Tag: Mayor of London

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 7 November 2022.

• More than a quarter of London homeowners say they will struggle to meet mortgage payments this winter
• 400,000 London mortgages are up for renewal between now and December 2023

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has called for immediate action to protect lower-income homeowners who are increasingly at risk of losing their homes because of rising mortgage costs. New YouGov polling for City Hall reveals that one in four (26 per cent) of Londoners think they will struggle to meet mortgage payments in the next six months.

The Mayor is calling for the same level of support seen in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, which avoided the high level of home repossessions seen in the early 1990s crash. Inflation is at a 40-year high and interest rates are being raised to the highest level for 14 years, meaning urgent action is needed to protect Londoners from potential homelessness.

City Hall analysis of Bank of England data from 2021, the latest available, suggests that more than half of Londoners who had fixed term mortgages at that time face their deals ending by the end of 2023. This equates to around 400,000 households who could soon be facing dramatically higher mortgage costs due to increased interest rates. The average rate for a two-year fixed-rate deal rose to 6.53 per cent on 18 October 2022, the highest rate since August 2008.

The Resolution Foundation estimates that the impact of rising interest rates will translate into an additional annual cost of £8000 a year by late 2024 across all households in London whose mortgage costs are going up

The cost-of-living crisis is already fuelling a rise in homelessness in London with the number of people seen sleeping rough in London increasing by a quarter in the last year. More than half of the people spotted sleeping rough were doing so for the first time, amounting to 1,844 people – a rise of 35 per cent on the same period last year.

Sadiq [Khan] believes this situation is so serious that the Government should now implement measures similar to those put in place following the 2008 financial crisis and at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the households affected vary greatly in their circumstances, the Government should:

• Reverse the cuts to the Support for Mortgage Interest scheme –  In 2018 this was changed from a grant to an interest-bearing loan and required a nine month wait for those who fall on hard times and need to rely on benefits. The scheme is designed to help protect claimants on qualifying benefits with mortgages from repossession when out of work, retired or sick by contributing towards the interest payments on the claimant’s mortgage and certain home loans. Given the scheme is currently only available to those on certain benefits, as the cost of living crisis worsens, the Mayor believes ministers should also explore making this support available to low-income homeowners not in receipt of benefits but who are now facing unsustainable mortgages payments.
• Reinstate the Mortgage Rescue Scheme in England which was abolished in 2014 and which is currently only available in Scotland (under the title of the Home Owners’ Support Fund) – This scheme targets households within certain income bands and makes two options available: the Mortgage to Rent scheme allows households to stay in their home by selling it to a social landlord and living there as tenants, and through the Mortgage to Shared Equity scheme, the Government buys a stake in the property, which means that households carry on being the owners but they pay a mortgage for a reduced amount.
• Reinstate mortgage payment holidays – Learning from the recent experience of dealing with the financial fall-out from COVID-19, sometimes households need a short-term break from mortgage commitments due to illness, the loss of a job or another sudden change in circumstances. Payment holidays were put in place at the beginning of the pandemic so that households could have the option not to make payments or to make reduced payments for a period of time. The Government should work with lenders to ensure that this is done in such a way that it does not affect people’s credit scores nor future lending decisions.
• Consider reinstating the Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme to further support struggling homeowners who are not in receipt of benefits – This scheme helped homeowners who were experiencing a temporary reduction in income and struggling to pay their mortgages by allowing them to defer part of their mortgage payments for up to two years. The scheme was launched in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis but ended in 2011.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said:

“Many London homeowners already face sizable monthly mortgage payments, alongside rising costs and stagnant wages. With re-mortgaging rates now hitting levels not seen in more than a decade due to the economic chaos created by this government, it is essential that ministers act to ensure Londoners do not pay the price by losing their homes.

“The measures I’ve set out today would be the right and proportionate approach to tackling a problem that is only going to become more significant and dangerous the longer ministers ignore it.”

