easier for the public to raise a concern online and reduce the timeframes for police to respond to enquiries, which will help the public get the information they need sooner and protect children from harm.

Dr Sara Payne MBE, the mother of Sarah Payne, said:

After the news of my Sarah’s murder in 2000, I promised her that her death would not be in vain or forgotten or indeed, only remembered for the manner of her death. Since 2010, after years of campaigning, so many children have been protected in her name, a much more fitting epitaph to my princess.

I would like to thank my family, my own dedicated Phoenix team and the Home Office Sarah’s Law team for helping us all to reach this day, where I am pleased to announce the latest Sarah’s Law updates for 2023.

There is always more to do. This is an historical ‘turning point’ day today for child protection and I for one, sincerely welcome these much-needed changes to Sarah’s Law 2023, as we all know keeping up with ‘sex offenders’ is not and will never be ‘enough’.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 31 March 2023.

National Age Assessment Board will help make decisions more consistent and robust.

The Home Office has bolstered the process for checking the age of asylum seekers claiming to be children with the launch of the National Age Assessment Board today, Friday 31 March.

The National Age Assessment Board brings together a hub of specialist social workers, who will support local authorities and the Home Office to resolve age disputes by conducting age assessments.

The board will set the national standard for age assessments, acting as a centralised team for local authorities and providing expert advice and training to improve the consistency and quality of how age assessments are carried out.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said:

“It’s a sad fact that there have been cases of asylum-seeking adults pretending to be children to try and game the system, which presents a serious safeguarding risk.

“It is vital we use every tool at our disposal to weed out people falsely claiming to be children so we can prevent abuse of our services and protect children in the UK.

“That is why we are introducing the National Age Assessment Board to set the national standard and ensure assessments are as robust as possible, alongside our commitment to deliver scientific methods to assess age as soon as possible.”

The board will begin a phased rollout in two regions in the UK, London and the West Midlands, before branching out regionally and nationally later this year once recruitment has concluded, which will see around 40 social workers in post.

They will begin by carrying out full Merton-compliant age assessments upon referral from local authorities or on behalf of the Home Office, and will also use scientific methods once these are brought in.

Merton assessments are holistic assessments, involving detailed background research and analysis of information, and are fundamentally different from the initial age assessments that are carried out when people arrive at the border.

Many of those arriving in the UK who claim to be children don’t have clear evidence like a passport to back this up, making it difficult to assess their age.

The introduction of the board is a key part of measures to reform age assessments under the Nationality and Borders Act, and will sit alongside wider measures like scientific methods to ensure age assessments are more robust.

This will ultimately help to prevent asylum seeking adults posing as children as a way of accessing support they are not entitled to. It will also help remove the safeguarding risks of adults being wrongly assessed and placed in the children’s care system, and those which arise if a child is inadvertently treated as an adult.

The need for stronger measures to assess age comes as statistics show that between 2016 and December 2022 there were 7,900 asylum cases where age was disputed and subsequently resolved, of which half (49% – 3,833 people) were later found to be adults.

An example includes a man who crossed the Channel and claimed to be 16 years old. Immigration officers carried out an initial age assessment and deemed him to be 21 years old. He was dispersed to a hotel and referred to a local authority by his solicito. Following a full assessment by the local authority, it transpired that he had claimed asylum and lived in another European country for five years, and was 26 years old.

More serious cases have seen adults being sent to children’s schools, or children being treated as adults, in both cases putting children at risk of harm.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 31 March 2023.

Domestic abuse victims will receive direct payments to help them to leave abusive relationships, Home Secretary Suella Braverman has announced.

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

Commencement regulations for new fire safety legal provisions within section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 have been laid in Parliament.

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

Government, law enforcement and private sector agree on a new plan to crack down on money laundering, kleptocracy and sanctions evasion.

Corrupt elites and criminal gangs who abuse our financial system will be identified and stripped of their cash through a new plan to tackle economic crime.

