Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : UK bolsters support for Ukraine and low-income countries [April 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 13 April 2023.

Chancellor confirms UK stands ready to provide additional $500 million in UK guaranteed loans for Ukraine, plus $670 million in new loan funding for developing nations.
- New money brings total UK funding for IMF’s trusts to $5.3 billion to help reduce poverty and boost energy security, plus $1 billion for Ukraine this year
- Funding confirmed as Chancellor reaffirms his plan to get the U.K. economy growing to global finance ministers meeting in Washington D.C. this week
Today, Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, has confirmed the UK stands ready to provide an additional $500m in UK guaranteed loans for Ukraine, taking this year’s total to $1 billion and the total amount pledged by the UK in support of Ukraine to £6.5 billion. This comes as he attends the International Monetary Fund’s Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., alongside fellow supporters of Ukraine, and today took part in a roundtable on support for the country.

This new money will help to meet Ukraine’s economic needs including covering the costs of vital government services, such as running hospitals and schools as well as supporting the most vulnerable Ukrainians.

The Chancellor has also committed a further $670 million to reduce poverty and drive growth, going above and beyond previous commitments to boost financial support for developing nations through the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust. With this pledge the UK has fulfilled the commitment made during its G7 Presidency to deliver multi-billion-dollar funding to fight poverty and boost growth.

This funding brings the total given by the UK to the Trust to $2 billion and comes alongside the UK’s delivery of a $3.3 billion pledge to the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust, which provides affordable long-term financing to low-income countries and vulnerable middle-income countries to address challenges such as climate change, energy security and pandemic preparedness.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:

The $1 billion of budget support we have committed to Ukraine this year will ensure that the country has the financing to keep the lights on, hospitals running and schools open. This, alongside UK military support, will help defeat Putin.

But our efforts for a fairer world don’t end there. We are also making good on our G7 Presidency commitments and delivering a multi-billion-pound package of support to reduce poverty and bolster energy security across developing countries.

The UK’s financial commitment to Ukraine has helped unlock the IMF’s provision of a $15.6 billion 4-year programme for the country.

In total, the UK has pledged £6.5 billion in support of Ukraine, including $1 billion in loans guaranteed by the UK to support Ukraine’s economy in 2023 – meaning that it can continue to pay pensions and public sector pay – and £2.3 billion in military support for 2023. This June the UK will also host the Ukraine Recovery Conference, focussing on mobilising further private sector investment.

At the IMF Spring Meetings, the Chancellor will also highlight the impact of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine on the global economy and push for action in addressing developing country needs on debt. The economic impacts from Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine are being felt across the globe, with developing nations particularly affected by increases in food prices. The latest $670 million commitment to the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust adds to the UK’s previous agreement to the fund of $1.3 billion, with the total now standing at $2 billion.

The Chancellor signed this commitment on Wednesday alongside IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. In this meeting, he also finalised a $3.3 billion pledge on behalf of the UK to the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust. Funding for this Trust will play a vital role in providing financing to bolster energy and combat climate change, including for Ukraine and other countries worst affected by the war.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Russia continues to bombard Ukraine’s people and destroy Ukrainian infrastructure. The UK is resolute in its commitment to support Ukraine until peace is agreed on Ukrainian terms.

This funding will boost Ukraine’s economic resilience and bolster its resistance against Russia. Working with the IMF and international partners, I am proud of the UK’s contribution to unlocking vital finance for Ukraine.

Ensuring Ukraine’s fiscal, humanitarian and recovery needs is a core part of our long-term commitment to Ukraine. That’s why the UK is proud to be co-hosting – jointly with Ukraine – the Ukraine Recovery Conference.

A challenging World Economic Outlook published by the IMF earlier this week predicted a ‘rocky road’ for global economies, including the U.K., however Britain is still forecast to see faster growth than Germany, France and Italy in each of years from 2025 to 2028. The UK avoided recession in 2022 and is now expected to avoid recession this year. According to the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, the UK is on track to more than halve inflation this year and reduce debt by the end of the forecast period.

The Chancellor is currently attending his first IMF meeting in Washington D.C., discussing how his Autumn Statement and Spring Budget have set the UK on a stable path to growth. He will attend IMF Committee meetings, G7 and G20 finance minister meetings and a series of bilateral engagements.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:

Our support for other countries comes at a time when I am deeply focussed on getting the UK’s economy growing, and our plan for that is working as we’re on track to halve inflation this year.

