Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Welfare reforms saving taxpayer £1 billion come into force [July 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Welfare reforms saving taxpayer £1 billion come into force [July 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 1 July 2026.

    Reforms to the Motability scheme come into force today saving taxpayers £1 billion by 2030 while protecting disabled people’s access to cars, scooters and powered wheelchairs.

    • Reforms to the Motability scheme to ensure fairness for taxpayer, whilst still supporting disabled people’s mobility, come into force today.
    • New tax rules on Motability car leases due to save taxpayers £1 billion by 2030.
    • Follows removal of luxury vehicles – including BMW and Mercedes – from the scheme after the Budget.

    VAT will now apply to advance payments – the optional one-off top-up paid by customers who choose a more expensive vehicle – and Insurance Premium Tax will apply to new leases.

    Both changes were announced at the Autumn Budget and are part of a wider package of welfare reforms set to save nearly £2 billion by the end of the decade.

    The scheme was set up to help disabled people stay mobile and independent, and these changes ensure it continues to do exactly that, while delivering genuine value for taxpayers.

    Disabled people on enhanced mobility benefits will continue to receive their full award of £77.05 per week and remain eligible for the scheme, with vehicles still available that require no advance payment, meaning people can access a car using their benefit alone.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden MP said:

    Today’s changes are driven by the fairness that underpins this Government – fairness for the taxpayer, fairness for disabled people, and fairness for the country.

    We’re saving £1 billion of taxpayer money by removing VAT relief from some new Motability leases, whilst ensuring the scheme still supports disabled people’s mobility and independence.

    We’re building a fair welfare system and an economy that works for everyone.

    The reforms are part of a wider government drive to fix the broken welfare system it inherited, including:

    • Introducing a Right to Try Work Guarantee to give everyone who can work the chance to do so.
    • Investing £3.5 billion in tailored employment support for sick or disabled people.
    • Increasing face-to-face assessments for health benefits
    • Tackling fraud and error in the benefit system, saving £14.6 billion over this parliament
    • Rebalancing Universal Credit to tackle the perverse incentives which push people away from work.

    Today’s changes follow action taken immediately after the Budget to remove luxury vehicles – including BMW and Mercedes – from the scheme, returning Motability to its original purpose of giving disabled people access to a practical vehicles, and not subsidising premium extras that go beyond what most people in this country can afford.

    Additional information

    • These changes do not apply to Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles.
    • The core Motability package remains in place: eligible disabled people continue to access a vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair, with insurance for up to three drivers, UK breakdown cover and maintenance.
    • There is no change to existing leases and no change to eligibility for PIP or the Motability scheme.
    • The Motability Foundation continues to offer means-tested grants to support people who would otherwise struggle to afford an advance payment, adaptations or a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
  • PRESS RELEASE : UK targets services exports in China trade talks [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK targets services exports in China trade talks [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 30 June 2026.

    UK targets services exports in China trade talks.

    • Cooperation with China to increase exports already showing results as iconic British brands like Barclays and Formula E expanding in the Chinese market 
    • 200 UK and Chinese businesses to meet and deepen trade ties 
    • New ‘Trade Booster’ will increase routes for UK SMEs to export to China 

    UK exporters are set for a major boost as the country welcomes a delegation of Chinese business leaders to open new markets and deepen commercial ties.  

    Government and business leaders from both nations will come together to strengthen ties and increase growth as UK Trade Secretary Peter Kyle and China’s Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao chair the 15th UK–China Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO) tomorrow (July 2), at Mansion House. 

    Building on the success of the Prime Minister’s visit to China earlier this year, the JETCO will support UK firms in high-value sectors from life sciences to professional and business services to increase trade with China.  

    The UK will continue to engage with China where there are clear opportunities to co-operate and increase trade and investment ties, whilst continuing to challenge where needed to protect the UK’s national security.  

    Despite the UK being the second-largest exporter of services in the world, China ranks as our 9th largest service export destination, showing the massive untapped potential for our world-leading service sector. 

    Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said:  

    The UK is a services superpower, and I want us to turbocharge our services exports and get more British engineers, architects, and accountants exporting their skills to China. 

    We need to be even more ambitious to promote secure and resilient growth for the next generation amidst a backdrop of global uncertainty.

    Ahead of the JETCO, around 200 UK and Chinese businesses representing some of the most innovative brands in the world will showcase the strong appetite for deeper commercial links as part of a landmark new Export to China event. Ranging from Brompton Bikes and HSBC to Clifford Chance  on the UK side and big Chinese names JD.com and ICBC.   

    New commercial wins between both countries have also been delivered including:  

    • Formula E increasing commercial partnerships in China
    • Barclays’ Panda Bond issuances mark the first entry by a UK-incorporated bank into China’s domestic bond market. 
    • The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) working with the Chinese government to advance the mutual recognition of its qualifications.   
    • The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) are partnering with multiple healthcare institutions in China to boost surgical, educational, and training standards. 
    • Life Sciences and textile company Intelligent Fabric Technologies establishing operations in Hong Kong and Shanghai to commercialise its patented DreamSkin technology in clothing for sensitive and ageing skin. 

    The visit also marks the launch of “Trade Booster”, an initiative led by the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), HSBC, ICBC and JD.com to help UK businesses expand exports to China by providing practical and targeted support to succeed in the world’s second-largest consumer market. 

    There are vast opportunities for UK goods exporters in China and this booster gives SMEs a new mechanism to scale up. 

    Meanwhile, the UK-China Professional and Business Services Matchmaking platform has been established to connect major Chinese companies to leading UK services companies to support them in raising capital and investing overseas. 

    Stuart Tait, Head of Commercial Banking, HSBC UK said:  

    UK exporters are a vital engine of growth, jobs and innovation. Today’s announcement is a welcome step, building on the Prime Minister’s visit to China in January, to help more businesses take their products and services to customers in new markets.  

    HSBC UK is pleased therefore to partner with the UK-to-China Export Booster, helping more businesses to trade with the world’s second-largest economy. We are committed to supporting ongoing work to strengthen services trade, which will bring significant opportunities to both economies.

    Will Butler-Adams FREng, OBE, CEO of Brompton Bikes said: 

    Brompton has been exporting to China for nearly twenty years, beginning with a small team but a big belief that Brompton was relevant to cities across China and that we could help transform cities to become cleaner, healthier and happier.   

    We now have over sixty stores selling our bikes across China, and a wonderful community encouraging an active lifestyle. From the first days we have had fun, and have built great friendships, learnt about the rich Chinese culture and enjoyed wonderful regional food! We have worked hard but enjoyed every step of the way.

    Sir Sebastian Wood KCMG, Chair of the China-Britain Business Council said: 

    The China-Britain Business Council welcomes the visit of Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao to the United Kingdom for the 2026 Joint Economic and Trade Commission. We have been honoured to support the visit, including the co-organisation of the Export to China: Big Market for All event on July 1, to take place alongside JETCO. 

    China, including Hong Kong, is equivalent to the UK’s third largest trading partner, and with total trade reaching £135 billion in 2025, an increase of 5.6% from the previous year.  Across the same period, our services exports reached £21 billion, indicating the strong momentum that exists in our trade relationship. We look forward to building on the visit to demystify the China opportunity and support UK businesses in tapping the vast opportunities available through deepened trade with China.

    Officials this week also met for discussions on a Joint Feasibility Study to explore a bilateral Trade in Services Agreement which would open up the Chinese market further to the UK’s world-leading services sector. 

    This underlines the Government’s commitment to a pragmatic, business-focused relationship with China which supports jobs, drives growth, and promotes the UK as a leading destination for investment. 