The Economic Crime Plan 2 builds on the foundations of its predecessor with new actions to improve the system-wide response to economic crime through enhanced cooperation between government, law enforcement, supervisory agencies and the private sector.

Our response to economic crime will be bolstered by 475 new highly trained financial crime investigators, spread across intelligence, enforcement and asset recovery at key agencies. This increased capacity will be targeted toward the detection and disruption of money laundering, and the recovery of an additional £1 billion in criminal assets over the next 10 years.

Building on our unprecedented package of sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we are now expanding the National Crime Agency’s Combatting Kleptocracy Cell to target more corrupt elites and their enablers, while consolidating the effectiveness of UK sanctions.

As criminals seek new ways to launder their profits, we are investing £100 million in cutting edge technology, including data analytics, to equip law enforcement with the tools they need to stay one step ahead. A new multi-agency crypto cell will be established that combines law enforcement and regulators to pool expertise and more effectively identify, seize and store illicit crypto assets.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

Economic crime undermines the integrity of our financial system and weakens our national security.

Through robust legislation and a strengthened law enforcement response, we’ve come a long way in cracking down on dirty money, but this plan helps us go further.

Backed by our partnership with the private sector, we have the resources and expertise we need to identify criminal networks and confiscate the proceeds of their illicit activities.

Cooperation with the private sector is critical to the plan’s success, which is why we will develop a new approach to public-private prioritisation, which will maximise our collective intelligence and resource to detect and disrupt economic crime.

The UK’s supervisory regime will be strengthened, with increased information sharing between partners, and greater government oversight to ensure effectiveness and compliance with Money Laundering Regulations.

Treasury Lords Minister Baroness Penn said:

Economic crime harms our economy and destroys lives. More funding from government and the new contribution from industry through the new levy will allow us to deliver a step change in our response.

While the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill progresses through Parliament, this multi-stakeholder plan ensures that we can maximise the new powers through strengthened capacity and greater expertise. This will enable us to swiftly and effectively act to identify fake companies and hold criminals to account.

The 3 year plan is backed by £400 million in additional investment to tackle economic crime over the Spending Review Period. This includes £200 million HMG investment and £200 million from the Economic Crime (Anti-Money Laundering) Levy raised from the private sector. This funding will ensure a step-change in our response by supporting the delivery of critical economic crime reforms, including those set out in the Economic Crime Plan. The Plan also commits us to exploring new ways to reinvest suspected illicit funds back into combatting economic crime and supporting victims.

Bob Wigley, Chair of UK Finance said:

Tackling economic crime is a key priority for the banking and finance industry and we welcome the launch of the Second Economic Crime Plan.

Partnerships between the private sector, law enforcement, regulators and government are vitally important. Through this new plan we will continue to work together to ensure our collective system more effectively combats all forms of economic crime.

Graeme Biggar, Director General of the NCA said:

The NCA’s National Economic Crime Centre has led the way in bringing together the public and private sectors to ensure systems are in place to tackle high harm financial crime to protect the UK’s public, financial structures and reputation.

The reforms detailed in the Economic Crime Plan are crucial to move us to the next level in our fight against the dirty money that fuels serious and organised crime. They will enhance our capabilities to identify illicit finance and drive it out of the UK; targeting corrupt elites, and the money launderers criminal gangs rely on.

Michael Izza, Chief Executive of ICAEW, said:

We are supportive of the measures set out in this plan which will help in the fight against economic crime, and we will continue to invest in robust supervision, education and intelligence-sharing.

A key success of the first Economic Crime Plan was developing the partnership between accountancy and the public sector to crack down on money-laundering.

Tackling economic crime and driving dirty money out of the UK’s financial systems will be best achieved by Government working closely with professional body supervisors, and we look forward to collaborating on the actions outlined in the second Economic Crime Plan.

