Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Serious Fraud Office returns £400,000 to victims of global email fraud [January 2026]

The press release issued by the Serious Fraud Office on 8 January 2026.

Nine fraud victims to be compensated 24 years after the crime following innovative SFO technique.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has successfully recovered more than £400,000 to be returned to nine fraud victims almost twenty-four years after they were defrauded.

Investigators used civil recovery action to reclaim funds for victims of a fraud committed in 2002. As there has been no conviction, these funds would normally go to HM Treasury.

The recovery relates to money stolen by Abdullah Ali Jammal, a former director of a retail-depositor bank, who operated an email fraud scheme from the UK between 2001 and 2002, securing over £4.4 million. Victims were told that their help was needed to release money from countries including Nigeria, with the promise of a 10-25% commission in return. This advanced fee scheme defrauded eighteen people, many of whom lost tens of thousands of pounds.

In 2021, having determined that Mr Jammal – who fled the country before being charged – could not realistically be convicted, the SFO decided that the case’s unique circumstances merited an alternative approach to recovering money for victims. Mr Jammal’s accounts were frozen, including over £150,000 bound for the family-controlled Jammal Trust Bank in Lebanon, which remains sanctioned by the US for facilitating banking for a terrorist organisation.

Investigators then spoke directly to victims around the world, working with the Australian Federal Police, Belgian Police, French Liaison Magistrate, US’s Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to locate them and secure their consent for this action.

This demonstrates a new approach to civil recovery proceedings, with funds being returned directly to victims rather than the Treasury – a significant development in how proceeds of crime can be recovered. The SFO will now seek to use this technique across other relevant cases.

Nick Ephgrave QPM, Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), said:

Fraud devastates lives and the SFO will pursue justice for victims using every tool at our disposal.

This groundbreaking case demonstrates that determination. After years of complex international investigation, we’re returning stolen money directly to the people who were defrauded.

Solicitor General Ellie Reeves MP, said:

Fraud is a devastating crime. It hurts people, impacts businesses and damages the UK’s reputation as a trusted place to do business.

This government is determined to tackle fraud and disrupt the perpetrators. The SFO has successfully secured thousands of pounds, going directly back to the victims. This demonstrates their innovative approach to recovering illicit gains, working with international partners, and relentless commitment to delivering justice.

January 8, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Government to introduce academy trust inspections [January 2026]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 8 January 2026.

New academy trust inspections to boost transparency for parents and strengthen outcomes for children.

Millions of children will benefit from a stronger, fairer and more transparent school system as the Government sets out plans to introduce inspection of multi-academy trusts.

The Education Secretary has today tabled an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, to give parents and communities greater confidence that schools are part of strong, supportive trusts focused on improving outcomes for every child.

The measure delivers on the commitment made in the government’s manifesto to bring multi academy trusts into the inspection system.

High-quality academy trusts play a vital role in raising standards and widening opportunity for children. Educating most pupils in England, they oversee key decisions that shape children’s education – from curriculum to staffing.

Trust inspection will ensure those decisions are subject to clear, independent scrutiny, while recognising, celebrating and backing strong trusts so every child benefits from the highest standards, wherever they live or go to school.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

Every child no matter their background should be able to achieve and thrive, and strong schools working together through high quality trusts help make that possible.

That collaboration must be matched by clear, fair accountability. Trust inspection will recognise excellence, support improvement and ensure no child is overlooked, especially those with the greatest needs.

This is national renewal in action – public services working together, rooted in communities and focused on improving outcomes so every child, wherever they grow up, is set up for success.

Trust inspections will focus on leadership, governance and impact – including how effectively trusts improve schools, provide high quality education, support staff, use resources and promote pupil wellbeing. The approach will celebrate excellence, support improvement and recognise trusts that play a wider system role by helping all children and schools across communities to succeed.

The Bill will also introduce new powers of intervention to step in when trusts are not meeting acceptable standards including moving academies to stronger trusts, whilst also offering a route of recognition and celebration of those that are transforming outcomes for pupils.