  • PRESS RELEASE : UNRWA remains indispensable to the delivery of essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza and the Middle East – UK statement at the UNRWA Pledging Conference [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UNRWA remains indispensable to the delivery of essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza and the Middle East – UK statement at the UNRWA Pledging Conference [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 June 2026.

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UNRWA Pledging Conference 2026.

    Let me start by paying tribute to the 392 UNRWA staff who have been killed since October 2023, and to those who continue to serve in the most challenging conditions. 

    UNRWA remains indispensable to the delivery of essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. 

    In Gaza, UNRWA has delivered over 18.7 million health consultations since October 2023. It is also reaching around 860,000 people each day with clean water. This is essential public health work.

    In Lebanon, UNRWA has been operating two emergency shelters, supporting 1,900 people displaced by the conflict, and providing more than 200,000 medical consultations through its clinics. 

    Across the region, UNRWA anchors stability and, through its mandate, supports Palestine refugee rights pending a just and lasting political solution. 

    But the extensive challenges facing the agency are undermining its ability to operate. 

    The United Kingdom condemns actions taken by the Israeli Government including Knesset legislation aimed at restricting its operations in Palestine and the demolition of UNRWA’s headquarters in East Jerusalem. Israel must comply with its obligations to respect the inviolability of UN premises. 

    UN Security Council Resolution 2803 is clear. Humanitarian assistance must reach civilians in Gaza at scale, in coordination with the United Nations and its agencies. UNRWA remains indispensable to that effort.  

    So we must work together to protect its vital mandate, both politically and through adequate and sustained financing. 

    To this end, I am pleased to announce that the United Kingdom will provide $30.7 million to UNRWA this year, including $1.3 million to support implementation of the Colonna Report. 

    We welcome progress on implementation to date and urge UNRWA to continue this effort. Through our role as co-chair of the Neutrality Working Group, we will continue to support reforms to strengthen neutrality, governance, and oversight. 

    Chair, the United Kingdom stands ready to work with partners here today to support and safeguard UNRWA’s important role, ensuring it can continue to provide stability, dignity, and hope across the region.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New Civil Service Commissioners Appointed [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : New Civil Service Commissioners Appointed [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 30 June 2026.

    Four new Commissioners appointed as part of the Civil Service Commission.

    Patricia Gallan QPM, Thomas Goldsmith, Susan Lapworth and Baroness Hunt of Bethnal Green have been appointed as Commissioners as part of the Civil Service Commission with their terms to commence from 1 July 2026 (Thomas Goldsmith’s term will commence from 1 November 2026). Together they bring valuable skills and experience from a range of sectors.

    Patricia Gallan has also been appointed as the Commission’s Link Commissioner for Scotland.

    The Civil Service Commission is an independent statutory body, which oversees appointments to the Civil Service, ensuring that they are made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Commissioners also promote and hear appeals brought under the Civil Service Code.

    Following an open competition, the new Civil Service Commissioners have been recommended by the Prime Minister and subsequently approved by HM The King.

    Baroness Gisela Stuart, the First Civil Service Commissioner, said:

    Patricia, Ruth, Susan, and Tom bring a wealth of leadership experience from a range of sectors to our work as the independent regulator for Civil Service recruitment.

    Their experience and expertise will benefit our work across the entire civil service career lifecycle; from ensuring fair, merit based entry, to providing assurance that exit maintains the integrity of government via the Business Appointment Rules.

    I look forward to them joining our board of Commissioners. Together, we will work to maintain a Civil Service appointed on merit, with the skills needed to deliver public services across the country.

    The new Commissioners announced today have joined the Commission for a 5 year, non-renewable term. Commissioners work part-time, typically between 4 and 8 days a month.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Asylum seekers will pay towards costs of accommodation [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Asylum seekers will pay towards costs of accommodation [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 30 June 2026.

    Asylum seekers who can afford to will be required to repay a flat-rate contribution towards the cost of their accommodation and support.

    Asylum seekers who are able to pay back the cost of support and accommodation will now be required to, under new laws.

