Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Hunger is not inevitable, but often results from choices that deny civilians food, aid, and essential services – UK statement at the UN Security Council [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Hunger is not inevitable, but often results from choices that deny civilians food, aid, and essential services – UK statement at the UN Security Council [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 August 2026.

    Statement by Ambassador Kate Foster, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Food Security.

    Eight years after the adoption of Resolution 2417, conflict remains a leading driver of acute food insecurity. 

    As we have heard, last year, for the first time this century, famine was declared simultaneously in two conflicts: Sudan and Gaza. 

    Extreme food insecurity persists in both.

    These famines were man-made. 

    A reminder that hunger is not inevitable, but often results from choices that deny civilians food, aid, and essential services. 

    Children pay the highest price. 

    What is needed is clear: rapid, safe, and unimpeded humanitarian access; an end to attacks on food infrastructure; and, ultimately, an end to the conflicts that drive hunger. 

    President, the impact of conflict on food security is no longer confined to the battlefield in the traditional sense. 

    Conflict is also disrupting the global networks that move food, fuel, and fertiliser, with consequences felt far beyond. 

    Russia’s attacks on shipping, civilian vessels, and Black Sea ports have undermined one of the world’s most important grain export routes. 

    Ukraine was once the breadbasket of the world.

    Today, Russia’s aggression continues to damage infrastructure that feeds millions beyond its borders. 

    Infrastructure essential to food production, transport, and distribution must be protected. 

    And we call on Russia to cease these attacks and comply with international humanitarian law. 

    Iran’s attacks and closure of the Strait of Hormuz have also disrupted supply chains and fertiliser markets. 

    As the Secretary-General warned yesterday, this means deeper hunger, weaker harvests, and greater suffering, especially for the most vulnerable. 

    We welcome progress under the Secretary-General’s Taskforce to address the implications for food security stemming from this crisis. 

    But we call on Iran to reopen the Strait, uphold freedom of navigation, and respect the primacy of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

    Both Iran and Russia have reduced grain exports, driving up global food prices.

    Vulnerable and import-dependent countries will be hit hardest. 

    Conflict and disregard for international humanitarian law compound climate stress, debt, and other structural vulnerabilities. 

    And the strengthening El Niño makes coordinated action to build resilience and protect the most vulnerable even more urgent. 

    We call for full implementation of Resolution 2417. 

    It requires the Council to address both local crises and conflicts that threaten global food security.

    We already have the tools to identify emerging famine risks, although we must protect and continue to use technology to strengthen them.

    Early warnings must lead to early action.

    Warnings must be acted on and violations must lead to accountability.

    The UK remains committed to working with partners to strengthen early warning and accelerate emergency support, including pre-arranged disaster risk finance.  

    President, resolution 2417 provides the framework. 

    The Council has the tools. 

    We must turn early warning into early action, uphold international humanitarian law, and ensure accountability before hunger becomes famine.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The Ukrainian people should be in no doubt – the United Kingdom is behind you today, and for as long as it takes – UK statement at the UN Security Council [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : The Ukrainian people should be in no doubt – the United Kingdom is behind you today, and for as long as it takes – UK statement at the UN Security Council [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 August 2026.

    Statement by Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

    Today is Ukraine’s Independence Day.

    A day to reaffirm the importance of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the rights of her people to determine their own future, to celebrate the history, culture, and spirit of the Ukrainian people, and to reconfirm friendships and support.

    First, on Ukraine’s sovereignty and freedom. 

    For over a decade, Russia has sought to deny Ukraine the rights to sovereignty, territorial integrity, and to determine her own future.

    Through the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, then the full-scale invasion in 2022, and now through intensive attacks on civilians and essential services across Ukraine.  

    Over 17,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, and 52,000 injured since February 2022, 437 killed and 2,610 injured in July alone. 

    The deadliest month in four years, as Russia has intensified her attacks, including hundreds of missiles and drones fired against Ukrainian cities.

    One civilian every 15 minutes. 

    International humanitarian law must be respected.

    Ukraine’s children in particular feel the impact. Since 2022, there have been over 3,900 Ukrainian child casualties.

    Children have lost families and homes and have spent months sheltering underground.

    Thousands of children have been forcibly deported.

    On this day, we remember lives lost and lives upended. 

    And we remember the extraordinary strength Ukrainians have shown in defending their country, their freedom, and their right of self-determination.   

    Second on Ukraine’s rich culture

    Mr President, as we join Ukraine in celebrating her history, culture, and spirit, Russia damages Ukraine’s cultural sites.

    Including Kyiv’s historic Petrivka book market and the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

    And in the temporarily occupied territories, Russia has eradicated Ukrainian-language education and forced residents to take Russian passports.

    But Ukraine’s history and culture will not be destroyed, and her spirit will not be broken.

    As His Majesty King Charles said in his message to President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, today is a day to “reflect upon Ukraine’s proud history, rich culture and indomitable national spirit”, and to honour the “extraordinary fortitude” that Ukrainians have shown in preserving the identity and values which define their nation. 

    Third on friendship and support

    United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham is in Kyiv today.  

    His message to the people of Ukraine is that “On Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt, the United Kingdom is behind you today, and for as long as it takes.”

    The United Kingdom will continue to stand with Ukraine as she exercises her lawful right to self-defence, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. 