Cathie Paine, CEO of REach2, said:

We welcome the move toward trust‑level inspections. Trusts play a huge role in improving education and driving greater equity, so it makes sense to look at how they work as a whole.

The key will be making sure this is done proportionately and in a way that reflects the different sizes and approaches across the system. If we get that balance right, it won’t just strengthen accountability – it will give a clearer picture of how trusts support schools, add value and, most importantly, how we can make things better for every child.

It’s also a great chance for trusts to learn from each other and share what works, which can only make the system stronger.

These reforms are part of the Government’s drive to raise standards and renew public services. Groups of schools working together in strong, community-centred partnerships are one of the most effective and sustainable ways to secure better outcomes for children.

That is why strong collaboration between schools, in particular high quality school trusts, will play a pivotal role in delivering our vision in the forthcoming Schools White Paper – helping to raise standards across the system and ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed regardless of their background, needs or where they live.

January 8, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : New proposals set out to reduce ‘out-of-area’ working for taxis and boost passenger safety [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 8 January 2026.

Have your say on our proposals to simplify the taxi licensing system and improve enforcement to increase safety and reduce unfair competition.
- proposals to reduce the practice of ‘out-of-area’ working, which sees drivers obtaining their licence in one area and operating mainly in another
- changes would simplify how taxi and private hire vehicle drivers get their licences by putting the power in the hands of local transport authorities
- step towards making our streets safer, especially for women and girls, helping deliver on the government’s Plan for Change
Women and girls will be better protected under government plans to reduce ‘out-of-area’ working by taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers.

Currently, 263 different bodies issue licences to drivers, including councils and Transport for London (TfL). But under the proposals set out in a new consultation launched by the Department for Transport (DfT) today (8 January 2026), this would be reduced to 70 local transport authorities (LTAs), which already manage local transport planning.

This change would simplify the licensing system, improve enforcement and tackle ‘out-of-area’ working, which happens when drivers licensed in one area operate mainly in another, creating safety risks and unfair competition.

By reducing the number of licensing authorities, the number of boundaries between areas is reduced and licensees would have fewer opportunities to seek out less stringent licensing rules. For example, currently in Greater Manchester, there are 10 licensing authorities. However, under the proposals, this would be reduced to just one licensing authority.

These proposals form part of the government’s response to Baroness Casey’s National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, which highlighted the issue of ‘out-of-area’ working and recommended more rigorous statutory standards for local authority licensing and regulation of taxi drivers.

Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said:

Passenger safety is at the heart of everything we do. These proposals, combined with the introduction of national minimum standards, are important next steps to making taxis and private hire vehicles as safe as possible.

By moving licensing to all local transport authorities, we’re encouraging greater consistency and stronger enforcement across the country.

A spokesperson for the Licensed Private Hire Car Association said:

We are delighted that the government is consulting on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing.

Reducing the number of licensing authorities should enable licensing efficiencies and consistency of standards nationally for taxis and private hire vehicles, which in turn will improve safety for the travelling public.

This public consultation will run for 12 weeks and is available on GOV.UK.

This consultation follows proposed new standards on taxi licensing to strengthen safety and protections for passengers in taxis and private hire vehicles.

Under the new rules, the Transport Secretary would have the power to introduce national minimum standards for taxi and PHV licensing.

This would see all drivers subject to robust checks and would mean passengers can feel safe in the knowledge that their taxis and PHVs meet strict national standards, no matter where they are in the country.
January 8, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Tough new legal duties on water companies to cut pollution [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 8 January 2026.

Water companies legally required to produce pollution reduction plans for the first time, using detailed instructions published today.

Water companies must now publish annual pollution-cutting plans under tough new powers introduced by the government.

Pollution Incident Reduction Plans (PIRPs) were previously voluntary, with only some water companies electing to produce and deliver them. Through powers in the Water (Special Measures) Act, they will now be mandatory and must be made public, creating unprecedented transparency and accountability in the sector.

Failure to publish compliant plans – with the first batch due this April – will be a criminal offence for both companies and their chief executives.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said:

It is completely unacceptable that so much sewage is still entering our waterways, and it cannot continue.

