Tag: Home Office

The press release issued by the Home Office on 3 June 2025.

Children and vulnerable people being criminally exploited by gangs will be better protected under new measures, as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

A new criminal offence of ‘coerced internal concealment’, to be introduced as an amendment to the landmark Crime and Policing Bill, will crack down on anyone, including gang leaders who force people to hide items inside their bodies to avoid detection.

This practice, also known by the street names ‘plugging’, ‘stuffing’ and ‘banking’, is typically used by organised gangs to transport items like drugs, money and SIM cards from one location to another.

It relies on forcing or deceiving children and vulnerable adults into ingesting or hiding items inside their bodily cavities and is often linked to county lines drug running.

Internal concealment is an extremely dangerous practice. It can be fatal if drug packages break open inside the body and can cause significant physical and psychological harm to those forced to do it.

Where senior gang figures are found to have coerced other individuals to ingest or carry specified items inside their bodies, they will face up to 10 years behind bars.

Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls,  said:

There is something truly evil about the gang leaders who degrade young girls, young boys and vulnerable adults in this way, forcing them to put their lives at risk.

This new offence will go alongside other measures in our landmark Crime and Policing Bill to turn the tables on the gang leaders and hold them to account for exploiting children and vulnerable adults.

As part of our Plan for Change, this government will give police and prosecutors the powers they need to dismantle these drug gangs entirely and secure convictions that reflect the severity of these crimes.

To deliver the government’s mission to halve knife crime in the next decade and deliver safer streets, it is crucial to tackle the drug gangs that run county lines through violence and exploitation.

That is why the government has committed to investing £42 million into the County Lines Programme this year, to break down the organised crime groups behind this trade.

The latest statistics from the programme show that since July 2024, law enforcement activity resulted in over 1,200 line closures and 2,000 arrests – including the arrest and subsequent charging of over 800 violent offenders controlling the lines.

There were also more than 2,100 safeguarding referrals for children and vulnerable people.

The County Lines Programme also provides specialist support for children and young people to escape the drugs trade.

Over 320 children and young people received dedicated specialist support during this period, which can include one-to-one casework for young people and their families to help prevent exploitation or support their safe exit.

The criminalisation of ‘coerced internal concealment’ will ensure that victims are properly recognised and receive the support they need.

It also sends a clear message to offenders that the punishment for this crime will match the impact of the harm they have caused.

The new offence will join a package of other measures in the government’s Crime and Policing Bill designed to protect children and vulnerable adults, including a specific offence of child criminal exploitation aimed at the ringleaders behind county lines operations.

Kate Wareham, Strategic Director of Young People, Families and Communities at Catch22 said:

Catch22 welcomes the introduction of tougher consequences for adults who force children and vulnerable young adults into carrying drugs through invasive methods of bodily concealment.

From our county lines, child exploitation and our Redthread embedded youth work in A&E services across England, we know the devastating, life changing physical and mental impact of this abuse on its young victims.

Robust, specialist exploitation and violence reduction services are essential to ensure child victims are supported to process their trauma and safeguarded from further harm. But we need to prevent exploitation happening in the first place. By targeting the perpetrators, this new offence of coerced internal concealment is a crucial step forward towards that.

Lucy D’Orsi, the Chief Constable of British Transport Police said:

We welcome this new measure which increases the safety of those at risk and supports bringing their abusers to justice.

Safeguarding the vulnerable is a priority for BTP’s County Lines Taskforce. Our bespoke unit, made up of experienced social work professionals, works to pull the exploited from the clutches of organised crime groups by providing them with fast time support and resources from our specialist partners.

We continue to put the exploited and the vulnerable at the forefront of our fight against county lines gangs and take a zero tolerance stance against anyone who profits from the exploitation of children.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 28 May 2025.

Consultation launched on fast-tracking disposal of vehicles seized for antisocial behaviour.

Communities blighted by off-road biking in public parks and intimidating street racing are set to benefit from new police powers to crack down on antisocial behaviour and deliver safer streets through the Plan for Change.

Perpetrators of antisocial driving face having their cars, e-scooters or off-road bikes seized and destroyed after 48 hours under stronger powers proposed by the government.

Currently, police must wait 14 days before being able to dispose of a vehicle, making it easier for offenders to reclaim their vehicles and with a limited deterrent to repeat offending.