    We support Ukraine’s call for a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire and a just and lasting peace. And we urge Russia to commit to the same. 

    Mr President, Ukraine’s future is for Ukrainians to decide.

    Her language, culture, and history will not be erased by attacks or occupation or coercion.

    Today, we celebrate Ukraine.

    And we renew our support for her sovereignty and her freedoms. 

    Today and every day, for as long as it takes.

  • PRESS RELEASE : An end to the suffering in Sudan will only come through an humanitarian truce, a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive civilian-led political process [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : An end to the suffering in Sudan will only come through an humanitarian truce, a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive civilian-led political process [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 August 2026.

    Statement by Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan.

    The war in Sudan has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

    Fighting has spread throughout Sudan, fuelled by arms supplies from within and beyond the region, funded, at least in part, by abduction for ransom and abuse of Sudan’s natural resources including gold, and exacerbated by massive use of drones

    With 33 million people needing humanitarian assistance; gross violations of human rights; civilians targeted with attacks, torture and arbitrary detention; horrifying sexual violence; and deprivation of essential services.

    An end to this suffering will only come through an humanitarian truce, a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive civilian-led political process to secure a sustainable peace. 

    Three issues need our support.

    First, the choices of peace.

    The United Kingdom welcomes and supports work to broker a humanitarian truce led by the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and UAE; work towards confidence-building measures by Envoy Haavisto; and work to build an inclusive inter-Sudanese dialogue as a foundation for a peaceful political transition led by the Quintet of international organisations. 

    But the choices needed to make peace in Sudan lie with the leaders, fighters, funders and fuellers of the war.

    So we also urge Sudan’s warring parties to choose to engage with peace processes; those supplying, funding and fuelling the war to choose to stop; leaders and fighting forces to choose to meet their obligations to act in accordance with the laws of war,  to enable humanitarian access, and to protect civilians – not attack, torture, maim and deprive them; and all those with influence, to choose to use it to press for peace. 

    Second, until the parties choose peace, we can help to protect civilians, to limit the flows of arms that fuel conflict, and to raise the cost to perpetrators of their actions.

    By extending the sanctions regime to respond to the war as it is being fought, covering the  areas where fighting is; drones; sexual violence; mercenaries.

    And by reminding leaders of fighting forces and militias that new technology and new tactics do not change their fundamental obligations to comply with international humanitarian law. 

    Sudan has become a battlefield where restrictions are too often ignored and protections too often fail.

    Our action to change that could mitigate the human suffering of the people trapped in these wars.

    And these measures should form part of a broader strategy to use the tools we have to protect civilians, constrain conflict, and support mediation efforts towards peace.

    Third, by supporting the humanitarian agencies working with people trapped in this war, and led by OCHA, thank you.

    Humanitarian access continues to be obstructed by all parties to the conflict.  With costs measured in lives: families starving, communities cut off from the support they need to survive, and humanitarian workers under fire.

    We call on the parties to facilitate rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to those in need.

    The United Kingdom is supporting the people of Sudan with humanitarian assistance: $200m this year, to reach over 1.8 million people with food, nutrition, healthcare, clean water, and protection services.

    And increasing support to Sudanese-led responders, who can reach communities that others cannot.

    Pushing for protection, using our diplomacy to press for humanitarian access, an immediate truce, and a permanent ceasefire.

    Backing peace: supporting mediation efforts and an inclusive, Sudanese-led political process.

    Raising the cost of failing to protect civilians with UK sanctions on those committing atrocities, recruiting mercenaries, and conflict financing networks.

    And pursuing accountability: targeting those responsible for atrocities and those who sustain this war; through work to document, verify and preserve evidence of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure; through the Coalition on Atrocity Prevention and Justice; and by supporting the UN Fact-Finding Mission, the Panel of Experts, and the International Criminal Court.

    Mr President, the things that Sudanese civilians want: an end to war; safety for their families; access to food, healthcare and education; the chance to live free from violence; to see their children grow up into safety and prosperity.

    These are the things that almost every human being wants.

    They, and the people of Sudan, need to remain in international attention, and with international support to achieve them.

    And the leaders, fighters, funders, and fuellers of this war need to choose peace.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Barnsley residents to get practical AI training to help them find work and build future careers [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Barnsley residents to get practical AI training to help them find work and build future careers [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 25 August 2026.

    Two new schemes will launch in Barnsley to help residents use AI in simple, practical ways – from applying for jobs to preparing for interviews.

    • Two new schemes will launch in Barnsley to help residents use AI in simple, practical ways – from applying for jobs and preparing for interviews, to training for roles where digital and AI tools are becoming part of day-to-day work.
    • AI Career Launchpad will offer flexible training and paid work placements with employers, while the Getting Job Ready with AI pilot will support jobseekers.
    • Comes six months after Barnsley became the UK’s first Tech Town, showing how AI can create new opportunities, strengthen local services and support economic growth in every postcode.

    Residents and jobseekers in Barnsley will be able to get practical support to use AI to find work, build confidence and train for future careers, under two new schemes announced today (Tuesday 25 August).