This government is delivering a new era of accountability in the water sector. We’ve banned unfair bonuses for water bosses, introduced tough penalties for pollution and these mandatory plans are the latest step to hold water companies to account and tackle the root causes of pollution.

And we’re not stopping there. Our Water White Paper will set out long-term reforms to strengthen regulation, clean up our waterways, and drive infrastructure delivery.

The Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales have today (8 January) published detailed guidance for companies on what to include in their plans and how they should be used to cut pollution.

The plans must set out the specific actions companies will take to cut their pollution, including through better monitoring, clearing blockages, and customer awareness campaigns. Companies have also been told to identify and explain the root causes of their pollution incidents, to ensure they are focused not just on short-term fixes but on long-term prevention.

From 2027, companies will also have to produce annual ‘Implementation Reports’ demonstrating their year‑on‑year progress to cut pollution incidents.

Environment Agency Water Director Helen Wakeham said:

Pollution incidents from water companies happen far too often and can have devastating consequences on the environment and communities.

We have been clear that every water company now needs to focus on delivery. These plans will ensure companies are taking actions to cut their pollution incidents and are publicly accountable for doing so.

Our guidance is designed to help companies plan and deliver results – and we will continue to challenge them if they fall short.

The Environment Agency’s latest ratings of water companies’ environmental performance were the lowest since 2011. In 2024 alone, there were 2,801 reported pollution incidents in England – 75 of which were classified as serious.

The new guidance comes ahead of the government’s Water White Paper which is expected to set out plans for longer-term reforms to strengthen regulation and tackle pollution – including through the creation of a new, single water regulator, and accelerate the delivery of vital infrastructure.

Notes to editors
- The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 requires all water and sewerage undertakers (as defined by the Water Industry Act 1991) to publish annual PIRPs from April 2026 and Implementation Reports from April 2027.
- For water companies, annual PIRPs will sit alongside statutory Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs). While DWMPs provide the 25‑year strategic plan and investment pathway, PIRPs and Implementation Reports should show shorter‑term, operational action on frequent causes of pollution. Together, they will support a more proactive approach to building more resilience in the water system and maintaining and improving asset health and performance.
January 8, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : New local powers to keep pavements clear for those who rely on them most [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 8 January 2026.

Local councils will be given the power to crack down on problem pavement parking.
- keeping pavements clear helps parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users and blind or partially sighted people travel more safely and independently
- local leaders know their streets best and will intend on being given the power to take action where pavement parking causes the greatest problems locally
- this locally-led approach supports the government’s drive to make transport and public spaces more accessible, improving safety while recognising local parking needs
Disabled people will benefit from new local powers being made available to local leaders across England to introduce pavement parking restrictions across their area, helping keep them clear and accessible for everyone who uses them, while allowing exemptions where needed.

Blocked pavements can create serious barriers for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users, blind and partially sighted people and older people, limiting independence and making everyday journeys harder and less safe.

Following a public consultation, the Department for Transport has confirmed that local leaders will be given new and improved legal powers to make it easier to restrict pavement parking across wider areas, rather than relying on the previous approach, where action is often limited to individual streets and requires lengthy, complex processes.

Local leaders know their streets best and are best placed to respond to local needs. Under the new approach, local leaders will be able to decide to take action on pavement parking in their area, and they will retain flexibility where they deem pavement parking may still be acceptable.

Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said:

Clear pavements are essential for people to move around safely and independently, whether that’s a parent with a pushchair, someone using a wheelchair, or a blind or partially sighted person.

That’s why we’re giving local authorities the power to crack down on problem pavement parking, allowing more people to travel easily and safely and get to where they need to go.

Guide Dogs’ Chief Executive, Andrew Lennox, said:

After years of campaigning, we welcome the announcement to give councils greater powers to tackle problem pavement parking.