Paula Higgins, Chief Executive of HomeOwners Alliance said:

“One thing is clear – the shocking mortgage rate trend alongside surging food and energy costs spells a gloomy winter for homeowners, with those on lower-incomes particularly hard hit. We need a government plan to support these households coming off fixed-term mortgages and this needs to be communicated sooner rather than later to reduce their financial anxiety.  We support the mayor’s call for action and remind homeowners struggling with increased rates that they are not alone. Their first port of call should be to speak to their lender about options, such as extending the mortgage term to reduce monthly payments, reducing what you pay for a short period, mortgage holidays or changing temporarily to interest-only payments.

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 4 November 2022.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, today launched a new £130m fund which will help Londoners to get the skills they need to progress into jobs in key sectors such as digital, hospitality and the green industry.

From today, adult skills providers in London, such as colleges, will be able to bid for grants of up to £5.4m over three years to provide training to around 80,000 Londoners who are unemployed or in lower paid work with a particular focus on those who are underrepresented across key industries.

As the cost of living continues to rise, it is more important than ever that Londoners can access secure, well paid jobs in future-proof industries like the health, creative and digital sectors. The Mayor is going further by introducing a ‘good work’ outcome payment within this new Jobs and Skills for Londoners Fund, ensuring provision leads to fair employment that supports the needs of Londoners and businesses.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Many Londoners are making tough choices in the run up to winter with the increase in inflation and energy bills leaving them with less money in their pocket.

“This funding will support low income Londoners and those who are unemployed to gain skills that will allow them to earn more or get better paying jobs and help ensure that we are building a better London for everyone – a safer, fairer and more prosperous city for all Londoners.”

“Adult education providers play a huge role in supporting London’s communities and I urge providers to bid for this funding so they can help even more Londoners get the skills they need.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 1 November 2022.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has pledged to work with the new Prime Minister to create the high-wage, high-quality jobs Londoners deserve, saying he’ll always be prepared to put differences aside and work in the best interests of the capital and the country.

However, in a keynote address to an audience of influential leaders at The Centre for London’s flagship London Conference today, the Mayor will also warn that ‘Austerity 2.0’ is not the way forward or the route to sustainable growth and prosperity.

As the city faces multiple challenges from the fallout from Covid, the upheaval of Brexit, the climate emergency, growing inequality and the cost of living crisis, Sadiq will set out his vision for a London economy “firing on all cylinders” through “more devolution, a race to the top – not the bottom, and sustained investment”. The Mayor will point to how he is championing the London Living Wage and investing heavily in skills and retraining programmes, a Green New Deal for London and City Hall’s Anchor Institutions programme.

All of these initiatives are about creating the high-wage, high-quality jobs Londoners deserve, benefitting local communities and businesses, while at the same time helping to address longstanding inequalities and accelerating London’s shift to net-zero by 2030.

Sadiq will say he has a serious, sustainable, inclusive growth plan for London, which isn’t ‘Singapore on Thames or Austerity 2.0’, but about investing in London’s communities to help make sure the city works for everyone.

The Mayor will warn against “swingeing cuts” in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement later this month and encourage him to abandon his predecessor’s notion of trickle down economic gains from cutting taxes for the wealthiest and removing regulations. Instead, Sadiq will call for Government to deliver “a better Brexit deal, a more flexible approach to immigration so we can access talent, greater funding for green infrastructure and an end – once and for all – to the divisive anti-London approach of recent years.”

Sadiq will also say “the London promise – the idea that if you work hard, you get a helping hand, and you can achieve anything – is under serious threat as economic forces are rapidly eroding any expectation that the next generation will be better off than the last.”

Sadiq will once again demand the Government act now to mitigate the impact of the cost of living crisis, which is set to hit the most vulnerable Londoners hardest over the winter. His message to Ministers is clear: “give me the powers to freeze private rents in London for two years, as well as increase welfare benefits in line with inflation and roll out free school meals to all primary school pupils.”

It is only with this support that the Mayor can build on what he has already achieved – record affordable homebuilding, greener and more affordable transport, cleaner air, introducing a public health approach to tackling crime – and continue to continue build “a better London for everyone, a city that is fairer, safer, greener and more prosperous for all our communities.”

On the need for economic growth, the Mayor is expected to say:

“It’s my firm belief that in order to help our communities through this terrible cost of living crisis – and get growth back into our economy – what we need is, more devolution, a race to the top – not the bottom and sustained investment, not swingeing cuts.