Read the Economic Crime Plan

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

Jewish communities are to be better protected from vile antisemitic attacks with a £1 million funding boost and a new dedicated police taskforce.

Synagogues and faith schools will be given £15 million for protective security measures in 2023 to 2024 as part of the Jewish Community Protective Security grant, a £1 million increase on last year. This will fund increased protective security, including security guards and other security measures such as CCTV and alarm systems to protect against persistent hate crime, anti-social behaviour, terrorism and state threats.

In addition, senior policing leaders, ministers, the Community Security Trust (CST), and other stakeholders will form a new Jewish Community Police, Crime and Security Taskforce. The taskforce will strengthen accountability and enhance efforts to combat antisemitic crime and violence against Jewish communities. It will provide a regular forum to discuss with operational partners, communal security concerns relating to policing, terrorism, state threats, hate crime, and public order matters. Chaired by the Home Secretary, it will meet for the first time in late spring, and 3 times a year thereafter.

The first meeting is likely to consider whether it is necessary to review operational policing guidance in light of concerns shared by the Jewish community. This could include guidance on specific chants, banners and emblems which are antisemitic, and ensuring that the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are using their powers to arrest and charge criminals who pose a threat to the Jewish community.

The measures follow the latest Home Office hate crime statistics which show that despite making up less than 1% of the population, almost a quarter of recorded religiously-motivated hate crimes in the UK were against Jewish people in 2021 to 2022.

The Home Secretary announced new measures in a speech at the Community Security Trust’s annual dinner on 29 March.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

Antisemitism is one of the great evils in the world. It is vital that all people, but especially political leaders, challenge antisemitism whenever and wherever they encounter it.

Attacks on the Jewish community are abhorrent. I applaud the police’s efforts to tackle these crimes, but we must go further to ensure the vile criminals who threaten the peace and safety of Jewish communities feel the full force of the law.

I am proud to be working closely with the Community Security Trust and colleagues in policing and beyond to help protect the UK’s Jewish community, go after antisemitic offenders, and stamp out racism in all its forms.

Minister for Security, Tom Tugendhat said:

Antisemitism is abhorrent and I stand hand in hand with the Jewish community against all its manifestations.

We must continue to strive to ensure that every community can live and worship in safety, free from threat.

CST Chief Executive Mark Gardner MBE said:

This announcement by the Home Secretary is hugely welcome, given the continuing threats of terrorism and antisemitism that are faced by British Jews. CST will continue to do everything we can in partnership with the Home Office so as to ensure the best possible security for Jewish schools, synagogues and communities throughout the country.

National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Lead for Hate Crime, Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, said:

It is vital that all citizens are able to live their lives free from targeted abuse, and the NPCC supports this funding to help reduce antisemitic hostility suffered by Jewish people in the UK.

The right to live free from targeted abuse is a fundamental right that we all share and we will continue to work to bring offenders to justice. I would encourage anyone who suffers such a crime to report it, either to the police or to the CST. In an emergency, always call 999.

The Home Secretary has also pledged to write to all Home Office public bodies and every chief constable and police and crime commissioner, as well as the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the College of Policing and the Crown Prosecution Service, to reaffirm the government’s support for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, and encourage its further adoption.

The new funding will bring the total amount allocated through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant to £122 million since 2015.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 29 March 2023.

The Immigration Minister updated Parliament on the progress the government is making in delivering the Prime Minister’s priority to stop the boats.

Surplus military sites at Scampton and Wethersfield will accommodate asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally on small boats, the government has announced.

Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick, updated Parliament today (Wednesday 29 March) on the progress the government is making in delivering the Prime Minister’s priority to stop the boats; reducing the unsustainable pressure on the UK’s asylum system and the cost to the taxpayer caused by illegal crossings.

The government’s Illegal Migration Bill, which returned to Parliament this week, is designed to stop crossings by ending illegal entry as a route to asylum in the UK. This will significantly reduce the number of people requiring accommodation in hotels, which is costing £6 million a day.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said:

The Home Secretary and I have been clear that using expensive hotels for asylum seekers is wholly unacceptable.