Cars blocking pavements are a nuisance for everyone, but especially dangerous for people with sight loss, who can be forced into the road with traffic they can’t see. Pavement parking is also a barrier that shuts people out of everyday life. When pavements are blocked, people with sight loss lose confidence, independence and the freedom to travel safely. This stops people accessing work, education and social opportunities.

We look forward to working with the government and local authorities to ensure these changes are introduced quickly and consistently enforced so pavement parking becomes a thing of the past.

RAC Senior Policy Officer, Rod Dennis, said:

Our research shows a clear majority of drivers agree that no pavement user should be made to walk or wheel into the road because of someone else’s inconsiderate parking.

These proposals should clear the way for councils to prevent pavement parking where it causes problems, but permit drivers to partially park on pavements where doing so helps keep traffic flowing and doesn’t inconvenience other people.

Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, said:

Clear pavements matter. For parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users and people who are blind or partially sighted, a blocked pavement is not a minor inconvenience – it can stop a journey altogether and is a risk to people’s safety.

Most drivers want to park safely and considerately and these new powers help in areas where dangerous parking causes real problems.

Giving decisions to local leaders means solutions that reflect how our streets actually work. It’s a practical step that helps people move around safely, confidently and independently in their own communities.

The department will set out guidance to help local authorities use these powers in a proportionate and locally appropriate way later in 2026.

By putting decision-making closer to communities, the approach supports safer, more inclusive streets that work better for everyone. This forms part of the government’s Plan for Change, making transport more accessible and inclusive and supporting growth by ensuring our streets and public spaces work for all.
January 8, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Stronger laws for tech firms on cyberflashing [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 8 January 2026.

Dating apps and social media platforms must now prevent cyberflashing, as it becomes a priority offence under the Online Safety Act.
- Online Safety Act strengthened as ‘cyberflashing’ becomes a priority offence
- Dating apps and social media platforms now have to take proactive steps to prevent this vile content before users see it
- New law follows a historic government strategy to halve Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) within a decade, which included a commitment to make cyberflashing a ‘priority offence’ under the Online Safety Act
People using dating apps and social media platforms will be better protected from receiving unsolicited nude images, as a new law compelling tech firms to stop this type of content before it reaches users comes into force today (Thursday 8 January).

Platforms will be required to take proactive steps to prevent this vile content from appearing in the first place, not just react after the harm is done. Tech firms will now face some of the strongest requirements under the Online Safety Act as ‘cyberflashing’ becomes a Priority Offence.

Companies could tackle these images for example by using automated systems that pre-emptively detect and hide the image, implementing moderation tools or stricter content policies.

Those that fail to comply could face fines of up to 10% of their qualifying worldwide revenue, or have their services blocked in the UK.

Bumble was the first dating app to explicitly moderate cyberflashing to protect its members from seeing unwanted pictures.

The women-first dating app launched Private Detector, an AI-powered feature that automatically detects and blurs nudity in images sent within chats. It then alerts the recipient who can choose to view, block, or report the image. The AI model is carefully trained with vast datasets to avoid misclassification.

Liz Kendall, Technology Secretary, said:

We’ve cracked down on perpetrators of this vile crime – now we’re turning up the heat on tech firms. Platforms are now required by law to detect and prevent this material.

The internet must be a space where women and girls feel safe, respected, and able to thrive.

Elymae Cedeno, VP of Trust and Safety at Bumble said:

Receiving unsolicited sexual images is a daily violation that disproportionately impacts women and undermines their sense of safety online. Strengthening the law to make cyberflashing a Priority Offence is an important step toward ensuring platforms proactively address this behaviour to better protect members.

As part of our long standing safety commitments, Bumble introduced features like Private Detector, which uses AI to identify and blur nude images in chats, giving members greater control over what they see. We hear regularly from our community about the impact of this behaviour, and we welcome measures that increase accountability and help create a safer digital environment.

Ofcom will now consult on new codes of practice, setting out exactly what steps platforms must take to protect users from unsolicited sexual images.

The priority offence marks another step in making the online world safer, particularly for women and children, who are disproportionately targeted. 1 in 3 teenage girls has received unsolicited sexual images*. This government is serious about ending that.