“That’s why as Mayor, I’m championing the London Living Wage, which has led to a quadrupling of living wage employers in London, and investing heavily in our skills and retraining schemes, in a Green New Deal for London and in our Anchor Institutions programme.

“All of these initiatives are about creating the high-wage, high-quality jobs Londoners deserve. And they are about promoting good growth, which benefits London’s communities, boosts local economies, businesses and supply chains, tackles longstanding inequalities and accelerates our shift to net zero.

“This is a serious, sustainable, inclusive growth plan, not Singapore on Thames or Austerity 2.0.

“It’s one that’s designed to help make sure our city works for everyone.”

On levelling up, the Mayor is expected to say:

“You can’t level up the country by levelling down London.

“So my message to the new Prime Minister today is work with me and invest in London if you want to grow the national economy, level up other regions and raise living standards – not just in London, but right across the country.

“Because the UK only works when London works – and vice versa, and I’ll always be willing to put party politics aside in the best interests of our capital and country.”

On the need for greater devolution, the Mayor is expected to say:

“We must get our economy firing on all cylinders. This means devolving more powers, funding and resources to London not only so we can ensure our city works for all our communities, but so we can help power the national recovery.

“We have the most centralised democracy in the Western world and unlocking the potential of London – and our other great towns, cities and regions – would aid our country’s fortunes, not hinder them.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 1 November 2022.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is today calling for London’s 292,000 social housing tenants and shared owners to receive a Government-funded rebate to compensate for looming social rent increases next April.

Sadiq believes the cost-of-living crisis demands the same focus that saw the Government and housing providers collaborate during the pandemic, ensuring the most vulnerable in society were protected and supported.

A quarter of a million households in London pay for their social rent from their own pocket, meaning any substantial increase in rents would drag more households into poverty and, for some, drive new benefit applications.

Ministers are currently considering a new cap limiting annual social rent increases at either three per cent, five per cent or seven per cent. The Mayor is calling on the Government to go further by providing an effective rent freeze for residents. This would be achieved by giving social housing residents – including shared owners who are currently not covered by the Government’s plans – a rebate on any increases that landlords make next year. It could be fully paid for by housing benefit savings that Government will make, whichever level of rent cap it decides on.

The Mayor is also calling on the Government to scrap the benefit cap, which unfairly targets larger families. The benefit cap sets a limit to the maximum amount households where no one is at work can receive in benefits. If households’ entitlement hits this maximum amount – which is more likely to happen with higher rents – then deductions are made from their housing-related benefits. Therefore, social rent rises, even if capped, could mean some households who access housing benefit will have to cover increases themselves, with limited capacity to do so given other cost of living pressures.

By arguing for a rent rebate rather than a conventional rent freeze, the Mayor’s proposal would prevent the complete choking off of new social housing supply and essential maintenance work. Councils and housing associations wouldn’t contribute a penny more than what is set out by Government in response to their rent cap consultation. The Mayor believes it is crucial that the Government provides the investment that enables social landlords to continue to focus on building new genuinely affordable homes, and on investing in maintaining the quality and safety of all social housing. For social landlords, recent evidence shows the cost of building new homes is rising 12 per cent a year, and the cost of repairs and maintenance materials are up 14 per cent annually. Any cap on the rent increases that they are able to implement will have a significant impact on providers’ business plans and ability to invest in London’s social housing stock which are already very stretched due to inflation and increasing borrowing costs.

For Londoners waiting on housing registers, slowing down the new development of social housing is unacceptable. It is not in the interests of current tenants to scrap or pause efforts to invest in the quality and safety of their homes. And with an ever more urgent climate crisis, it is also not in the interests of the housing sector or society to reduce investment into making homes more energy efficient and achieving net zero. A rent freeze, via rebates for all social housing residents who are out pocket, would protect investment plans of social landlords alongside the household budgets of tenants and shared ownership leaseholders.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Londoners living in social housing are on the front line of the cost of living crisis, facing ever increasing bills and costs. That’s why I am urging Ministers to implement a rent freeze for social housing tenants via a rebate to compensate for any upcoming social rent increases.