The measure to fast-track the disposal of vehicles comes alongside additional proposals to give police stronger powers to seize any vehicles involved in antisocial behaviour, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing them.

Combined, these new powers will help tackle the scourge of vehicle-driven antisocial behaviour by sending a clear message to would-be offenders and local communities that swift justice will be delivered and this behaviour not tolerated.

The changes are also expected to have a wider impact on tackling more serious crime with e-scooters and e-bikes often used to facilitate drug dealing, organised acquisitive crime and serious violence.

Minister for Crime and Policing Dame Diana Johnson said:

Antisocial and reckless driving brings misery to communities across the country, from dangerous street racing to off-road bikes tearing through local parks.

By enabling police to seize and dispose of these vehicles within just 48 hours, we’re giving our officers the tools they need to deliver immediate results and providing communities the swift justice they deserve.

As part of our Plan for Change, these new powers send a clear message that antisocial behaviour, whatever form it takes, will not be tolerated in our local communities.

In a public consultation published today, the government is reviewing the statutory fees for removing, storing, and disposing of vehicles in England and Wales. This will help make sure police can afford to keep removing antisocial and illegal off-road bikes and other vehicles from our streets.

The crackdown on antisocial behaviour continues implementation of the government’s Plan for Change and Safer Streets Mission which will see new Respect Orders targeting persistent perpetrators of antisocial behaviour.

In April this year, the Prime Minister set out new measures as part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee to restore neighbourhood policing to local communities, including every force having a dedicated antisocial behaviour lead to tackle the specific challenges each area faces.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Roads Policing, Chief Constable Jo Shiner, said:

We welcome the consultation announced by the government. Antisocial use of a vehicle, such as street racing, street cruising or off-road use is more than a matter of noise pollution. It can have long-term effects on a neighbourhood, with the criminal damage of roads, other vehicles and surrounding property.

Drivers and riders also risk injuring themselves, other road users, cyclists and pedestrians as they do not have full control of their vehicle and their full attention on their surroundings.

As with all forms of transport, we know they can potentially be exploited for criminal use, antisocial behaviour or cause danger when used inappropriately.

We know that driving or riding in this way can also be used as a form of intimidation, either to other road users or the community. Loud noise from engines or music, and deliberately creating large amounts of exhaust or tyre smoke can also be seen as an aggressive act.

Officers are committed to preventing harm and keeping our communities safe and will continue to take necessary action against those who use transport illegally. Officers having the ability to quickly seize, remove, store and dispose of vehicles used in an antisocial behaviour setting will help keep road users safe and protect our communities.

Policing will take appropriate action against those who commit offences using existing legislation whilst also raising awareness through engagement.

Edmund King, AA president, said:

Illegal car meets and street racing are not just antisocial, but also present road safety problems which have resulted in needless injuries and fatalities.

This is a positive step that should make people think again before joining illegal car cruises.

Sandra Bauer, Neighbourhood Watch Head of Policy, Partnerships and Projects and Deputy Chief Executive said:

We’re so used to seeing powerful vehicles on our roads that it’s easy to forget just how dangerous and noisy they can be, especially when they are being used antisocially.

Our members tell us that the impact on a community or neighbourhood can be huge, creating safety risks, noise disturbance and intimidating people.

This initiative sends a strong message that activities like off-road biking in public parks and street racing are not harmless, but very dangerous and damaging.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 28 May 2025.

Security Minister signs agreement with Ecuador to affirm international commitment to crackdown on organised criminal gangs.

The UK will be better protected from deadly cocaine as the government strengthens crucial partnerships with Colombia and Ecuador to tackle drug smuggling at source.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis struck a co-operation agreement as part of the first ever visit by a security minister to the 2 countries.

Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine producer while Ecuador has emerged as a key smuggling route, with organised crime groups targeting UK borders.

As part of efforts to tackle the trade upstream, Home Office International Operations, Border Force officers and UK law enforcement have been stationed in Colombia and Ecuador. Officers have provided training, equipment and support to enhance the capabilities of South American law enforcement – better preventing cocaine from reaching British borders.

This UK law enforcement presence has had a significant impact on cocaine seizures. Of the 64 tonnes seized by the ports and airports division of anti-narcotics police in Colombia, 50.5 tonnes can be attributed to activity supported by Home Office International Operations. In Ecuador, Home Office International supported the seizure of nearly 95 out of the 300 tonnes seized by police last year.