This builds on the government’s wider commitment to tackle online abuse and halve violence against women and girls, making clear that the digital world is not a law-free zone.

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

For too long cyberflashing has been just another degrading abuse women and girls are expected to endure. We are changing this.

By placing the responsibility on tech companies to block this vile content before users see it, we are preventing women and girls from being harmed in the first place.

We will deploy the full power of the state to make this country safe for women and girls, both online and offline.

Through the cross-government strategy to Build a Safer Society for Women and Girls, published on 18 December, we committed to making the ‘cyberflashing’ offence a ‘priority offence’ under the Online Safety Act.

These strengthened protections will tackle the problem at the root, before women are subject to this gross violation.
January 8, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Government modernises exam records with new app [January 2026]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 8 January 2026.

Year 11 students across England will be able to view their GCSE results on their phones for the first time from this summer, speeding up the process of enrolling into college, freeing up teachers and college staff from unnecessary paperwork, and bringing record-keeping into the 21st century.

The Education Record app is being rolled out nationally to modernise how young people access their exam results once they have left school.

It will make it easier for young people to enrol in their post-16 destination and will give them access to their results at their fingertips for life, providing employers with clear, accurate information on a job candidate’s education history without relying on paper certificates which can be easily lost.

Pupils will still go into school on results day to meet face-to-face with their teachers and receive their results. Their results will later become available on the app.

Schools and colleges will also be able to easily access information about which students need extra support, including whether they need to continue working towards English and maths GCSEs, have SEND requirements or qualify for free school meals.

It is estimated to save schools and colleges up to £30 million per year in administrative costs once the full roll out is complete. This funding can be put directly back into school and college budgets, freeing up resources so that staff can focus on teaching, and breaking down barriers to opportunity through the government’s Plan for Change.

The Education Record app is part of the wider government drive to overhaul how the public sector uses technology and innovates.

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said:

No student should have to rifle through drawers looking for a crumpled certificate when they’re preparing for a job interview.

This app will give young people instant access to their results whenever they need them while freeing up teachers and college staff from unnecessary paperwork.

Work is already underway to link the Education Record and the GOV.UK Wallet, part of the government’s drive to harness technology and innovation as set out in its Plan for Change. It paves the way for citizens to store everything from exam results to driving licences in one secure digital space.

The national roll out follows on from the app being piloted in Greater Manchester and West Midlands where thousands of pupils have already benefitted since last summer.

Schools and colleges are being encouraged to sign up now ahead of results days in August 2026. Pupils in schools that sign up can download the app now and should speak to their school to set it up before results day, when they will receive their GCSE results as the first records on the app.

Director of Education Policy at the Association of Colleges, Cath Sezen, said:

We are delighted to see confirmation of a national pilot of the Education Record. This is a significant step forward in supporting young people as they move to college, an apprenticeship or later into higher education and work.

Giving colleges access to key data will ensure that transitions are smoother for students; instead of repeating basic information time and time again, conversations can focus on finding the appropriate course to support their career aims, and settling into life at college.

The Education Record also has the potential to cut down on admin time and costs during the busy enrolment period which means that more time can be spent on making sure students have the best start to their post-16 pathways.

General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Pepe Di’Iasio, said:

It is a sensible move to use digital technology to simplify the transition to post-16 education for everyone involved. Young people work so hard to obtain their GCSE results, it is important that they have a secure and accessible record of their achievements as they move through the education system.

We are glad that GCSE students still have the chance to go into school on results day. This face-to-face contact not only allows them to celebrate with peers and teachers, but also to receive any advice or support they may require regarding next steps.

We are sure that school and college leaders will also welcome the administrative savings made possible as a result of this change, although this will only amount to a drop in the ocean compared to the funding pressures they remain under.

General Secretary of School Leaders’ union NAHT, Paul Whiteman, said:

Providing students with a digital education record is a sensible development and expanding this programme to a national pilot, following the successful smaller ones, is a positive step.

The potential to include post-16 qualifications in the future will make the record an even more useful tool for students to support their transitions to further education, training and employment.