“I have called repeatedly for a rent freeze for London’s private renters. Those in social housing and shared owners should also get the benefits this would bring too.

“We are now building council homes in London at a rate not seen since the 1970s, but the Government needs to help ensure that inflation doesn’t render these homes unaffordable for those who need them. A social housing rent freeze is the only sensible solution as we continue to build a London that is fairer for everyone.”

Dinah Roake, Chair of the London Housing Panel said: “As the Chair of the London Housing Panel, I welcome the Mayor’s position that government should implement a rent freeze, via a rebate scheme, for social housing tenants (including shared owners) whose rents are not covered by benefits and who will be dealing with immense pressures already in the current cost-of-living crisis. The panel also recognises the need for more government investment in existing and new social housing. The need for more new high-quality social housing is only increasing in the current context. For the majority of Londoners who are currently homeless, living in temporary accommodation, or living under precarious housing conditions, social rented homes are the most secure and affordable tenure – and desperately needed.”

The proposed rebate could be fully funded through whatever rent capping scenario the Government chooses, because the funds the Government would have spent through housing-related benefits under the current rent settlement would be reduced via imposing a new cap. This money could then be re-routed to social housing residents who pay rent from their own pockets.

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 30 October 2022.

• New City Hall analysis shows the number of people seen sleeping rough in the capital has increased by 21 per cent year on year
• Despite a record 13,500 people having been helped by City Hall rough sleeping services since 2016, when Sadiq became Mayor, London’s services are working at capacity
• Unless Ministers act now, the progress City Hall made helping people off the streets during the COVID-19 pandemic could be reversed

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan is urging the government to take immediate action to tackle the cost of living as rising bills and housing costs force growing numbers of people to sleep rough on London’s streets. Alarming new statistics released by City Hall from the GLA-commissioned Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) show that despite record numbers being removed from sleeping rough in London, between April 2022 and the end of September 2022 5,712 people were seen sleeping rough in the capital, an increase of 21 per cent on the same period last year.

Reports from those within the sector suggest this rise is in part due to cost of living pressures. The rate of consumer price inflation (CPI) rose rapidly in the first half of 2022 to 10 per cent in July. The cost of renting has also risen dramatically – analysis from Hometrack suggests that annual London rental inflation had risen to almost 18 per cent by July. Households are also likely to face further financial challenges in the coming months from higher energy bills and borrowing costs.

Today Sadiq is sounding the alarm on this growing homelessness crisis which risks reversing the progress made since 2016 and particularly during the pandemic when more than 10,000 people were helped off the streets and into hotels by City Hall and London boroughs.

The Mayor is calling on Government to:

• Immediately freeze private sector rents
• Reinstate the social security safety net which prevents people from becoming homeless. This must include lifting the benefit cap, unfreezing Local Housing Allowance rates and suspending the habitual residence test, which can restrict access to benefits for European Economic Area (EEA) nationals with rights to live in the UK.
• Give local authorities the funding needed to meet their duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act and properly providing local support services which are vital to preventing and ending homelessness, such as drug and alcohol treatment.
• Deliver the promised reforms to the Private Rented Sector, including ending Section 21 evictions.
• Take measures to stop refugees and asylum seekers being pushed into homelessness. This includes extending the move-on period for newly recognised refugees from 28 days to 56 days, in line with local authorities’ duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act.
• Suspend the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition, which puts many people with NRPF status at serious risk of destitution and homelessness.

Throughout his mayoralty, Sadiq has made addressing London’s homelessness crisis a personal priority. Pioneering services set up by the Mayor include his Rapid Response outreach team and his pan-London trigger for emergency accommodation when temperatures fall below freezing, as well as City Hall’s country-leading response to accommodating rough sleepers in the face of COVID-19.

Sadiq is doing all he can to offer support to Londoners and is spending more than £80m this year to help those struggling with the rising cost of living. That includes more than £50m to tackle fuel poverty through the Mayor’s Warmer Homes programme and energy advice services, more than £20m to improve security for private renters and house Londoners who are rough sleeping or homeless, more than £5m to connect Londoners with welfare advice, and £400,000 to tackle food insecurity.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Since I was elected Mayor, around 13,500 people have been helped off our capital’s streets with eight in ten staying off the streets for good. Our outreach workers, charity teams, healthcare professionals and council staff are not only vital partners in this work but unsung heroes and deserve our heartfelt gratitude.