    The schemes are designed to help people benefit from AI in two clear ways. One will support people who want to train for jobs linked to AI, while the other will help jobseekers use AI tools when applying for work – such as finding suitable roles, improving CVs and cover letters, practising interview questions and understanding how digital tools are already being used in many workplaces.

    The AI Career Launchpad, a partnership with Barnsley College worth more than £400,000, will offer local people of all ages a faster, more flexible route into AI jobs. Learners will get six months of training linked to a Level 4 apprenticeship, plus paid placements so they can gain experience while they learn.

    The roles could include jobs helping businesses use AI tools, supporting teams with data and digital systems, improving customer services, or finding better ways to use technology in day-to-day work.

    Local businesses that sign up will benefit by getting early access to people training in AI, with government-funded placements helping them bring fresh skills into their teams. The programme will also help firms test how AI could save time, reduce admin, improve services and help them grow.

    Once the programme has been completed, its curriculum will be made freely available so colleges and training providers elsewhere can adopt it, spreading the Barnsley model to communities across the country.

    From September, jobseekers in Barnsley will also get hands-on support through the new Getting Job Ready with AI pilot. This will help people who are already comfortable using technology in everyday life but want more confidence using AI and digital tools when looking for work or preparing for the workplace.

    Tailored support could include using AI to search for suitable roles, tailor CVs and cover letters, prepare for interviews and understand how employers are already using digital tools in day-to-day jobs. People will be referred onto the course through Jobcentre Plus.

    The pilot forms part of a wider drive by the DWP to get more people into work and help them progress once there, including reforming jobcentres into a genuine, universal jobs and careers service and expanding work coach support.

    Minister for Employment, Andrew Western, said:

    Getting more people into good jobs is at the heart of this government’s plan to spread opportunity to every postcode.

    In Barnsley, we’re testing how AI can support that ambition, helping jobseekers build the confidence and skills they need to compete for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

    This sits alongside the wider changes we’re making through jobcentres up and down the country, as well as investing £3.5 billion in tailored employment support to help people with health conditions and disabilities move into work. We’re also supporting young people into work through our £2.5 billion youth employment support package.

    AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said:

    AI is going to transform the world of work and our job is to make sure working people benefit from that change.

    That starts with helping people understand how AI can be useful day to day – whether that means finding a job, learning new skills or building a career in a growing industry.

    Barnsley is showing what this can look like in practice. As our first Tech Town, it is helping us find ways that can create opportunities for local people and support communities across the country.

    Matt O’Neill, Barnsley Council’s Executive Director for Place, said:

    Barnsley is proud to be the UK’s first Tech Town, and these new schemes are another important step in making sure local people can benefit from the opportunities that AI and digital technology can bring.

    Our focus is on practical support that makes a real difference to residents’ lives – whether that’s helping someone build confidence to apply for work, supporting people to develop new skills, or giving local businesses access to the talent and ideas they need to grow and thrive as we’ve outlined in our Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy.

    Tech Town is about using technology in ways that are inclusive, trusted and rooted in everyday life. By working with the government, Barnsley College, Jobcentre Plus and our local partners, we want to make sure residents, employers and communities across the borough are ready for the jobs and services of the future.

    The learning from Barnsley will also help shape how other places across the country approach AI skills and adoption, showing how towns like ours can be a trailblazer and lead the way in creating opportunity and supporting inclusive economic growth.

    David Akeroyd, Principal and CEO, Barnsley College, said:

    The AI Career Launchpad opens up careers that have, until now, been concentrated elsewhere in the country. Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of AI whilst undertaking paid placements, so they gain real experience that immediately translates into the workplace.

    Barnsley’s Tech Town status has given us the opportunity to look closely at how AI can support our staff, students and wider community, and colleagues across the College have responded with curiosity, invention and a willingness to try things, alongside a clear sense of responsibility.

    Our focus is on using AI well, not simply because it is there. That means helping people recognise where it adds value, without losing sight of the fact that human judgement and critical thinking remain essential. This investment lets us take that approach out of the College and into the wider Barnsley economy, so local people and employers benefit together.

    The pilot will help jobseekers build confidence in the kinds of digital skills employers are increasingly looking for.

    The news comes six months after Barnsley was named the UK’s first Tech Town, acting as the national trailblazer for how AI can improve everyday life. Since then a range of schemes empowering local people and businesses to take advantage of AI have been rolling out.

    Amy Wilkinson, who works as a Marketing Manager for local firm Anderson Power Generation, went on the Build Your App In 10 Weeks course as part of Barnsley’s IgniteAI programme. She built a new HR system for the business which has completely streamlined their HR process, reducing the administrative burden and allowing more time to focus on productivity.

    She said: “I’m living proof of the benefits of Barnsley being a Tech Town. I’ve been through the Build Your App In 10 Weeks programme with Enterprising Barnsley and IgniteAI, using the skills I learnt to build a new HR system for the business.

    “It’s helped completely streamline our HR process, saving people time and effort on administrative processes to focus on being more productive. It’s worked so well we’re now looking to market this for other businesses to use. AI is enabling people to do things they didn’t think possible and to unlock economic potential.”

    Meanwhile Barnsley College is supporting staff to build the skills, confidence and critical understanding needed to champion AI responsibly across education. For Matthew Sowerby, Tutorial Team Leader in the Digital and Creative Industries department, completing the Level 2 Introduction to AI course developed for Barnsley College staff has helped turn AI from something experimental into a practical tool for teaching, planning and student support.