Delivering accommodation on surplus military sites will provide cheaper and more orderly, suitable accommodation for those arriving in small boats.

We understand the concerns of local communities and are working closely to listen to their views and reduce the impact of these sites, including through providing onsite security and financial support.

The minister set out an update on the ongoing work being done across government to secure alternative, more appropriate, cost-effective accommodation options around the country.

The 2 military sites in Lincolnshire and Essex will provide basic and functional accommodation for migrants who illegally enter the UK by crossing the Channel, instead of using expensive hotels.

The sites will house asylum seekers in former barracks and modular accommodation in an orderly manner with healthcare provision in place, catering facilities on site and 24/7 security.

Further accommodation in the Prime Minister’s constituency at Catterick Garrison will be brought forward in due course.

Not only are these sites more affordable for taxpayers than hotels, but they are more manageable and orderly for communities and offer significant employment opportunities in the broader area.

We will work closely with local authorities and key partners to manage the impacts of using these sites, including liaising with local police to make sure appropriate arrangements are in place.

This approach also brings the UK in line with European partners, including Germany and Greece, who also successfully use military sites.

To begin reforming the accommodation system, the government will:

• set up accommodation sites on surplus military sites in Wethersfield and Scampton for up to 3,700 asylum seekers across both sites, while preserving their heritage
• open a non-military site in Bexhill, East Sussex which will also be used for accommodation for up to 1,200 people
• explore the use of vessels to provide accommodation in line with the approach taken by the Netherlands and Scotland
• significantly increase dispersed accommodation across the country by providing a new local authority funding package with a generous additional per bed payment for asylum seekers, alongside continued funding for each new dispersal bed
• pilot an extra incentive payment for local authorities when properties for asylum seekers are made available faster
• introduce a temporary licensing exemption to houses of multiple occupancy regulations for asylum seekers which will help move people out of hotels more quickly

Accommodating asylum seekers in the private rented sector and on alternative sites costs a fraction of the current costs of hotels which are £6 million a day or about £2.3 billion a year.

The Home Office is committed to supporting local authorities to enact these changes.

The changes to the asylum system are part of the urgent action the government is taking to stop the boats.

In his statement, Minister Jenrick said there had been significant progress since December, including:

• ramping up immigration enforcement visits to their highest levels in recent years – with more than 3,500 since December, meaning more arrests and more people on a pathway to removal
• introducing the landmark Illegal Migration Bill
• signing an historic deal with the French government to stop the criminal gangs
• increasing resource and streamlining processes to eliminate the legacy asylum backlog by the end of 2023

Since 2018 about 85,000 migrants have made the dangerous journey across the Channel, placing unprecedented and unsustainable pressure on housing.

The vast majority are single adult males. The government are under a legal obligation to accommodate those who would be otherwise be destitute.

The alternative sites will house asylum seekers in appropriate accommodation whilst they await a decision on their claim.

Asylum seekers will be in basic, safe and secure accommodation appropriate for this purpose, whilst providing value for money for the taxpayer.

The 2 surplus military sites Scampton and Wethersfield, and the non-military site in Bexhill, will be run by contractors with Home Office oversight.

People whose claims are refused and have exhausted their appeal rights will be removed from the UK.

The government recognises that using alternative sites involves difficult decisions, but urgent action is needed to reform the broken asylum system and reduce the use of hotels.

Scampton and Wethersfield are each due to accommodate about 200 people initially, with capacity gradually increasing to 1,700 at Wethersfield and 2,000 at Scampton.

The numbers of people expected on other sites will be published in due course.

The Home Office will preserve the heritage features of Scampton, recognising the vital role it played in the 2nd World War. This includes not accommodating migrants in buildings from this period. The Home Office only intends to use Scampton on a temporary basis.