“Despite this progress, extraordinary financial pressures are putting the poorest Londoners at growing risk of homelessness with the number of people sleeping rough already up by a fifth year on year. We continue to see a revolving door of people ending up homeless as a result of this escalating cost of living crisis.

This cannot be allowed to continue, this new Government must act now to prevent the circumstances that lead to people sleeping rough before thousands more are forced to face a winter on the streets.”

St Mungo’s Interim Chief Executive Rebecca Sycamore, said: “As a leading homelessness charity whose teams are trying to get people off the streets every day, St Mungo’s sees the very real and very harsh reality of this financial crisis all of the time. And with more price increases it is very likely many of those currently just scraping by will no longer be able to manage, and could be at real risk of losing their homes and experiencing a very harsh winter.

Action is needed now. We want to see the government uplift benefits in line with inflation, increase the benefit cap and unfreeze Local Housing Allowance rates. We urge the Prime Minister and his ministers to act as a matter of urgency to prevent more people ending up homeless this winter.”

Rick Henderson, CEO at Homeless Link, the national membership charity for frontline homelessness organisations in England, said:  “Everyone deserves a safe place to live and the support they need to keep it. But the rising cost-of-living is exacerbating the long-term drivers of homelessness in London, such as a lack of genuinely affordable housing and a poorly funded welfare system.

“In light of these statistics, the Government must uplift homeless services’ funding in line with inflation to help them respond to the rising demand, as well as tackling the immediate root causes of homelessness such as reforming the private rental sector and uplifting benefits. In the long-term we also need to see action on creating many more genuinely affordable homes, otherwise this crisis will continue to spiral.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 27 October 2022.

• Over a quarter of a million more children are breathing cleaner air thanks to London’s growing network of school streets
• Despite progress, air pollution levels around 97 percent of schools and colleges in outer London still exceeds the latest (2021) World Health Organization (WHO) guideline for NO₂.
• Sadiq calls on Government to set much more ambitious targets for the Environment Act before 31 October deadline

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, today revealed that more than 260,000 children are breathing cleaner air as a result of the capital’s growing network of School Streets.[1] Following the agreement of a funding deal for TfL to secure the transport network’s future, £69m per year will now go to boroughs to help them deliver even more School Streets. In the past five years, 373 school streets have been funded by City Hall and TfL, with the rest funded by the London boroughs.

School Streets restrict car access to streets outside a school at drop off and pick up times, making it safer, cleaner and easier for children to get to school on foot, by bike or by scooter. First introduced in Camden in 2017, there are now 547 across nearly every London borough with a quarter of primary schools now located on School Streets.

Despite the Mayor’s interventions meaning progress has been made, 97 per cent of schools and colleges in outer London still exceed revised air quality targets set by the World Health Organization, [2]. In around 75 per cent of these areas in outer London, air pollution remains so high that it exceeds even lower air quality targets set in 2005.

That is why the Mayor is also calling on the Government to set much more ambitious air quality targets under the Environment Act ahead of the deadline on 31 October. Sadiq is now urging ministers to work with him as he redoubles his efforts to protect Londoners from the lethal consequences of pollution and the environmental damage caused by fuel emissions.

Toxic air caused by traffic can lead to children growing up with stunted lungs and adults suffering from illnesses such as asthma, lung disease and dementia. Thousands of Londoners a year die prematurely because of long term exposure to air pollution – with the majority of deaths in London’s outer boroughs. This is why the Mayor is consulting to expand the Ultra-low Emission Zone London-wide, which could significant improve air quality for a further 5 million Londoners.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:  “School Streets are a key tool in helping to reduce air pollution around schools. They have made a massive difference to the way our children travel and there are now more children than ever in London benefiting from cleaner air, less congestion and safer roads.

“Despite progress being made, air quality around schools in outer London is still unacceptably poor which is why I have consulted to expand the Ultra-Low Emission Zone London-wide – to help save lives and build a better, greener and cleaner London for everyone.