    Matthew said: “Before doing the course, I had dabbled with AI and used it a little bit in my work, but I didn’t properly know how to use it to the best of its ability.

    “The main barrier I was facing was not getting the result I wanted. I would ask an AI system to do something, it would not give me what I needed, and I would end up doing it myself anyway. What the course helped me do was identify which tools were better for which tasks, and how to get the best out of them.”

    “AI has helped me create individual lesson plans and differentiate them across Level 2, Level 3, Extended Diploma and T Level students. It’s sped things up, made things simpler and made things more interesting.”

    Alongside the two new schemes announced today, an assessment launching in Autumn will look at how local charities, community groups and social enterprises currently are already using AI, and where further support could make the biggest difference.

    Led by Adobe and Barnsley CVS, the findings will shape Adobe’s work in the area, including targeted training and a showcase event where organisations can see what support is available.

    The schemes build on Barnsley’s Tech Town partnership between government, industry and local organisations, supported by companies including Cisco, Microsoft, Google and Adobe.

    Lessons from Barnsley will inform how similar approaches could be used elsewhere as the government works to equip 10 million UK workers with AI skills by 2030, and deliver on the Prime Minister’s reforms to ensure every young person has a clear route into skilled work.

    These efforts are continuing nationwide, and earlier this month the government announced the pilot of new AI skills summer bootcamps in North West England, ahead of a national rollout next year.

    Background information

    • Applications for the AI Career Launchpad will open this autumn, with the first group of learners due to begin in early 2027.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Every care leaver to have someone in their corner after review [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Every care leaver to have someone in their corner after review [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 25 August 2026.

    £25 million investment to help thousands more care leavers access homes with support and connection.

    Thousands more young people leaving care will have people around them when they move into adulthood, as the government begins the national rollout of a strengthened housing programme backed by £25 million this year alone. The programme will grow high quality and innovative housing models that build connection around those leaving care.

    It comes as a government-commissioned independent review into the early deaths of young people who left care is published today, led by author and broadcaster Ashley John-Baptiste and social work leader Clare Chamberlain.

    The review tells the stories of six young people who died between the ages of 18 and 24. Those who knew them describe them as devoted, bubbly, kind, and deeply loved. They were also, in the words of one young person quoted in the report, ‘on their own’.

    Its central finding is that young people leaving care are profoundly isolated. Services often respond to a young person’s understandable wish for their own place, but independence can arrive with an unexpected loneliness and no one close enough to notice when things go wrong.

    The report sets out three things that must change: how young people are prepared for adulthood, the sharp drop in help at age 18, and the skills of the workforce supporting them.

    In response, government is driving forward the national rollout of connected housing options for those leaving care, starting with £25 million this year alone. This marks a major change that will make the Staying Close programme focused on expanding housing models akin to Shared Lives Plus, The House Project and Supported Lodgings to every part of the country. For young people, this will significantly increase their chances of being offered a home that provides them with community and connection rather than leaving them isolated in inappropriate accommodation.

    Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister said:

    Every one of these young lives mattered, and behind each of them lies a story of enormous loss – for their families, for their friends, and for the people who cared for them.

    We owe it to these young people, and to every care experienced person, to change care so that we make enduring relationships the central obsession of the care system. Care must build and not break the relationships that young people need, and this must be the new north star.

    I am incredibly grateful to Ashley and Clare for their work on this review. The tragic stories they have captured must galvanise us to make sure that no one leaving care is left isolated and alone. This will be a whole society effort, so I urge everyone to play their part.

     Author and broadcaster Ashley John-Baptise said: 

    As a care experienced broadcaster, I’ve been privileged to cover many aspects of the care system. That said, nothing could have prepared me for the devastating stories we’ve come across whilst doing this work. 

    The lives of these care leavers mattered. I really hope our review shines a light on who they were, how they were failed and serves as a useful report to stir us all.

    Social work leader, Clare Chamberlain said:

    This review has reinforced what care leavers have told us for years: the state is no substitute for family. We need to do more to prevent the acute loneliness that the most vulnerable experience after leaving care

    In 2025, 112 deaths of care leavers aged 18 to 24 were notified to the Department for Education. That is an estimated 130 per 100,000, around three to four times the rate for others the same age. Ashley and Clare were commissioned to undertake this review by the Children’s Minister after he identified repeated patterns in the reports of these early deaths.

    Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, more public bodies will become corporate parents, meaning the NHS, jobcentres, prisons, and probation must weigh what care leavers need when they design services. New duties from 30 September require councils to publish how they will support care leavers into independent living, and from that date a care leaver can no longer be found intentionally homeless.

  • PRESS RELEASE : PM meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : PM meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [August 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 August 2026.

    The Prime Minister met the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Kyiv today following a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing.

    The Prime Minister started by thanking President Zelenskyy for the warm welcome he had been given by the Ukrainian people on his first visit.

    It had been an honest and productive conversation during the Coalition of the Willing, the leaders agreed, and it was clear the international community needed to step up and ensure Ukraine got the support it needed to defend itself from Russia’s barbaric attacks going into the winter.