During his visit, Minister Jarvis signed a memorandum of understanding with Ecuador, cementing both countries’ commitment to dismantling and disrupting violent criminal networks, which threaten the safety of communities in Britain and South America alike.

On behalf of the UK, Minister Jarvis donated further equipment to Ecuador’s law enforcement unit to aid their operations to disrupt illegal activity.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said:

We will not tolerate criminal gangs exploiting international routes and bringing harmful drugs into our communities. That’s why this government is deepening our security partnerships with Colombia and Ecuador to strengthen our frontline fight against organised crime.

Our agreement marks a step forward in our international efforts to prevent drugs reaching the UK. We are making strong progress on this with cocaine seizures by Border Force in England increasing by 75% since last year.

As part of our Safer Streets Mission, we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to prevent cocaine from crossing our border and strengthening our security, a cornerstone of this government’s Plan for Change.

In a speech, Minister Jarvis recognised the sacrifices and bravery of frontline officers in South America to disrupt and dismantle organised crime gangs. Officers are continuing to protect their local communities but also communities across the world as the war on drugs continues. The UK, Colombia and Ecuador all remain resolute in their commitment to tackling illegal drug smuggling.

In Colombia, Border Force officers provided bespoke training to a team who had previously seized only 14kg of cocaine destined for UK ports last year. Following a 2-week training course in March this year, the team have already prevented 1.4 tonnes from reaching the UK.

This international action comes as cocaine-related deaths in England and Wales rose by 31% between 2022 and 2023. As part of the Plan for Change, the government is committed to making streets safer by driving down drug misuse and harms through prevention and treatment.

UK Border Force are also taking action to prevent cocaine from reaching the UK border and harming communities. In January 2025, Border Force’s National Deep Rummage team seized 1.5 tonnes of cocaine on a ship travelling from Ecuador, with an estimated street value of just under £60 million.

There have also been record seizures of cocaine in recent years, with over 26 tonnes seized by Border Force in England, a 75% increase compared to the year before.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 23 May 2025.

33 illegal entrants and suspected people smugglers arrested as part of Home Office operation tackling abuse of the Common Travel Area.

The operation comes as part of a renewed crackdown on immigration crime as this government restores order to our borders through the Plan for Change.

A Home Office crackdown against people-smuggling gangs and people exploiting the Common Travel Area (CTA) has led to the arrest of 33 people, and the seizure of £17,000 in suspected criminal assets and the detention of a heavy goods vehicle related to an unpaid Clandestine Entrants Civil Penalty worth £144,000. Officers also issued civil penalties to the value of more than £10,000.

As part of the government’s latest initiative to take down the criminal gangs exploiting UK borders, Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams executed a three-day multi-agency operation tackling abuse of the CTA, descending on ports and airports in Northern Ireland, North West England and Wales.

The operation, the sixth of its kind, saw collaborative working between the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), An Garda Síochána, the National Crime Agency (NCA), other UK police forces, Border Force and international partners to gather intelligence, trace offenders and take action against UK border breaches.

This operation builds on the success of previous enforcement activity in Northern Ireland by the Criminal and Financial Investigations team, part of Home Office Immigration Enforcement.

Since July 2024 over 60 arrests have been made and over £405,000 of criminal cash seized in the crackdown on abuse of the CTA, protecting migrants at risk of exploitation and disrupting criminality that threatens the public’s safety.

This latest success comes alongside the announcement that nearly 30,000 people with no right to be here have been returned under this government, including a 23% increase in enforced returns and a 14% increase in foreign criminals deported since the election.

It also follows a series of measures introduced by this government to tackle organised immigration crime under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which will enable smarter, faster and more effective interventions to protect UK border security; and make it easier to detect, disrupt and deter those seeking to engage in and benefit from organised immigration crime.

Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle said:

This government is using every tool at its disposal to take down the criminal gangs who exploit vulnerable people in order to make quick cash. We are breaking down the criminal networks at their root with enforcement visits and arrests up by 38%.

The government’s Plan for Change will ensure that criminal networks who abuse our borders face the full force of the law, which is exactly why we have introduced the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill giving law enforcement new counter-terror style powers to smash the people-smuggling gangs.