    The Immigration and Asylum Bill, which will be introduced to Parliament today, sets out new powers for the Home Office to recover costs from adults who have received asylum support such as subsistence or accommodation, provided they have access to sufficient funds.

    The payment will take the form of a flat-rate charge, with eligible adults paying off an amount each month above a set threshold.

    There will be various methods for those individuals to pay. The primary mechanism for this is expected to be through direct payments to the Home Office with options also being explored to use the tax and benefits systems. 

    Migrants will be required to pay off the full amount before being eligible for settlement. Anyone who leaves the UK will be required to make their payments if they wish to return at a future date.

    The Home Secretary will have the power to adjust the charge and the thresholds, ensuring they are both fair to the taxpayer and will not force any migrant into destitution. Under plans, migrants are expected to have to pay a total sum of around £10,000. This figure will be a contribution to the overall cost of their asylum support.

    Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, said:

    The cost of asylum accommodation on the British taxpayer is too high.

    We have already reduced asylum costs by £1 billion, but it is also right that we ask those who can contribute to do so.

    Receiving asylum support is a right, but it is also a responsibility. Once people can contribute and repay the generosity of the British people, we expect them to do so.

    Currently, asylum seekers in the UK receive a package of support which has become a financial burden on the taxpayer, with annual costs of £4 billion across accommodation and support last year.

    The government has already cut these costs by nearly a billion pounds since taking office and is going further by ending the use of asylum hotels, with 31 closed since April and hundreds of asylum seekers moved into basic accommodation including ex-military sites.

    Requiring individuals to pay towards the cost of their support will allow those on a pathway to settlement to make a contribution to UK society and repay some of our generosity. For those without a right to remain it will ensure they take responsibility for the financial impact of their presence in this country.

    The Home Office estimates the average cost per person per night of accommodating asylum seekers is £23.25 in dispersal accommodation and £144 in hotels, while subsistence payment range from £9.95 to £49.18 per person per week.

    This legislation will now also ensure that recipients of asylum support contribute to their own costs, once they are able to do so.

    A quarter of 16 to 64-year-olds granted asylum refugees between 2015 and 2023 were in employment within the same calendar year they were granted status, with that number rising to 50% 2 years after refugee status was granted.

    Of those who were in employment 8 years after the grant, 37% were in full-time work with median earnings of £23,000, with 40% earning more than minimum wage.

    The Immigration and Asylum Bill will bring into force the most significant policy proposals in a generation to create a firm but fair asylum system that works for Britain, restoring order and control to the immigration system and reducing the pull factors driving illegal migration.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New independent appeals body to speed up removals [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : New independent appeals body to speed up removals [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 30 June 2026.

    New independent appeals body to speed up removals of foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers.

    A once-in-a-generation overhaul of asylum and immigration appeals will create a single route and end the merry-go-round of repeated appeals. This will lead to faster, fairer decisions, and speed up the removals of foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers.  

    The average time taken to clear cases stands at 61 weeks, leaving more than 150,000 immigration and asylum appeals waiting to be heard. 

    To tackle this, the government will, through the Immigration and Asylum Bill that was confirmed in the King’s Speech, set up a new independent body, which will establish a new framework for appeals to be heard.

    The Independent Immigration Appeals Authority (IIAA) will be able to prioritise cases in the public interest more easily, including high-harm foreign offenders and human rights claims that are clearly without merit, leading to faster removals. 

    New laws will also ensure that those who are abusing the system to delay or prevent their return are no longer able to do so. Currently, migrants can appeal a rejected claim and then bring further claims about new matters before their removal – a duplication that clogs the system. Requiring all claims to be brought together and creating a single appeal route will allow for faster outcomes.

    The new authority is set to start hearing appeals from late 2027, to be phased in stages. It will have the flexibility to dynamically scale up and down the number of adjudicators based on demand within the appeals system. 

    Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:  

    Today, our appeals tribunal is overwhelmed. As a result, people are gaming the system, lodging vexatious appeals to frustrate their removal.  

    Our new appeals body will ensure claims are heard swiftly and fairly. Those with a legitimate claim will get their hearing. Those who have no right to remain in this country, and are abusing the system, will be swiftly removed.

    The IIAA will be staffed by professionally trained and independently appointed adjudicators – much like a magistrate – who will have a broad range of skills and backgrounds, with safeguards to ensure high standards.

    Broadening the eligibility criteria for people to apply to become adjudicators will result in a significant increase in capacity within the authority, leading to more decisions being made.

    While decisions will be fully independent, the new body will be integrated into the immigration system to ensure cases flow through quickly to removal where appeals are unsuccessful, to scale up removals of those with no right to be here.   

    Nearly 70,000 illegal migrants and foreign criminals have been returned or deported since this government came to power.

    The Immigration and Asylum Bill will also save taxpayers money by overhauling how asylum claims are processed, with one single decision to be made on asylum and humanitarian protection claims to slash delays.

    Significant progress has already been made in tackling the asylum backlog, with the number of people waiting for an initial decision falling by 72% since June 2023.  

    In total, 128,000 initial decisions were made in the last year, a 32% increase on the previous year and more than 4 times the annual average in the decade to 2020. 

    The government is also increasing capacity in the existing appeals system. This year sitting days are due to increase by 19% in the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber compared with 2024/25, so more cases can be heard and decisions made faster.  

    But the scale of the current caseload cannot be sustainably managed within the existing system. Despite the dedicated work of the tribunal and the judiciary, fundamental reform is now needed to stop the appeals system becoming a barrier to removal. 

    The Immigration and Asylum Bill will bring into force the most significant policy proposals in a generation to create a firm but fair asylum system that works for Britain, restoring order and control to the immigration system and reducing the pull factors driving illegal migration.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Laos – Jemima Gordon-Duff [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Laos – Jemima Gordon-Duff [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 June 2026.

    Ms Jemima Gordon-Duff has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in succession to Ms Melanie Barlow.

    Ms Gordon-Duff will take up her appointment during August 2026.

    Curriculum Vitae

    Full name: Jemima Gordon-Duff

    YearRole
    2022 to 2026Scottish Government, Deputy Director International Climate Change
    2018 to 2021Accra, Head of Social Sectors
    2016 to 2018Jerusalem, Head of Governance and Security
    2013 to 2016Maputo, Governance Adviser
    2011 to 2013Islamabad, Governance Adviser
    2011Quito, Deputy Head of Mission
    2009 to 2011Head of Human Rights and Democracy, Human Rights Department
    2006 to 2009Kathmandu, Second Secretary (Political)
    2003 to 2005Desk Officer for Serbia and Montenegro
    2003Joined FCO
  • PRESS RELEASE : Scotland has “high potential” for new nuclear development [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Scotland has “high potential” for new nuclear development [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 30 June 2026.

    Scotland has areas with “high potential” for new nuclear development from a technical perspective, according to a new siting study by the government’s nuclear delivery body.

    The Energy Secretary commissioned Great British Energy-Nuclear in autumn last year to conduct a technical study into potential suitable areas in Scotland for possible new nuclear developments in the future, including small modular reactors or large-scale power stations.

    Their report identified the following areas currently associated with nuclear power:

    • Torness, East Lothian
    • Dounreay, Caithness
    • Hunterston, North Ayrshire

    As well as other potential areas around the Firth of Forth Estuary and Eastern coast of Scotland.

    The UK government is delivering a golden age of nuclear, greenlighting Sizewell C on the Suffolk coast and small modular reactors in North Wales – supporting thousands of jobs across the country and boosting energy security with clean homegrown power.

    However, the Scottish Government has a long-standing policy that it will not grant planning consent to new nuclear projects in Scotland. UK ministers remain open to discussions with the Scottish Government on deploying new nuclear technologies in Scotland.

    Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

    For decades thousands of Scots have worked in the nuclear sector and provided the country with low-carbon, reliable power.

    This new report shows there is potential for new nuclear in Scotland, which could boost the country’s energy security and deliver new jobs.

    We are delivering a golden age of nuclear in England and Wales from Sizewell C to small modular reactors. Sadly Scotland is missing out on the enormous economic and energy security potential.

    The nuclear industry now employs a record  98,000 people across the UK , according to the Nuclear Industry Association , and the sector has already seen  11,000 new jobs  last year following government-led investment.  Meanwhile Scotland represented the smallest jobs growth in the nuclear sector last year due to a lack of new projects.

    The government-commissioned report concluded that Scotland has land areas with high potential for new nuclear development, although further detailed site-specific studies, including assessment of grid requirements, community engagement with and development of a commercial case, would be required to confirm suitability for any particular new nuclear project.

    Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive at the Nuclear Industry Association, said: 

    Scotland has the sites, skills, and decades of engineering expertise for new nuclear projects, alongside strong community support. Scotland deserves the same investment and opportunities that are going into new nuclear in England and Wales. It’s time for a new dialogue about energy policy and a robust, diverse mix of clean power sources. New nuclear in Scotland can play a key part in that and unlock new investment that strengthens energy security, supports local communities, and creates thousands of jobs.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK announces further support for Palestine refugees at UN pledging conference [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK announces further support for Palestine refugees at UN pledging conference [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 June 2026.

    UK to provide £23 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to support Palestinian refugees and deliver humanitarian assistance in Gaza and across the region.

    • UK set to announce £23 million of support for UN agency responsible for supporting Palestine refugees at pledging conference in New York.  
    • Announcement forms part of the UK’s commitment to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza and support for Palestine refugees across the region.  
    • Funding comes as United Nations Relief and Workers Agency (UNRWA) continues to face severe restrictions and disruption to its lifesaving support.  

    The UK government  will  today  announce £23 million of support for UNRWA to deliver lifesaving support for Palestine refugees at a pledging conference in New York.

    The funding will help UNRWA continue delivering essential services for up to 5.9 million Palestine refugees across the region. The funding will also support civilians in Gaza, where humanitarian needs remain acute and families face displacement, food insecurity and limited access to basic services. Funding will support primary healthcare, basic education, social services, emergency food and shelter.  

    The conference comes as UNRWA faces serious challenges operating on the ground in Gaza, where 392 of its staff have been killed since October 2023. Ongoing steps by Israel, including legislation introduced in 2024, have sought to severely disrupt its operations. In January, UNRWA’s headquarters in East Jerusalem were demolished and persistent access restrictions on the humanitarian response in Gaza continue to hinder their efforts. 

    The UK’s funding, announced alongside support from other international partners, underlines continued international backing for UNRWA and the vital role of the UN in delivering humanitarian assistance.  

    UNRWA is central to delivering humanitarian assistance and remains uniquely placed to do so at the scale required in Gaza. Its staff, infrastructure and local networks are critical to reaching Palestinian civilians most in need.  UNRWA’s work in the West Bank is also supporting Palestinian refugees facing displacement, heightened insecurity, access restrictions and increasing humanitarian needs for protection and basic services. 

    Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:   

    The humanitarian situation in Gaza is desperate. Families urgently need food, shelter, clean water and medical support – I saw first-hand during my visit to Jordan how UNRWA is central to delivering help at the scale required.    

    That is why the UK is announcing £23 million of support for UNRWA, alongside international partners, to help sustain its vital work for Palestine refugees across the region and civilians in Gaza.   

    UNRWA must be able to operate safely and effectively. We condemn the Israeli government in preventing aid agencies like UNRWA to undertake lifesaving work. This means all crossings must be opened, and supplies must be allowed in.”  