We are committed to working with West Lindsay District Council to develop their long-term vision for the site.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 29 March 2023.

The government’s new Hong Kong Veterans Settlement route will enable Hong Kongers who served in the British military to live and work in the UK.

Hundreds of Hong Kongers who served in the British armed forces will be able to apply to settle in the UK, in recognition of their military service in the 20th century.

The government’s new Hong Kong Veterans Settlement route will be open to all servicemen and women who served in the British military prior to 1 July 1997 and their family members, including a partner or spouse and dependant children.

This will put veterans from Hong Kong on an equal footing with other members of the British armed forces who were also stationed in the territory. All those eligible will be able to apply for indefinite leave to enter, allowing them to live and work in the UK without restriction and putting them on a path to full British citizenship.

Applications for settlement are expected to open this autumn.

Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick said:

The immensely valuable contribution that many Hong Kongers made to the UK while serving in the UK armed forces is one that will not be forgotten.

We relied on these veterans to support Hong Kong’s administration and emergency services as well as in the international effort of Operation Granby, which liberated Kuwait from Iraqi forces in 1991. On every occasion, their loyalty was pivotal. It is only right that we recognise their exceptional dedication, service and sacrifice by introducing our new settlement route for Hong Kong veterans.

Today’s announcement allows those who served before 1 July 1997 to settle in the UK and live without restriction. Moreover, it means that the UK can continue to honour their service.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer said:

I am incredibly grateful for the contribution of veterans from across the world who have served in the UK armed forces, including those from Hong Kong, who played a vital role up until the transition in 1997.

By delivering this settlement route, we rightly provide Hong Kong veterans and their families a path into a new life post-service, here in the UK.

Many residents of Hong Kong served in the British armed forces before the handover to China on 1 July 1997. Their role was to form part of the military garrison in the territory, and support Hong Kong’s administration and emergency services.

The veterans provided important roles to some of the UK’s most impactful international operations too, such as Operation Granby, which contributed to the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi forces in 1991.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 28 March 2023.

Greater support will be given to those resettled and relocated from Afghanistan in bridging accommodation to find settled housing.

Afghans living in temporary bridging accommodation in the UK under the UK’s two resettlement schemes, Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), will be given additional support to find settled accommodation after 18 months in hotels.

The use of temporary bridging accommodation has ensured that all Afghans have been housed safely from the moment they arrived, but this is unsuitable for children who are adjusting to their new life and schools, does not support individuals to enter the world of work and holds people back from putting down roots in communities.

Currently, Afghans who arrived on ACRS or ARAP make up a fifth of people living in bridging hotels, which is why the government’s new plan intensifies support to help Afghans move on from bridging accommodation. This is the right thing to do to ensure that those to whom we have made commitments are supported.

Today’s announcement will also help to provide more stability for families so they can rebuild their lives in the UK, and ensure they benefit from consistency of public services, schooling, and employment while also helping reduce the use of hotels which do not offer suitable long-term accommodation and have added pressure on local communities.

The government is providing £35 million in new cash for Local Authorities, which will go towards increasing the level of support available and overcoming key barriers in accessing the housing system and employment. This new, generous package of support comes in addition to the existing support available for people on the ACRS and ARAP schemes, including access to welfare and the right to work, as well as access to public services.

The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is expanding the Local Authority Housing Fund by £250 million. This innovative fund is helping councils to source homes to house Afghans currently in bridging accommodation.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Johnny Mercer said:

I saw first-hand the invaluable contribution many Afghans made to the British military and our international partners, with many more standing by the UK to uphold democratic values. Others were fleeing genuine persecution and rightly came here through safe and legal routes.

Our commitment to the people of Afghanistan is unwavering, and our new plan, complete with new funding, will speed up the resettlement of Afghans into suitable, long-term housing so they can successfully make Britain their home and find the certainty that brings.