    The Prime Minister emphasised the strength of unity among coalition members and reiterated that there would be no change in the UK’s steadfast support.

    That was further symbolised by the announcement that the UK had agreed that defence firm MBDA could release classified information on UK components for the long-range missile, SCALP, the Prime Minister said.

    Turning to the economic situation, the leaders discussed the need to work with the insurance industry to support the resilience of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and businesses.

    The leaders also welcomed the new AI partnership between the UK and Ukraine, which would bring opportunity and potential to revolutionise aspects of public life in both countries.

    The leaders agreed to stay in close touch.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Historic council housebuilding comeback to help families into secure homes [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Historic council housebuilding comeback to help families into secure homes [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing on 24 August 2026.

    The government announces its first wave of funding from its £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

    • Families stuck without a secure home to benefit from the first wave of funding from the government’s £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme 
    • Councils backed to build more homes as ministers drive the biggest council housebuilding revival in decades  
    • More decisions over housing investment to move closer to local communities 

    Families trapped in temporary accommodation or stuck on housing waiting lists will be helped into safe, secure homes as the government kickstarts its record £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme. 

    Today (25 August) the Prime Minister and Secretary of State, Angela Rayner, are announcing nearly £10 billion of allocations to build thousands more quality council, social and affordable homes. 

    The first wave of funding announced today will support the delivery of more than 70,000 homes across England. It will go to 33 Strategic Partners – councils, housing associations and other providers that have secured long-term funding certainty to deliver homes at scale. Today’s announcement also marks a major step in the ambition to getting councils building at scale again.  

    Alongside housing associations, councils will be awarded Strategic Partner status with Homes England, helping put them firmly back at the heart of housebuilding. Around 60% of homes delivered through these partnerships are expected to be for Social Rent, the most affordable form of rented housing, helping more families access a secure home. 

    With almost 180,000 children growing up without a permanent home, the government is putting councils at the heart of housebuilding.  

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:  

    No child should be raised in a hostel room and no family should wait ten years for a front door of their own. I have said from my first day in this job that everything starts with a good home.

    Nearly £10 billion will go to councils and housing associations to build genuinely affordable homes, most of them for social rent, in the places where families are waiting longest.

    Councils built this country out of a housing crisis once before. Backed properly, and trusted to get on with it, they will do it again.

    Secretary of State Angela Rayner said: 

    Families can’t be left raising children without a place to call home, and none of us should spend years waiting for somewhere safe and affordable to live. 

    I know how important fixing this is – because I’ve been there. A safe and secure home was the foundation for a better life – I couldn’t have got to where I have today without it. 

    That’s why the Prime Minister and I are doing everything we can to get councils building once again – it’s fundamental to turning the housing crisis around, helping families out of temporary accommodation and into a secure home.

    Over £2 billion of today’s funding is expected to be spent in Mayoral areas outside of London. As part of the government’s wider devolution agenda, Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities are setting the strategic direction for the programme in their areas, helping ensure investment reflects local priorities.  

    Over time, more funding is expected to flow directly to mayoral authorities as the programme develops, building on the Government’s commitment to move power and decision-making out of Whitehall. 

    Today’s allocation is only the first stage of the ten-year programme. More than £16 billion remains to be allocated outside London and in allocating this funding, we intend to prioritise Social Rent homes and council housebuilding, helping deliver the largest expansion of council housing in decades. 

    Amy Rees, Chief Executive Officer at Homes England said: 

    Today’s announcement marks an important step in delivering the government’s £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. Through these strategic partnerships and continuous market engagement, alongside Homes England’s wider investment including through the National Housing Bank, we can help unlock thousands of much-needed homes across England. By working with councils, mayors, housing associations and local partners, we can support the return of council housebuilding at scale, increase the supply of social rent homes and create thriving places that people are proud to call home.

    Today’s package goes further by helping councils access more of the funding available to the programme and make full use of Right to Buy receipts – with £1.61 billion raised from sales alone in the last financial year – and other available funding streams.  

    To support this ambition, the government is investing a further £46 million over the next three years to strengthen councils’ skills, expertise and capacity to bring forward ambitious housebuilding plans. 

    London will receive a major boost for housebuilding, reflecting the acute need for affordable housing in the capital. 

    The Greater London Authority intends to offer at least £6 billion through the programme, with councils expected to deliver more than half of the homes funded in London. The capital is already demonstrating what can be achieved when local leaders have greater control over housing investment and delivery.

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

    Tackling the housing crisis is one of my top priorities and I’m doing everything I can to deliver more affordable homes that Londoners desperately need. We’ve built record numbers of council homes in London, but the number of families and children without a permanent home stuck on housing waiting lists is still unacceptable. I want to work with this new Government to deliver a step change in how many council homes we can deliver across the capital. 

    Thousands of Londoners will benefit from this new wave of new social and affordable homes, which will help people out of temporary accommodation and provide good, affordable homes to live in for the long-term, as we build a fairer, better London for everyone.

    Housing associations and other providers will continue to play a vital role in delivering the social and affordable homes the country needs.  

    Alongside councils, they will be central to delivering the Government’s ambition to increase housebuilding and expand access to genuinely affordable homes. 

    Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, said: 

    It is hugely welcome to see this much-anticipated funding confirmed, something we have been calling for to kickstart construction on tens of thousands of desperately needed new social homes. 