Alongside robust legislation at the heart of this mission, the Border Security Command is coordinating our efforts to reduce irregular migration by working alongside our international partners to restore order to our borders.

Home Office Immigration Enforcement Deputy Director Ben Thomas said:

Our team alongside law enforcement agencies are dedicated to breaking down the business model of criminal gangs who put lives at risk every day, the strength of our partnership and success of this operation serves as evidence.

Criminal networks seek to bypass robust border checks through fraudulent means and trap vulnerable people into further illegal activities.

The success of this operation marks a significant step up in enforcement activity leading to the arrest of 33 criminals who attempted to abuse the Common Travel Area and undermine the UK’s border security.

I would like to thank my team and partners across the country for their around the clock dedication to root out the criminal gangs and bring them to justice, protecting those they exploit and the citizens of the UK.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 21 May 2025.

More dangerous weapons will be removed from our streets through a new government surrender scheme in partnership with the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime.

Throughout July, knife crime activist and member of the government’s coalition, Faron Paul, will drive across London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester in a purpose-built and fully secure van, encouraging young people to hand over dangerous and illegal weapons safely.

This is the government’s most ambitious weapons surrender scheme to date and will also see a major expansion of anonymous surrender bins in partnership with knife crime charity Words4Weapons.  The Home Office is funding 37 new surrender bins across London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester – the three highest areas of knife crime in England and Wales.

Part of the government’s Plan for Change, these initiatives will give young people more options where they can securely hand over weapons, without needing to go to a police station, helping to keep our streets safer and take more weapons out of communities.

Young people will also be encouraged to hand in all types of weapons, including Ninja swords – which will be banned in full from 1 August.

Policing and Crime Minister Dame Diana Johnson said:

This government is taking a different approach to tackling knife crime — one rooted in partnership with those who have first-hand experience of this devastating crime.

We are committed to halving knife crime within a decade as part of our Plan for Change — and that demands bold, radical action.

That is why we formed the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, not as a talking shop, but as a genuine, working partnership and these new initiatives are a direct result of that collaboration. I’m deeply grateful to Faron Paul and Sandra Campbell for their leadership in driving them forward.

We know that young people involved in crime can have complex pasts and often deep-rooted mistrust in authority, and I truly believe it’s this kind of collaboration that will save young lives.

Faron Paul is an anti-knife crime campaigner and CEO of Faz Amnesty, who survived two life-threatening knife attacks and now does vital work in helping young people hand in knives. He also acts as a mentor to young people caught in the vicious cycle of carrying knives. Faron uses social media to raise awareness of the consequences of carrying knives.  The surrender van being driven across the country will be fully purpose-built to ensure it is safe and secure and police officers will be on hand for additional support and security.

Faron Paul, CEO of Faz Amnesty said:

The launch of the UK’s first-ever amnesty van is a historic moment — not just for FazAmnesty, but for communities across the country. In partnership with the Home Office, this van allows us to take our mission directly to the people, giving them a safe, secure, and discreet way to hand in offensive weapons. For years, we’ve worked tirelessly to remove knives and other weapons from our streets, and this van is a major step forward in that mission. It’s more than just a vehicle — it’s a symbol of hope, change, and second chances. This is about saving lives, protecting our communities, and breaking the cycle of violence. I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come — and this is only the beginning.

The Home Office has partnered with surrender charity, Words4Weapons, to manufacture these bins. Words4Weapons already have several weapons bins placed across London, Hertfordshire and Sheffield, and help to connect young people with local services to access the best possible help.

The scheme will also include a limited compensation offering for Ninja swords handed in ahead of the ban on 1 August. Any members of the public wishing to surrender a Ninja sword in exchange for compensation will need to safely take the weapon to one of the designated police stations.

Any member of the public found with one of these weapons following 1 August will be breaking the law and could face time in prison.

Sandra Campbell, CEO of Words4 Weapons said:

We are proud to partner with the Home Office on what is the most ambitious weapons surrender initiative to date. These bespoke Word 4 Weapons bins will provide communities with safe and anonymous disposal options. Each bin represents a proactive step towards saving lives and helping to restore neighbourhood trust. By making weapon disposals more accessible, we are not just removing dangerous items from the streets but supporting individuals to make alternative choices. We are grateful for the government’s support and pleased to contribute to this vital national initiative.