We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the people of Afghanistan, and I would encourage a whole of society effort to help them rebuild their lives here.

In addition, the government has partnered with Britain’s largest housebuilders Barratt Developments and local authorities to provide more than 20 new 4-bedroom homes across the country to support Afghan families. The first two families have moved into homes in Doncaster with the rest to follow in the next few weeks including new homes in Bedfordshire, Canterbury, North Somerset and Telford.

The government will aim to build on this pilot – the Homes Partnership Model – by working with Barratt Developments and further homebuilders to lease properties for Afghans for a few years to start their resettlement journey.

Housing Minister Felicity Buchan said:

We remain committed to doing all we can to support those brave Afghans who have found shelter in the UK.

It is right that we help these Afghans properly put down roots – committing to employment and integrating into communities – which is why the government is expanding the Local Authority Housing Fund to help councils provide homes for them.

This is a national effort, so I am delighted to see Barratt Developments stepping up and also offering homes to our Afghan friends – a fine example to other large housebuilders.

Minister for Immigration, Robert Jenrick said:

Many of these Afghans risked their lives to support the UK – it is right we do all we can to support them as they build their new lives here.

Bridging hotels, although safe and secure, were never meant for long-term living – with the uncertainty limiting the ability of families to put down roots in the UK.

The new support and funding announced today will give families the support they need to transition into settled accommodation so they can enjoy the freedoms of living independently;

Dedicated staff, including Home Office Liaison Officers, DWP work coaches, council staff and charities, will be regularly based in hotels to provide advice to Afghans, including providing information on how to rent in the private sector, helping people find jobs and signposting available English language instruction. Translated guidance will be provided and a helpline is also available for Afghans who arrived under ARAP and ACRS.

Afghans arriving in the UK on ACRS or ARAP have also had the right to work and receive benefits from the first day of their arrival, as well as access to public services.

The government will issue guidance to individuals and families in bridging accommodation in April, detailing what will happen next and the extensive support available to them, before writing to Afghans from the end of April notifying them of when their hotel will be closing. This process will be staggered, with a notice period of three months, and people will be notified at different times to ensure that there is not a disproportionate demand for housing in one area.

Support to find housing for Afghans in the UK under ARAP and ACRS has already helped around 9,000 people into settled accommodation but more needs to be done to help the remaining 8,000 still living in 59 bridging hotels.

Supporting Afghans’ access to housing represents value for money for the UK taxpayer making sure extensive support is in place for people while helping to reduce the use of hotels, which costs around £1 million per day to house Afghans.

Future UK arrivals will go directly into appropriate accommodation in order to successfully integrate into their new homes and have the stability that comes with a permanent place to live.

The government is committed to improving the lives of those Afghans resettled here and will continue to support them and help them successfully make the UK their home and is encouraging everyone in society to play their part, such as through offers of employment or assisting with integration.

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

Perpetrators of anti-social behaviour will face swift and visible justice, with nitrous oxide banned and police given more powers to test for drugs on arrest.

Perpetrators of anti-social behaviour will face swift and visible justice, increased fines and enhanced drug testing as part of a new crackdown launched by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today (27 March 2023).

Delivering on the Prime Minister’s pledge earlier this year to clamp down on these crimes, the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan will make sure this issue is treated with the urgency it deserves, establish a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of anti-social behaviour, and give the police and local authorities the tools they need to tackle the problem.

Under the plan, 16 areas in England and Wales will be funded to support either new ‘hotspot’ police and enforcement patrols in areas with the highest rates of anti-social behaviour, or trial a new ‘Immediate Justice’ scheme to deliver swift and visible punishments. A select few areas will trial both interventions, and following these initial trailblazers, both schemes will be rolled out across England and Wales from 2024.