    This is a major vote of confidence in not-for-profit housing associations and in the vital and distinct role they play in this country, as organisations that work for the long-term benefit of their communities. 

    Housing associations have risen to the challenge of delivering the governments ambitions. Working in partnership with government, councils and mayors, they have used the support and certainty provided by government to rebuild their development capacity, invest in skills, and be the strong and reliable partners needed to build a new generation of social and affordable homes, alongside increasing investment in their existing homes. This is no better demonstrated than in the scale and ambition of the bids submitted to this Social and Affordable Homes Programme. 

    We will continue work with national and local government to maximise housing associations’ potential to deliver new social rented homes during this parliament and over the next decade, meeting the housing needs of local people in every part of the country.

    The package builds on the government’s commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes this Parliament, including the biggest boost to council, social and affordable housing in a generation. 

    Gavin Smart, Chief Executive at the Chartered Institute of Housing, said:

    It’s very welcome to see funding from last year’s Spending Review now being allocated and getting into the hands of Strategic Partners across the country, turning the government’s long-term commitment into homes that can make a real difference for families. We welcome the strong focus on homes for social rent and the ambition for council housebuilding, and the recognition of the vital role that councils, housing associations and other providers will play in delivering the next generation of genuinely affordable homes. If delivered at pace, this investment has the potential to reduce homelessness, ease pressure on temporary accommodation and help more people access a safe, secure and affordable home.

    Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Inclusive Growth Committee, said:  

    Councils have long called for a sustained return to building genuinely affordable homes and stand ready to work with government to deliver the revival in social housebuilding.  

    The confirmed allocation of the first phase of the £39 billion fund and the increased Capacity to Build funding are positive steps to achieving this ambition.  

    Given the key role for councils in delivering these homes, it is crucial they remain at the heart of delivery. Mayors should work closely with local authorities in their areas to achieve the most from this money, with councils also having sustained access to preferential borrowing rates to support viability. 

    Notes to editors:  

    • The Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) is a £39 billion investment programme over ten years. The programme has a target for at least 60% of homes delivered through it to be for Social Rent.
    • £9.58 billion is being allocated to 33 Strategic Partners outside of London, including housing associations and other providers, to support the delivery of 73,600 new social and affordable homes across England over the next ten years. Nearly two-thirds of homes delivered through these partnerships are expected to be for Social Rent. This is the first major wave of funding allocations under the programme. Further funding will be allocated over the lifetime of the programme. 
    • Outside London, the Social and Affordable Homes Programme is administered by Homes England. 
    • Section 106 (S106) agreements are, and will remain, an essential mechanism for delivering social and affordable housing in addition to grant-funded delivery, through the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 
    • In 2025/26, councils received £1.61 billion in Right to Buy sales, all of which can now be retained and reinvested in new social and affordable homes. 
    • The £46m ‘Capacity to Build’ funding forms a package of support to strengthen councils’ skills, capacity and capability to deliver and acquire new council homes. Building on the success of 2025-26, the £46m will fund the continuation of:  

    o   The Council Housebuilding Support Fund – delivered with Homes England, providing revenue funding for early-stage development activity to help councils bring forward ambitious bids to the SAHP;  

    o   The Council Housebuilding Support Service – delivered by the Local Government Association, providing bespoke no-cost support, advice and expertise to help councils deliver more homes;  

    • An expansion to the Pathways to Planning graduate scheme – delivered by the Local Government Association, helping councils recruit and retain graduates in specialist housebuilding roles, including surveying and construction project management.  
    • The Government has set out its long-term direction for the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, with more funding expected to flow directly to Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities (EMSAs) outside London as the programme progresses.  
    • In allocating remaining funding, the government intends to prioritise Social Rent and council homes, alongside a continued focus on local decision-making and delivery.  
    • Social Rent is the most affordable form of social housing. It is usually provided by councils or housing associations, with rents typically set well below private market rents. This makes it one of the most affordable housing options for people on low incomes. 

    Regional funding breakdown  

    • For the following Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities outside of London, the estimated Strategic Partnership spend in each area is as follows:  

    o    Greater Manchester: £529m estimated spend to support c. 4,400 homes   

    o    West Midlands: £409m estimated spend to support c. 3,200 homes   

    o    North East: £445m estimated spend to support c. 3,400 homes   

    o    West Yorkshire: £441m estimated spend to support c. 4,000 homes   

    o    Liverpool City Region: £380m estimated spend to support c. 3,100 homes   

    o    South Yorkshire: £249m estimated spend to support c. 2,200 homes  

    • Following the designation of four new Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities (EMSAs), they will now also be able to set the strategic direction of the Programme in their areas. Those EMSAs are: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; East Midlands; West of England; York and North Yorkshire  
    • Today’s announcement comes as the final National Planning Policy Framework is published last week that encourages a more diverse mix of housing, including more affordable homes for rural communities, and stricter rules to maximise social and affordable housing delivery on low-quality grey belt land.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Joint Declaration of Intent between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ukraine on a UK-Ukraine Artificial Intelligence Partnership [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Joint Declaration of Intent between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ukraine on a UK-Ukraine Artificial Intelligence Partnership [August 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 August 2026.