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

A new dedicated taskforce has been launched to transform the way in which the police respond to organised immigration crime gangs operating from the UK.

A new dedicated taskforce has been launched to transform the way in which the police respond to organised immigration crime gangs operating from the UK, facilitating people-smuggling across the Channel.

The Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce will be led by Deputy Chief Constable, Wendy Gunney, who is the National Lead for Serious Organised Crime at the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

Wendy will be supported by a full-time, dedicated assistant chief constable, and will report progress on a regular basis to the Border Security Commander, Martin Hewitt, and the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper.

The taskforce will be responsible for delivering progress on recent recommendations made by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), following an inspection of the approach to tackling organised immigration crime across the UK.

The inspection, commissioned in January 2024 by the then Home Secretary, looked at police force performance in relation to organised immigration crime between January 2024 and July 2024. It found that while progress has been made, more must be done, with HMICFRS setting out 10 key recommendations, including the need for more effective action against smuggling gangs based in the UK.

This new approach will ensure all police forces work alongside the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force to treat this crime type as a priority.

In practice, this will mean better information-sharing and more co-ordinated tasking, ensuring UK policing is able to use every tool at its disposal to prevent organised criminal networks from undermining UK immigration law, and working to identify and dismantle any smuggling gangs operating from a UK base.

Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said:

This new specialist taskforce directly responds to recommendations made by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and marks a significant step in our Plan for Change to secure Britain’s borders. By bringing together expertise under Deputy Chief Constable Wendy Gunney’s leadership and working closely with Martin Hewitt, we are ensuring a co-ordinated, nationwide approach that will put this vital issue at the forefront of policing priorities.

This taskforce reflects our commitment to giving law enforcement the tools they need to dismantle criminal networks that undermine our immigration system and put lives at risk. Police forces and regional organised crime units across the UK need to rapidly gear up the response to organised immigration crime, and smuggling and trafficking gangs.  Already we have set up the Border Security Command, and the National Crime Agency has substantially increased its operations and intelligence gathering work with other countries.

These gangs undermine border security and put lives at risk. We need every possible tool to stop them and put dangerous criminals behind bars.

Deputy Chief Constable, Wendy Gunney, said:

The Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce will enable our well-established partnerships with other law enforcement agencies to create a multi-agency, national response in tackling organised immigration crime.

The taskforce will build on existing work driven by the NPCC’s modern slavery and organised immigration crime programme, which supports local force operational activity and intelligence collection linked to the wider organised immigration crime threat.

By working this way, we will accelerate intelligence and information sharing, ensuring organised immigration crime is disrupted robustly and effectively.

Border Security Commander, Martin Hewitt, said:

Wendy’s wealth of experience and knowledge on serious and organised crime is a vital asset in our fight to tackle border security threats, and I am delighted she has agreed to lead this taskforce.

This is a key part of my whole-system approach to securing our borders, because it puts tackling immigration crime at the forefront of policing priorities.

Police forces across the UK are already very committed to this issue, and while immigration-related arrests and charges have increased, we know there is more to do. So, this is about optimising that collective effort to deliver a properly functioning immigration system, and a safe and secure border.

This latest step comes as Prime Minister Keir Starmer continues his visit in Tirana today, to step up co-operation on migration and expand successful joint initiatives with Albania to more countries in the region.

It also follows the Prime Minister’s unveiling of the government’s immigration white paper earlier this week, a comprehensive plan that will bring net migration to the UK down significantly, and restore fairness in our immigration system.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 12 May 2025.

Thousands more victims to access life-saving support through a £19.9 million investment in specialist services.

Thousands more victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, ‘honour’-based abuse and stalking will have access to specialist support services thanks to a boost of nearly £20 million announced by the Safeguarding Minister today.

Part of this funding will go towards backing helplines which can offer potentially life-saving support for survivors of abuse. Victims can find these experiences incredibly hard to talk about and contacting helplines for advice is often the first critical step in their journey to escape abuse, access vital support and eventually seek justice.

To help more victims access support at the most vulnerable moments in their lives, a range of helplines supporting victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence, ‘honour’-based abuse and stalking will benefit from £6 million in investment this year – an increase of around a fifth compared to the previous year.