The announcement follows the launch of the government’s Youth Guarantee to support almost a million young people into employment or learning opportunities, tackling the unacceptably high number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and ensuring no one is allowed to slip through the cracks.

More widely the government is transforming post-16 education with reforms announced in the Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper including introducing structured professional development for further education teachers and an expectation that colleges deliver at least 100 hours of face-to-face English and maths teaching for those who haven’t passed those GCSEs.

The government is also creating V levels, a brand new vocational pathway to sit alongside A levels and T Levels, allowing students to explore different sectors like Engineering or Digital while keeping their options open.

January 8, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : British Prime Minister call with President Trump of the United States [January 2026]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 7 January 2026.

The Prime Minister spoke with President Trump this evening.

They discussed the joint operation to intercept the Bella 1 as part of shared efforts to crack down on sanctions busting, recent progress on Ukraine and the US operation in Venezuela.

The Prime Minister also set out his position on Greenland.

January 8, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Environment Secretary – Backing farmers with a new era of partnership to boost farm profitability [January 2026]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 7 January 2026.

Environment Secretary announces plans at Oxford Farming Conference focusing more support on smaller farms and those without an existing agreement to drive growth, secure a thriving future for the sector, and deliver high quality, affordable food.

Our farmers are essential for the nation’s food security, the Environment Secretary will say, setting out a new era of partnership between government and farmers aimed at boosting profitability.

Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference on Thursday 8 January, Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds will announce a package of measures to ensure the government works in partnership with farmers to drive growth, secure a thriving future for the sector, and deliver high quality, affordable food for British families.

She will announce reforms to the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), designed to simplify the scheme, level the playing field, and provide stable, predictable delivery.

She will set out how there will be two application windows in 2026, with the first from June prioritising smaller farms and those without an existing agreement, followed by a second round from September for wider applications.

The government will continue working with the sector to refine these proposals and full scheme details will be published before the first application window opens.

The Environment Secretary will also outline a new £30 million Farmer Collaboration Fund to support farmer groups in growing their businesses, building partnerships and sharing best practice. This will empower them to find new opportunities to grow their businesses, share what works, build partnerships, and drive the kind of change that comes from the ground up.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds is expected to say:

Farmers are at the heart of our national life – for what you produce, the communities you sustain, and the landscapes and heritage you protect.

British farming is also a key growth sector we’re backing for the long term. Farmers who want to build, to export and to invest in new technology.

But too often, they’ve been held back by bureaucracy. We’re changing that to a system that backs our farmers.

The Secretary of State also set her vision to work in partnership with farmers:

We will work with you – through our new Farming and Food Partnership Board, through peer-to-peer networks, through community-led change, and through engagement on the detailed changes to SFI.

You will have the certainty you need to plan – clear budgets, clear timelines, clear future roadmap, and growth built on strong foundations.

That’s my commitment to you and it’s the foundation for the future we’re building together, to drive growth, secure a thriving future for the sector, and deliver high quality, affordable food for British families.

The Environment Secretary will also set out plans exploring a transformation of England’s uplands, recognising the unique challenges facing the rural communities that depend on them, from poor access to services to harsh farming conditions.

Building on research led by social entrepreneur Dr Hilary Cottam in six upland areas during the past year, the government will work over the next two years – first in Dartmoor, then Cumbria – to deliver system-wide change, create farming clusters, explore new mutual funding models, and lay the foundations for new income streams, from nature-based enterprises to regenerative tourism and circular economy initiatives.

In an additional boost for farmers in England’s most treasured rural areas, the government will extend the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme for three years, with £30 million in funding next year alone.

Since its launch, the programme has supported more than 11,000 farmers across 44 protected landscapes in enhancing nature recovery, tackling climate change, and preserving cultural heritage, including the planting of 362km of new hedgerows, equivalent to the distance of Oxford to Newcastle.

These measures build on the launch of the Farming and Food Partnership Board, bringing together senior leaders from farming, food, retail, finance and government to take a joined-up, farm-to-fork approach to improving profitability.