    Joint Declaration of intent between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ukraine on a UK-Ukraine Artificial Intelligence Partnership.

    We, the President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, meeting at a decisive moment for European security, and united in our resolve to shape the transformation of modern warfare,

    ACKNOWLEDGING the profound impact of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and network-enabled capability, and the strategic imperative for our two nations to lead in the safe, responsible, and operationally decisive application of Defence AI,

    RESOLVED that the technological edge of democracies must be preserved as a foundation of deterrence;

    RECOGNISING that Ukraine’s defence, resilience, and unparalleled operational experience represent a crucial contribution not only to its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also to the stability and security of the eastern flank of Europe, NATO, and the Euro-Atlantic community,

    RECALLING the existing framework of bilateral commitments between our two nations, in particular the 100-Year Partnership Agreement and the Agreement on Security Co-operation,

    DETERMINED that the United Kingdom and Ukraine should advance together — combining Ukraine’s unrivalled battlefield experience with the United Kingdom’s technological, industrial and research strength to build the AI-era armed forces our two nations, and our allies, will depend on,

    AFFIRMING our shared and existing determination to deepen our defence partnership and jointly contribute to the development of future European defence capabilities,

    Declare the following intent:

    I. Strategic Vision. We will act as close partners in developing next-generation, AI-enabled armed forces – leveraging our engineering, industry, academic capacity and defence organisations’ expertise to accelerate the development and deployment of AI-enabled military capabilities that strengthen Ukraine’s battlefield advantage and support the development of next-generation AI-driven Armed Forces powered by rapid innovation, autonomous systems, and network advantage.

    II. Cooperation Model. Our cooperation will proceed through three interlocking pillars: (1) Government-to-Government collaboration on co-developed models, secure data and compute pathways, and joint assurance; (2) Industry, coordinated through government-to-government arrangements to develop, test and deploy AI-enabled capabilities linked to agreed operational problem sets; and (3) Academia and Research, on autonomy, AI assurance, cyber security and synthetic data. Together, we will establish a model for developing and fielding AI-enabled military capabilities that others can follow.

    III. Principles. Cooperation will respect the sovereignty of each Party’s assets and data; be underpinned by trusted safeguards on data, IP and export controls in line with the national legislation; combine agility with proportionate governance; and deliver mutual strategic benefit and NATO interoperability. By mutual agreement, we will extend the outputs of this Partnership to trusted allies and partners.

    IV. Leadership and Oversight. We will steward this Partnership at the highest political level, with senior Defence leads empowered to drive delivery in line with the mutually agreed objectives.

    V. Framework for Implementation. We resolve to proceed on a pilot-first basis, giving priority to practical cooperation already underway. Further arrangements will be brought forward within the next few months, ensuring that this Partnership takes a tangible form from the outset and moves at the pace that our shared security requires.

    This Declaration reflects our shared political intent and does not create legally binding obligations.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New partnership set to see the UK and Ukraine develop battle winning technology as Britain secures access to Ukraine’s Avengers AI Labs [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : New partnership set to see the UK and Ukraine develop battle winning technology as Britain secures access to Ukraine’s Avengers AI Labs [August 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 August 2026.

    A landmark AI deal between the UK and Ukraine has been signed today as the two countries join forces to develop new military capabilities and the technology of the future.

    • UK set to become the first international partner to access Ukraine’s Avengers AI Labs, allowing the two countries to accelerate the development of AI tools to shape the battlefield
    • Signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Kyiv, the AI Partnership will see the UK back Ukraine with world-leading universities, researchers, technology companies and third largest AI eco-system in the world
    • Forms key part of the UK and Ukraine’s 100 Year Partnership and comes after Prime Minister Andy Burnham announces that defence firm MBDA can release classified information on UK components for the long-range missile, SCALP

    A landmark AI deal between the UK and Ukraine has been signed today as the two countries join forces to develop new military capabilities and the technology of the future. 

    Bringing together Britain’s world-leading AI ecosystem with Ukraine’s operational experience, engineering talent and technological innovation, the new deal signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Ukraine today will enable access to Ukraine’s coveted Avengers AI Labs database.

    The platform provides real world data and insights to train AI models, collected by thousands of daylight cameras and infrared sensors across the battlefield in Ukraine.

    Those sensors and cameras capture millions of objects, such as tanks, artillery, air defence systems, infantry, and aerial targets, including Shahed drones and reconnaissance UAVs, feeding back data to the Avengers Lab to train new AI models.

    With potential to revolutionise all parts of public life, from air traffic control to train systems, the deal will first focus on defence and national security – bringing together engineers, academics, businesses and military operational expertise from both countries to act as an AI cell to solve key national security challenges for both countries.

    The partnership will also see the UK and Ukraine explore further platforms to collaborate on. 

    A goldmine of battlefield data, Avengers AI Labs will give British innovators and researchers unparalleled access to real-world operational insights and the opportunity to ‘plug and play’.

    In return, the UK will back Ukraine with world-leading universities, researchers, technology companies and third largest AI eco-system in the world, allowing Ukraine to draw on British expertise to accelerate the development of solutions to urgent challenges, whilst transforming hard-earned operational experience and unique datasets into technologies with long-term benefits for both countries.

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

    Ukraine has become one of the world’s leading innovators in defence technology, forged through courage, ingenuity and the hard lessons of war.