This investment is designed to reach as many different communities as possible and will bolster a range of vital specialist services in England and Wales supporting victims and survivors who face unique and challenging circumstances.

Nine helplines across 8 charities, including: Refuge who run the National Domestic Abuse helpline; Hourglass, a charity supporting older victims; SignHealth who support victims who are Deaf; Galop; The Suzy Lamplugh Trust; Karma Nirvana; and Respect will receive funding to continue providing vital helpline services to victims, recruit more staff and support more victims escaping abuse.

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips said:

No victim should ever feel abandoned when trying to escape abuse. But the harsh reality is that too many do – especially those from marginalised communities who face significant additional hurdles.

Last week, I met survivors who felt the system wasn’t built for people like them. I hope this funding will change that. It’s about smashing down barriers and making sure every single person facing abuse has somewhere to turn when they make the brave decision to seek help.

The funding package announced today also includes £5.3 million for services supporting children affected by domestic abuse, who are often the hidden victims of this devastating crime, to support them through one-to-one and group counselling, classroom-based assistance and help for their non-abusive parents across 8 specialist services nationwide.

Charity Southall Black Sisters will receive £2.4 million to support migrant victims of abuse who are not able to access public funds.

And to give victims direct access to financial support to escape abusive relationships, a wide range of specialist domestic abuse services will receive around £2 million through the Women’s Aid Flexible Fund. Through the fund, organisations across England and Wales, including Welsh Women’s Aid, will give payments of up to £500 to help victims secure safety and one-off payments of up to £2,500 for deposits for rental accommodation to help secure sustainable and independent futures.

This is underscored by £2.5 million for projects to help prevent and improve the response to violence and abuse against women and girls, raise awareness of these issues and protect victims who are at risk.

The government was elected on a mission to make our streets safer for everyone as part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

Today’s announcement marks a vital step in our pledge to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, ensuring victims of these appalling crimes have somewhere to turn and the support they need to recover from abuse.

Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Dame Nicole Jacobs, said:

Whether fearing for their lives or growing up in a home filled with stress and anxiety, victims should feel confident that support will be there to help them recover, but sadly too often this isn’t the case.

This funding for struggling specialist domestic abuse services, especially those supporting children, will bring much needed relief to survivors and services, who have been doing all they can to ensure help is there for people during one of their most vulnerable moments in life.

Tackling domestic abuse requires drive, ambition and political will. I look forward to seeing how the government’s forthcoming violence against women and girls’ strategy builds on this investment by ensuring every victim and survivor gets what they need – exactly when they need it – so they can recover from abuse.

Last week, the Minister for Safeguarding visited Refuge’s headquarters to meet with charity leaders and victims and discuss the unique challenges facing vulnerable individuals and harder to reach communities when they seek help. She also saw the National Domestic Abuse helpline in action and spoke to call handlers about the vital work they do.

CEO of Refuge, Gemma Sherrington said:

The National Domestic Abuse Helpline, operated by Refuge, offers a lifeline for thousands of survivors every year. Open 7 days a week and 365 days a year, the support given by the helpline often represents the first step towards a life free from abuse and fear.

We are incredibly grateful for this much-needed funding boost, which will sustain this vital service for the coming year. Rather than covering the running costs of the helpline, our fundraised resources can now be directed towards supporting survivors, while bringing us one step closer to a world where domestic abuse is not tolerated.

The funding will also allow us to extend our live chat hours and make accessibility improvements to the helpline website, meaning we can reach more survivors than ever before.

Esther*, a survivor of domestic abuse supported by Refuge, said:

Funding for domestic abuse services is not only vital but absolutely necessary. Domestic abuse, in all its shapes, is still very much a problem and I’m hearing more and more tragic stories than ever before. Funding is needed for not only the aftercare for victims/survivors but also for the services that provide advice and support for people that are fleeing abuse.

The transition from deciding to leave and actually leaving is one of the scariest experiences and it’s important that support and guidance is on hand. I know for certain that without help from these services, my story would have ended very differently, and I would not be here to talk at all. They gave me the courage and opportunity to live and smile again. I will always be forever grateful.

Alongside Raneem’s Law, with domestic abuse specialists embedded in the first 999 control rooms across the country, this £19.9 million investment will help ensure that wherever victims of these crimes reach out for help – whether to police or charities – they will receive a specialist response tailored to their needs.