Hotspot trailblazer areas will see an increase in police presence alongside other uniformed authority figures, such as wardens, in problem areas for anti-social behaviour, including public transport, high streets or parks. The increased presence will help deter anti-social behaviour, step up enforcement action against offenders, make sure crimes are punished more quickly and drive deterrence efforts, helping to stop anti-social behaviour spiralling into more serious criminality.

Under the new Immediate Justice scheme, those found committing anti-social behaviour will be made to repair the damage they inflicted on victims and communities, with an ambition for them to start work as soon as 48 hours after their offence so victims know anti-social behaviour is treated seriously and with urgency.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

Anti-social behaviour undermines the basic right of people to feel safe in the place they call home.

The public have rightly had enough – which is why I am determined to restore people’s confidence that those responsible will be quickly and visibly punished.

This action plan maps out how we will tackle this issue with the urgency it deserves and stamp out these crimes once and for all – so that wherever you live, you can feel safe in, and proud of your community.

Offenders, who will be made to wear high-vis vests or jumpsuits and work under supervision, could be made to pick up litter, remove graffiti and wash police cars as punishment for their actions, and victims of anti-social behaviour from the local community will be given a say in offenders’ punishments to ensure justice is visible and fits the crime. The trailblazers will be launched as soon as possible and follow research that shows anti-social behaviour is the main reason people do not feel safe in their local area.

Under the zero-tolerance approach, Nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” will also be banned to send a clear message to intimidating gangs, that hang around high streets and children’s parks and litter them with empty canisters, they will not get away with this behaviour. The drug is now the third most used among 16 to 24-year-olds in England and both the police and public have repeatedly reported links between use of the drug and nuisance or anti-social behaviour.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

The British public are fed up with crime and nuisance behaviour in their neighbourhoods inflicting misery on people.

There is no such thing as petty crime – not only does anti-social behaviour leave people feeling unsafe, it can also be a gateway into serious criminality.

It has always been my priority to give police the powers they need to deliver a common-sense approach to cutting crime, which puts the law-abiding majority first, and that’s what this action plan delivers.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove said:

Anti-social behaviour erodes local pride, blights our high streets and parks and is a stain on too many communities across the country.

We know that it is more likely to flourish in areas that have, for too long, been overlooked and undervalued.

This government was elected on a mandate to deliver change for those communities, and that is why the Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan is critical. So we will intervene directly to prevent high street dereliction. We will deliver tougher, quicker and more visible justice to prevent thuggish behaviour in town centres and we will ensure young people have the opportunities and activities available to them to succeed – all backed by new investment.

This is about acting on the people’s priorities, delivering safer streets so we can level up across the country.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

I want every young person to have the opportunity to access the kinds of life-changing activities which expand their horizons and allow them to develop vital life skills.

The National Youth Guarantee will provide these opportunities and support young people with access to regular club activities, adventures away from home and volunteering opportunities.

We are supporting this today with an investment to create or renovate spaces for youth clubs and activities to support opportunities for thousands of young people across the country who would otherwise miss out.

Police will also be given new powers to crack down on illegal drug use, often a catalyst for other crimes, including expanding powers for drug testing on arrest so more suspected criminals can be tested, and more drugs tested for, including ecstasy and methamphetamine. Currently, only suspected criminals who have committed certain offences can be tested in police detention without additional requirements, but we will expand the range of trigger offences to include crimes linked to violence against women and girls, serious violence and anti-social behaviour.

A new reporting tool will also be developed over the next 12 months to act as a digital one-stop shop where people can quickly and easily report incidents of anti-social behaviour when these occur. The tool will help address problems people have faced when trying to report these sorts of crimes because of a lack of clarity around how to raise an issue or who to speak to, or a lack of confidence that these crimes will be dealt with seriously.