    The UK continues to support UNRWA’s reform and improvement work, including implementation of its Action Plan following the Colonna Report, which set out measures to strengthen neutrality, accountability and integrity across the agency’s operations.  

    The UK has consistently called for humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza at the scale needed, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which underscores the importance of the full resumption of humanitarian assistance in coordination with the UN and its partners.  

    Israel must comply with its obligations to facilitate humanitarian assistance, ensure aid workers can operate safely, and allow UN agencies, including UNRWA, to reach those in need.  

    The UK remains committed to a negotiated two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for Israelis and Palestinians.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Over 45 miles of new walking routes open on the Suffolk coast [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Over 45 miles of new walking routes open on the Suffolk coast [June 2026]

    The press release issued by Natural England on 30 June 2026.

    On Tuesday 30 June, walkers in Suffolk will gain access to over 45 miles of stunning coastline. Two new sections of the King Charles III England Coast Path will open between Kessingland and Lowestoft, and Bawdsey and Aldeburgh. 

    The openings mean the public can now walk continuously along the Suffolk coast from Shotley Gate to Southwold. The route passes through an area protected for a range of wildlife, along ancient river estuaries, and through the Suffolk and Essex Coasts and Heaths National Landscape. 

    Kessingland to Lowestoft (7 miles)

    This new section trades a busy roadside stretch along the A12 for a cliff top route close to the sea. Where coastal erosion had affected existing footpaths, brand new trail has been created to fill the gaps, including 1.2km of new cliff top path at Pakefield.

    The route connects with the already-open section of the Coast Path running from Lowestoft to Hopton-on-Sea. Walkers should be aware that seasonal fencing is in place on Kessingland beach to protect nesting Little Terns, Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers during the breeding season.

    Bawdsey to Aldeburgh (38.5 miles)

    This longer section follows the open coast from Bawdsey to Shingle Street, then around the Alde-Ore Estuary to Aldeburgh. Five miles of new access have been created along cliff tops near Bawdsey and along the Butley River.

    Highlights along the route include:

    • The Alde-Ore Estuary — intertidal mudflats and saltmarsh that attract internationally protected overwintering birds including Avocet, Bewick’s Swan and Redshank, as well as important breeding habitat for Marsh Harrier and other species.
    • Orford Quay — a gateway to Orfordness, with its unique vegetated shingle landscape; boat trips to the National Trust site and the RSPB’s Havergate Island reserve run from here.
    • Snape Maltings — a world-renowned arts and cultural venue set in beautiful riverside surroundings.
    • Aldeburgh — a historic seaside town famous for its fish and chips, beach sculpture, and distinctive character.

    Seasonal routes either side of the Butley River protect sensitive wildlife and will be clearly marked, and walkers are asked to follow local signage.

    Hannah Thacker, Natural England Deputy Director for Norfolk and Suffolk, said:

    These new sections of the King Charles III England Coast Path have improved access on Suffolk’s stunning coastline, particularly at Bawdsey and between Kessingland and Pakefield.

    We have created access where the existing public rights of way had been affected by coastal erosion. Whether walking along the coastal cliffs or around the beautiful estuaries, this Suffolk coastline has something for everyone.

    Councillor Morgan Brobyn, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Food, Waste and Rural Affairs, said:

    Suffolk is home to some of the most beautiful and distinctive coastal landscapes in the country, so I am delighted to see the opening of these new sections of our Coast Path.

    Our coastline is rich in history, wildlife, and natural beauty, offering something for everyone to enjoy. The new paths will enable residents and visitors to experience more of what Suffolk has to offer, while supporting local communities and businesses.

    Sam Kench, Delivery Manager, Wildlife Wise, said:

    It’s so important we all work together to help keep these places as a sanctuary for wildlife, especially with so few truly wild spaces remaining in Suffolk. We hope walkers will help bird’s nest, feed and raise their chicks undisturbed. Please give wildlife space, keep to the path, and keep any dogs under close control.