This announcement follows a £13.1 million investment in a new policing centre to tackle violence against women and girls and enable police to better target these crimes, an uplift of nearly £2 million.

Nikita Kanda, broadcaster and Refuge ambassador, said:

I welcome today’s announcement of almost £20 million in funding for a range of vital and specialist services including Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse helpline. With this investment we will be able to strengthen our commitment to support all communities and empower those enduring domestic violence.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 12 May 2025.

Radical reforms to Britain’s immigration system, restoring control to our borders and reducing record-high levels of net migration have been set out.

Measures unveiled in the immigration white paper published today (Monday 12 May) will reshape our immigration system towards those who contribute most to economic growth, with higher skills standards for graduates and workers.

New requirements on employers to boost domestic training will end the reliance on international recruitment, restoring order to a failed system that saw net migration quadruple between 2019 and 2023.

Key policies in the 82 page blueprint, titled Restoring Control over the Immigration System, include the following:

• reversing the long-term trend of increasing international recruitment at the expense of skills and training
• the labour market evidence group will be established, drawing on the best data available in order to make informed decisions about the state of the labour market and the role that different policies should play, rather than always relying on migration
• departments across government will engage sector bodies as part of this approach

Raising Skilled Worker threshold – skilled must mean skilled

Lifting the level for skilled workers back to RQF 6 (Graduate level) and above. Salary thresholds will rise.

The immigration salary list, which gives people discounts from salary thresholds, will be abolished.

Access to the points-based immigration system will be limited to occupations where there have been long term shortages, on a time limited basis, where the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has advised it is justified, where there is a workforce strategy in place, and where employers seeking to recruit from abroad are committed to playing their part in increasing recruitment from the domestic workforce.

Adult social care

End overseas recruitment for social care visas. In line with our wider reforms to skills thresholds, we will close social care visas to new applications from abroad.

For a transition period until 2028, while the workforce strategy is being developed and rolled out, we will permit visa extensions and in-country switching for those already here. This will be kept under review.

Study

We will strengthen the requirements that all sponsoring institutions must meet in order to recruit international students.

We will introduce new interventions for sponsors who are close to failing their sponsor duties, including placing them on an action plan designed to improve their compliance, and imposing limits on the number of new international students they can recruit while they are subject to those plans.

We will reduce the ability for graduates to remain in the UK after their studies to a period of 18 months.

Family

We will tackle the over complex family and private life immigration arrangements, where too many cases are treated as ‘exceptional’ rather than having a clear framework.

Legislation will be brought forward to make clear it is the government and Parliament that decides who should have the right to remain in the UK. This will address cases where Article 8 right to family life legal arguments are being used to frustrate deportation where removal is clearly in the public interest.

Growth

We will go further in ensuring that the very highly skilled have opportunities to come to the UK and access our targeted routes for the brightest and best global talent.

This includes increasing the number of people arriving on our very high talent routes, alongside faster routes for bringing people to the UK who have the right skills and experience to supercharge UK growth in strategic industries.

This includes increasing places to our scheme for research interns, making it easier for top scientific and design talent to use our Global Talent visa, and reviewing our Innovator Founder visa and High Potential Individual route to maximise their benefit to the UK economy.

Tackling abuse

New policies will apply to individuals who claim asylum where conditions in their home country have not materially changed, particularly where they have claimed asylum after arrival.

Tighter visa controls, restrictions, requirements or scrutiny will be applied where we have evidence of abuse, based on a clear assessment of the risks.

Measures to ensure that other governments play their part in supporting the integrity of the UK immigration system – particularly where there are currently barriers in the way of us returning their nationals.

Innovative financial measures, penalties or sanctions, including for sponsors of migrant workers or students where there is evidence of abuse. These will incentivise them to act responsibly, with new measures to support compliance with visa conditions by migrants.

Foreign national offenders (FNOs)

Reform the deportation system to ensure the Home Office is informed of all foreign nationals convicted of offences – not just those who go to prison.

Review deportation thresholds to take into account a wider range of factors than just the length of sentence, and start by revising the statutory exceptions criteria to ensure that the deportation test reflects the seriousness of violence against women and girls.

English language

Introduce new English language requirements across a broader range of immigration routes, for both main applicants and their dependants, to ensure a better knowledge of English, including an assessment of improvements over time.