As well as being able to report any type of anti-social behaviour, people will have access through the tool to advice and guidance on what to do next in their cases and receive updates on what action is being taken by local police and councils following a report being logged. As well as giving the public confidence that action is being taken, the tool will help support local agencies to share information on perpetrators within their local area more effectively, so they can more quickly identify repeat offenders and take the necessary action to prevent future crimes from happening in the first place

Other measures announced today include:

• Increasing the punishment for those who graffiti, litter or fly tip with fines of up to £500 and £1,000– council league tables will be published for fly tipping, and we will work with the Office for Local Government to increase transparency and improve accountability on anti-social behaviour outcomes
• Giving landlords and housing associations more powers to evict unruly tenants who ruin their neighbours’ lives through persistent noise or by being drunk and disorderly
• Reopening empty shops by giving councils new powers to quickly take control and sell off empty buildings
• An anti-social behaviour Taskforce jointly led by the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up will bring together national and local partners, with a sole focus of addressing anti-social behaviour and restoring pride in place in communities. This will bring together Police and Crime Commissioners, police and local partners and agencies
• An extra one million hours of youth services in areas with the highest rates of anti-social behaviour to put people on the right track and prevent them from offending in the first place
• Tackling the awful practice of ‘cuckooing’ or home invasion by engaging with stakeholders on the scope of a potential new criminal offence
• Parks and green spaces will also be restored with up to £5 million to make them safer with new CCTV and repairing equipment and playgrounds, and to plant more trees and flowers

Nobody should be criminalised simply for having nowhere to live which is why government committed to repealing the antiquated Vagrancy Act, passed in 1824. This comes alongside last year’s unprecedented £2 billion commitment over three years to accelerate efforts to end rough sleeping for good.

It will be made an offence for criminal gangs to organise begging networks for extra cash, which is often used to facilitate illegal activities. To ensure police and local councils can address activity which is intimidating or causes the public distress, they will have the tools to direct people causing nuisance on the street, including obstructing shop doorways and begging by cash points, towards the support they need, such as accommodation, mental health or substance misuse services. The debris and paraphernalia which causes blight will then be cleared.

The government has also today announced that an additional 43 youth centres are to benefit from the next £90 million investment from the Youth Investment Fund, distributed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. As a result, 45,000 more young people a year will have access to state-of-the-art facilities and regular, out-of-school activities, as part of an overall £300 million to be distributed through 2025. From Lincolnshire to Liverpool, Peterborough to Portsmouth, the government’s National Youth Guarantee will support the wellbeing of young people in some of the country’s most underserved areas, giving them opportunities to develop vital skills for life, and empowering them to be active members of their community.

The new cross-government action plan builds on the government’s focus to deliver common sense policing, backed by an unprecedented recruitment drive of 20,000 additional officers by the end of March, which we are on track to achieve. It works in tandem with our priorities to drive down murder rates, tackle serious violence – including against women and girls – and solve and prevent more burglaries.

Neighbourhood crimes like burglary, robbery and theft have dropped by 24% since December 2019 but government wants this driven down further and to see more burglaries solved, which is why the Home Secretary called for police forces in England and Wales to send an officer to attend every domestic burglary.

The government has also funded 216 projects via rounds one and two of the Levelling Up Fund, totally £3.8 billion, which is driving the regeneration of town centres and high streets, upgrading local transport and investing cultural and heritage assets.

Further information

The 16 pilot Police and Crime Commissioner areas are:

• Northumbria (Immediate Justice and Hotspot policing)
• Cleveland (Immediate Justice and Hotspot policing)
• Derbyshire (Immediate Justice and Hotspot policing)
• Durham (Immediate Justice and Hotspot policing)
• Nottinghamshire (Immediate Justice)
• Merseyside (Immediate Justice)
• Sussex (Immediate Justice)
• Dorset (Immediate Justice)
• Northamptonshire (Immediate Justice)
• West Yorkshire (Immediate Justice)
• West Midlands (Hotspot policing)
• South Yorkshire (Hotspot policing)
• Essex (Hotspot policing)
• Lancashire (Hotspot policing)
• South Wales (Hotspot policing)
• Staffordshire (Hotspot policing)