“Even so, I can’t do it alone. The Government must stop disregarding the dangers of air pollution and act now to introduce bolder air quality targets under the Environment Act, to protect the next generation from the scourge of toxic air.”

Penny Rees, TfL’s Head of Healthy Streets Investment, said: “Enabling parents and children to walk, cycle or scoot to and from school has so many benefits and is a vital part of making our capital safer, healthier and more sustainable. We’re delighted to see the School Streets network continue to grow, improving air quality across our capital. We’ll continue to work closely with schools, local communities and boroughs as we deliver further schemes across London so that all children can breathe cleaner air on their journey to and from school.”

Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Rick Jewell, said: “We are committed to improving air quality across our borough and are working with the Mayor of London and other partners to identify and introduce initiatives to reduce and prevent pollution and improve the health and wellbeing of our communities.

“School Streets have proven to be one of the most effective and popular ways of improving air pollution and encouraging school children to walk, cycle or scoot to school and we are committed to rolling out many more of these schemes in the months and years to come.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 26 October 2022.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has warned London’s affordable housing providers that they could lose access to funding if they fail to maintain their properties at the high standards Londoners deserve.

While Parliament is currently debating new legislation on strengthening consumer protection, the Mayor is clear that Londoners should expect high standards immediately. He is calling for leadership from Government, with additional affordable housing funding and reforms, such as a Commissioner for social housing residents, to drive better conditions.

The Mayor’s warning follows a letter to City Hall’s housing investment partners from the Deputy Mayor for Housing & Residential Development, Tom Copley, sent last month. In this letter Tom Copley set out the actions City Hall will take if the Regulator issues either a non-compliant grade or a Regulatory Notice against a housing provider. Both notices indicate that a provider has breached a consumer or economic regulatory standard.

In extreme circumstances, the GLA may limit access to funding to a specific set of projects, including those already underway, and in the most severe cases, withdraw all funding and revoke investment partner status.

The Mayor of London’s new £4bn 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme already requires higher standards on design, safety and environmental performance for new homes than those funded outside London. The Regulator has a requirement to assure these standards are maintained in the long-term where they exceed the Decent Homes Standard benchmark.

The GLA is also introducing additional scrutiny of the housing maintenance track-records of newly qualifying investment partners, and in the requalification process for partners who have had their investment status restricted.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Most social housing in London is well managed and maintained. However, this is unfortunately not always the case and I am determined to use my funding powers to drive up standards in both new build and existing homes.

“London is building some of the most impressive new affordable homes in the country, but it is vital that existing residents experience high standards too.

“I will continue to call on the Government to also take responsibility for pushing for higher standards, including by making much needed additional funding available.

“We owe it to all Londoners to provide better, safer, and fairer housing in the capital.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 25 October 2022.

• New Cyber Resilience Centre to work with Met Police, City of London Police and British Transport Police to help small and medium businesses in London reduce their vulnerability to the most common types of cybercrime
• Action from Mayor comes as figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau show that more than £1.8 billion was lost to fraud and cybercrime in London over the last year
• Businesses across the capital are being urged to sign-up to the centre’s free membership scheme

London’s businesses are being urged to join a new scheme, which has launched today thanks to funding from the Mayor, to protect them from the growing threat of cybercrime.

Figures from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau show that more than £1.8 billion was lost to fraud and cybercrime in London over the last year [1], with 35 per cent of small and micro businesses suffering at least one attack or breach – which equates to around 250,000 businesses. [2].

The new Cyber Resilience Centre (CRC) is comprised of industry experts who will work with the Met Police, City of London Police and British Transport Police to enable it to support the capital’s small and medium businesses and help them be best prepared against a cyber-attack and support them when they have been targeted.

With London businesses increasingly targeted by phishing, hacking and ransomware attacks, industry leaders are warning that every organisation and business is a potential target for cyber criminals. Small and medium businesses are often hit harder by a loss of funds.