Earned settlement and citizenship

Double the standard qualifying period for settlement to 10 years.

Expand the points-based system to both our settlement and citizenship rules, so they are based on contribution to the UK, with further details to be set out to Parliament by the end of the year.

The policies outlined, part of the government’s Plan for Change, will be delivered over the course of this Parliament to strengthen the UK’s immigration system, with the first changes set to be introduced in the coming weeks.

The government will publish further reforms to the asylum system and border security later this summer, building on measures in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill currently progressing through Parliament.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 12 May 2025.

International recruitment for care workers will end under plans announced by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The government’s Immigration White Paper, published in Parliament tomorrow, will include the change as the government takes action to bring down historically high levels of net migration.

Care workers from overseas have made a huge contribution to social care in the UK, but too many have been subject to shameful levels of abuse and exploitation.

Workers seeking to support the UK’s care sector arrived to find themselves saddled with debt, treated unfairly, or in extreme cases discover the jobs they were promised did not exist.

In March, the Home Office revealed over 470 care providers had had their licence to sponsor international staff suspended since 2022.

Under plans to be outlined on Monday (12 May), the government will go further and put an end to any more overseas recruitment.

The crackdown on rogue care providers has seen around 40,000 workers displaced, many of whom are ready to rejoin the workforce. They will be given the opportunity to do the jobs they were promised, while long-term plans are drawn up to train homegrown talent into the care sector.

International workers who are already sponsored to work legally in the sector will be able to continue to extend their stay, change sponsors and apply to settle, including those who need to switch employers following a sponsor licence revocation.

This government is committed to tackling these issues and has committed to establishing Fair Pay Agreements which will empower worker, employer and other sector representatives to negotiate improvements in the terms of employment. This builds on the announcement in January of the expansion of the Care Workforce Pathway which will support the adult social care sector to professionalise the workforce.

Together, these measures will move the UK away from a dependence on overseas workers to fulfil our care needs. Baroness Casey has also begun work on an independent commission into adult social care – a once in a generation opportunity to transcend party politics and build consensus on the future of the sector.

The Immigration White Paper, published in full tomorrow, is part of government efforts to restore order, control and fairness to the system, bring down net migration and promote economic growth.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 11 May 2025.

New reforms to deportation and removal rules will make it easier to remove foreign criminals committing crimes in the UK, the Home Office will announce tomorrow.

Currently the Home Office is only informed of foreign nationals given prison sentences and deportation arrangements focus predominantly on those sentenced to more than a year in prison.

Under the new arrangements, the Home Office will be informed of all foreign nationals convicted of offences – not just those who receive prison sentences – and will be able to use wider removal powers on other crimes including swifter action to remove people who have recently arrived in the country but have already committed crimes.

The overhaul will make it easier to remove those who commit offences – including violence against women and girls, street and knife crimes – before the threat they pose escalates.

The reforms will be announced tomorrow as part of the government’s Immigration White Paper, which will radically reform Britain’s failed immigration system.

The Home Office will consider all offences, not just those that carry a 12-month custodial sentence, and strengthen powers to remove perpetrators of violence against women and girls.

Any foreign national placed on the Sex Offenders Register – regardless of sentence length – will be classed as having committed a ‘serious crime’ with no right to asylum protections in the UK.

Since July 2024, the Home Office has removed 3,594 foreign criminals from the UK – a 16% increase on the same period 12 months prior.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

It is a basic requirement – those who come to the UK should abide by our laws. The system for returning foreign criminals has been far too weak for too long. Already we have increased the number of foreign national offenders being removed since the election. But we need much higher standards. The rules need to be respected and enforced.

We need to restore control so that net migration comes down and proper standards and order are returned.

As part of the White Paper, the government will also update refusal policies and immigration rules to mirror these changes. This means if a person commits an offence while on a short-term visa, they will be refused if they make a fresh application.

New measures will be explored to swiftly cancel visas to those who commit crimes, ensuring action is taken against offenders before they can put down roots in the UK.

Notes to editors

• As part of the Government’s Plan for Change to have Safer Streets and Secure Borders, and efforts to digitise information flows, the Government will be working with partners across the criminal justice system to ensure data on convictions of migrants in the UK is shared swiftly so the necessary action can be taken.