    This groundbreaking partnership will bring together Ukraine’s unrivalled operational experience with Britain’s world-class AI ecosystem, giving us the opportunity to develop the technologies of the future, changing lives here in Britain and saving lives on the battlefield in Ukraine.

    By combining Ukrainian battlefield data with British expertise, we will accelerate the development of capabilities that not only strengthen our national security but better protect our critical infrastructure and growth in every postcode here at home.

    As part of the agreement, several pilot projects have been rolled out with three British startups including Bristol’s Sintela, Oxford’s Mind Foundry and London’s Skyral.

    The first of the trial technology is about to be rolled out at a UK defence site to protect bases from protestors and hostile actors trying to gain intelligence.

    The project, which uses Ukrainian data and UK technology, turns buried fibre-optic cables into a giant AI-enabled sensor. As well as military bases, the technology could be rolled out to protect airports, prisons and even railways and energy plants in the future.

    The second project will see the UK and Ukraine explore the development of next-generation low-power AI chips designed to power future drones, robotics and autonomous systems.

    If successful, the technology could underpin a new generation of intelligent machines capable of operating for longer, responding faster and functioning in environments where conventional systems struggle.

    Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    Ukraine is pushing the frontier of defence innovation as they bravely resist Putin’s illegal invasion. From supporting with military equipment and training to co-developing cutting-edge technology, the UK will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

    By combining the UK’s world-leading scientists, engineers and tech companies with Ukraine’s unique battlefield experience and data, we will strengthen both of our nations’ defence and security.

    The deal, which forms a key part of the UK and Ukraine’s 100 Year Partnership, underlines the close relationship between both countries to drive global security and stability and ensure Ukraine has the capability and means to defend itself from Russia’s barbaric invasion.

    It also comes after the Prime Minister announced that the UK has agreed that defence firm MBDA can release classified information on UK components for the long-range missile, SCALP, to establish local assembly lines in Ukraine.

    Minister for AI, Kanishka Narayan said:

    Britain and Ukraine are the closest of partners. Ukraine’s extraordinary courage on the battlefield has been matched by remarkable technological ingenuity.
    “By giving British start-ups, researchers and engineers access to insights from its Avengers AI platform, we are taking that partnership further and helping Britain develop the next generation of defence technology.

    This is AI sovereignty in practice: building our own capabilities and turning frontline experience into systems that protect our armed forces overseas and our critical infrastructure at home.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Co-chair’s statement of the Coalition of the Willing [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Co-chair’s statement of the Coalition of the Willing [August 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 August 2026.

    The leaders of the Coalition of the Willing convened today in Kyiv and by video conference to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the restoration of the Independence of Ukraine.

    The leaders of the Coalition of the Willing convened today in Kyiv and by video conference to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the restoration of the Independence of Ukraine. They were united in their continued support of Ukraine’s fight to defend its sovereignty, freedom and territorial integrity. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz chaired the meeting alongside President Zelenskyy.

    The leaders condemned Russia’s systematic and escalating strikes against Ukraine’s cities, critical infrastructure and civilians, causing the highest number of civilian casualties since the beginning of the full scale invasion in 2022, and damaging a children’s hospital in Kyiv the previous week. They also condemned Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s cultural heritage sites, which form an integral part of Ukraine’s national identity, including the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. 

    Leaders reiterated Ukraine’s clear and inherent right to defend itself against the Russian war of aggression, in full compliance with international law and Article 51 of the UN Charter, and confirmed that they would not be deterred from their support for Ukraine by irresponsible Russian threats. They expressed their determination to increase military support to Ukraine, strengthen its air defence as a matter of urgent priority, enhance cooperation with its defence industry, and share relevant technologies, including through the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition. They also committed to ratchet up sanctions on Russia’s military industrial complex and those supporting it.

    Leaders also agreed on the urgency of providing immediate assistance for Ukraine’s energy sector ahead of the upcoming winter, including through the Ukraine Energy Support Fund and provision of specialist equipment. They emphasised the need to continue to support Ukraine’s economic resilience in the face of Russia’s intensified attempts to renew their maritime blockade on Ukraine’s ports.

    The leaders agreed to continue efforts to constrain Russia’s war chest through the use of sanctions, wider economic measures, and clamping down on sanctions circumvention and Russia’s Shadow Fleet. This joint action to date has deprived Russia’s war chest of at least $495 billion since February 2022. The leaders welcomed the US Senate’s efforts to apply further economic pressure on Russia, and committed to working closely with the US over the coming months on coordinated action to drain Russia’s means to continue its illegal war.

    The leaders commended President Zelenskyy’s continued readiness to enter into meaningful peace talks, in order to bring about a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, and reiterated their call for Russia to agree to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire starting from the line of contact.

    The Coalition would continue to prepare the Multinational-Force Ukraine to deploy once a credible cessation of hostilities was in place, as part of a wider set of robust politically and legally binding security guarantees to ensure Ukraine’s future security and prosperity once a ceasefire enters into force.

    Concluding, the leaders once again reaffirmed their commitment to support Ukraine’s independence, as part of Europe’s wider peace and security. They offered President Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine their steadfast solidarity today on the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Independence, and every day, for as long as it takes.