Alongside Baroness Minette Batters’ Farming Profitability Review, these new partnerships will help inform the government’s forthcoming 25-year Farming Roadmap, to be published later this year and setting out a clear, long-term vision for food production, environmental ambition, land use, and farm profitability.

January 8, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Convictions following EU Treaty Rights immigration scam [January 2026]

The press release issued by the Immigration Advice Authority on 7 January 2026.

Following an IAA investigation, Risalat Hussain and Syed Ali Shah Gilani were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on 6 January 2026.

Two men were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday 6 January 2026) for taking advantage of people seeking immigration advice, including some of those most in need and some of the most vulnerable in our society.

The pair were convicted of separate offences, including providing unregulated immigration advice and services, and defrauding vulnerable individuals through false representation. One of the men also sought to advise individuals how to defraud and exploit the regulations that the UK public rely on to protect them from illegal immigration.

Syed Ali Shah Gilani, 51, from Solihull, pleaded guilty on the day of trial (16 June 2025), to three counts of providing unqualified immigration advice and services, contrary to Section 84 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years to run concurrently, along with £11,000 in victim compensation plus a victim surcharge.

Risalat Hussain, 38, from Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty on the day of trial (16 June 2025), to one count of fraud by false representation contrary to Sections 1 and 2 of the Fraud Act 2006, and was sentenced to a £250 fine, to be paid within three months.

Mr Gilani provided unregulated immigration advice and services to vulnerable individuals seeking vital support. Operating from multiple offices, he orchestrated an immigration scam that involved advising clients how to exploit EU Treaty Rights. Individuals were charged approximately £5,000 each and instructed to travel to Ireland to fraudulently obtain documentation such as PPI numbers and bank accounts, with Mr Gilani claiming he would manage all arrangements.

Gaon Hart, Immigration Services Commissioner, said:

Mr Gilani was fully aware of the legal requirements to provide immigration advice, yet chose to abuse the system and exploit those most in need, including individuals who rely on advice to protect themselves. He acted unlawfully for personal gain – and was caught and investigated thanks to the great work of the Immigration Advice Authority.

This sentencing sends a clear message: the Immigration Advice Authority is actively looking to protect the vulnerable and will disrupt and prosecute individuals providing unregulated immigration advice.

This outcome would not have been possible without the courage and determination of the complainants, whose commitment was instrumental to this prosecution. The Immigration Advice Authority invites anyone harmed or at risk from illegal advisers to come forward, so that we can protect the vulnerable and ensure that legal immigration is supported while preventing illegal immigration.

Mike Tapp, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, said:

Shameless individuals offering immigration advice illegally must be held to account, and this successful prosecution shows they will not get away with it.

This is why we have included tough new penalties for rogue immigration advisers in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, with fines of up to £15,000.

This government is restoring order and control to our borders and will be relentless in pursuing those who abuse our immigration system.

While some clients were met in Dublin and escorted to various institutions, no genuine applications were submitted. The scheme was designed to create the illusion of relocation, enabling clients to apply for family members to gain EU status and return to the UK. Clients were unable to contact Mr Gilani after payment, and refund requests were largely ignored.

Mr Hussain, while denying formal employment by Mr Gilani, played a key role in facilitating communication between Mr Gilani and the clients involved in the scam.

The court heard that Mr Gilani was authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) to provide immigration advice and services at the highest level between 13 April 2011 and 31 January 2014. The IAA launched an investigation following complaints from clients who had paid for services they did not receive.

New penalties for fraudulent advisers under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act will give the IAA enhanced powers to better regulate immigration advisers, protect advice seekers, and support the disruption of serious and organised immigration crime. The IAA will have stronger enforcement and regulatory powers, including financial sanctions, fee refunds and compensation and immediate suspension or cancellation of registration.

Members of the public can check whether an immigration adviser is regulated by visiting the IAA’s Adviser Register. If you have concerns about poor or illegal advice, or wish to make a complaint about an adviser, you can report it directly through the IAA’s online portal.

January 7, 2026