Over the next three years, the centre aims to help support around 20,000 London businesses most vulnerable to attacks, providing small business owners with practical online safety advice and face-to-face visits. The Mayor is investing £200,000 to support the Centre’s Community Outreach programme which includes the development of self-help toolkits for businesses and ‘How-To’ Video Guides on improving their resilience against cyber-attacks.

Cyber Resilience Centres receive an annual grant from the Home Office to help support the businesses that are most vulnerable to attacks, providing small business owners with valuable information and face-to-face community outreach visits which will help to keep London’s small and medium-sized businesses safe.

Businesses will be able to sign up for a free London Cyber Resilience Centre membership online and get instant access to safety advice, monthly cyber threat reports from the National Cyber Security Centre, latest guidance from the Met Police and City of London Police’s dedicated teams and a monthly newsletter with hints and tips on improving cyber resilience. They will also be able to contact the Cyber Resilience team with any urgent questions and receive training for staff.

Today, the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Sophie Linden launched the new Cyber Resilience Centre at an event at City Hall attended by business owners. This is part of the Mayor’s ambition to make London the safest city in the world to do business online.

Deputy Mayor for Policing & Crime, Sophie Linden, said: “Far too many small businesses in the capital are impacted by cybercrime, with billions of pounds lost and thousands of lives impacted each year.

“Our new Cyber Resilience Centre will help businesses stay safe online and protect them from cyber criminals. This is all part of our work to build a safer, more prosperous city for everyone and I urge all businesses in London to sign-up and use the centre’s services.”

Chief Executive Officer of the Cyber Resilience Centre for London, Simon Newman, said: “I’m delighted to be bringing the launch of the Cyber Resilience Centre for London to City Hall. We’ve been generously supported by the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, and it’s fantastic to be able to celebrate our shared vision together.

“I’m really ambitious about the future of the CRC for London. I want to see it grow as a partnership between policing, industry and academia; for us to be seen as a trusted, reliable partner to the Capital’s SME community; and for our Cyber PATH programme to produce consistently high-quality talent. In 10 years’ time, I want to look back and be able to say that we have helped make London the safest city in the world to do business online.”

Metropolitan Police Commander, Catherine Roper, said: “It is essential that we come together to help London businesses protect themselves against cybercrime. This crime type is rapidly increasing, and often initially unseen, and yet has devastating effects on businesses and individuals. The exciting launch of the new Cyber Resilience Centre supports a collaboration between key partners to support small and medium businesses across London from becoming victims to cyber attacks.

“It also provides the vital platform to share best practice; knowledge and practical operational advice to ensure a strong defence to protect and prepare businesses from cybercrime. The Met is committed, with its partners, to do everything it can to tackle cybercrime – and today is a significant step forward.”

Chair of the City of London Police Authority Board, James Thomson, said: “We must ensure that the City and the wider national economy is one of the safest places to do business in the world. The London Cyber Resilience Centre will do just that – protecting the capital’s businesses and their customers, and helping to deliver a thriving economy.

“Becoming a victim of cybercrime ruins lives, whether it’s individuals or businesses that are the target and this is an enormous opportunity to make a difference, by preventing people from becoming victims in the first place.”

Chief Information Security Officer at NatWest, Chris Ulliott, said: “NatWest is proud to be an ambassador for the National Cyber Resilience Centre Group and are delighted to support the opening of London’s new Cyber Resilience Centre. The centre is working to help the capital’s business community build resilience against the very real threat of cybercrime.

“Small and medium-sized businesses are a fundamental part of the economy. As such it’s really important that these businesses are equipped with the best tools and knowledge to conduct their day-to-day business safely and securely online, which is a key priority of the Mayor of London, and we are very happy to help them do that.”

The press release issued by the Mayor of London on 21 October 2022.

On 18 October 2022, the High Court granted an injunction to ban protestors from engaging in activities that obstruct traffic at 17 locations on TfL roads. See a copy of the injunction order and annex Orders below.

A TfL spokesperson said: We are doing all we can to ensure that London’s road network operates safely and efficiently and that vital emergency service vehicles – such as ambulances and fire engines – are able to move freely through the city. As part of that work, we have today obtained an injunction to stop protests by Just Stop Oil on key areas of the TfL road network in central London. We will continue working with our partners to tackle any ongoing disruption across the city.