A strong UK economy, creating jobs and raising living standards for all will benefit citizens at home as well as having knock on positive impact around the world.
April 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New holiday let rules to protect local people and support tourism [April 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 12 April 2023.

New proposals will introduce a requirement for planning permissions for short term lets in tourist hot spots.

New rules to give communities greater control over short-term lets in tourist hot spots, while also strengthening the tourism sector, have been unveiled by the Government today.

A consultation published today by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will propose introducing planning permission for an existing home to start to be used as a short term let – helping support local people in areas where high numbers of holiday lets are preventing them from finding affordable housing.

It will also consider whether to give owners flexibility to let out their home for up to a specified number of nights in a calendar year without the need for planning permission.

Short-term lets are now a significant part of the UK’s visitor economy.

They provide increased choice and flexibility for tourists and business travellers, and also those attending major sporting and cultural events.

The Government wants to ensure the country reaps the benefits of diverse and sustainable accommodation and support the visitor economy, while also protecting local communities and ensuring the availability of affordable housing to rent or buy.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up Housing and Communities, Michael Gove said:

Tourism brings many benefits to our economy but in too many communities we have seen local people pushed out of cherished towns, cities and villages by huge numbers of short-term lets.

I’m determined that we ensure that more people have access to local homes at affordable prices, and that we prioritise families desperate to rent or buy a home of their own close to where they work.

I have listened to representations from MPs in tourist hot spots and am pleased to launch this consultation to introduce a requirement for planning permissions for short term lets.

The new proposals come as the Department for Culture Media and Sport also launches a separate consultation on a new registration scheme for short-term lets.

The scheme aims to build a picture of how many short-term lets there are and where they are located, to help understand the impact of short-term lets on communities.

The DCMS consultation follows a call for evidence held earlier in the year, the results of which are published today and indicate broad support for a registration scheme across the sector.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

This new world of ultra-flexible short term lets gives tourists more choice than ever before, but it should not come at the expense of local people being able to own their own home and stay local.

The Government wants to help areas get the balance right, and today we have an incomplete picture of the size and spread of our short term lets market. This consultation on a national registration scheme will give us the data we need to assess the position and enable us to address the concerns communities face.

The government has listened to calls from local people in tourist hotspots that they are priced out of homes to rent or to buy and need housing that is more affordable so they can continue to work and live in the place they call home. The proposed planning changes would support sustainable communities, supporting local people and businesses and local services.

The proposed planning changes would see a planning use class created for short term lets not used as a sole or main home, alongside new permitted development rights, which will mean planning permission is not needed in areas where local authorities choose not to use these planning controls.

Both of these measures are focussed on short term lets, and therefore the planning changes and the register will not impact on hotels, hostels or B&Bs.

The register of short term lets is being introduced through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, which is currently going through Parliament.

Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the planning changes would be introduced through secondary legislation later in the year and would apply in England only.

April 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : We want to see a world in which girls have access to education that enables them to protect their health, well-being and dignity – UK at the UN [April 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 April 2023.

Statement by UK ECOSOC Ambassador Tom Woodroffe at the UN General Assembly plenary session on the UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD).

Thank you very much, Chair, Excellencies, colleagues – good afternoon.

Please note that the UK aligns with the statement delivered by Argentina on behalf of a group of cross-regional Member States.

Let me start by thanking you, Chair, your team, and the other Members of Bureau for your efforts to date. This Commission offers an invaluable opportunity to reaffirm our collective commitment to the ICPD Programme of Action, to recognise the important role that UNFPA plays in its implementation, and most importantly to increase our ambition to deliver on the Nairobi Summit commitments. All of that is crucial if we are to achieve the SDGs.

The UK welcomes the Commission’s focus this year on ‘Population, Education and Sustainable Development’. It comes at a key moment, as we build on the outcomes of the Secretary-General’s Transforming Education Summit and as we look ahead to the SDG Summit later this year.

Education, as others have said this morning, is a human right, a gateway to other rights, key to sustainable development, and one of the most effective and lasting investments that governments can make. But too many girls today continue to be denied this right.

We know that girls, in particular, face interlinked barriers to accessing and remaining in education – including adolescent pregnancy and parenthood. Indeed, in 2022, an estimated 50% of adolescent pregnancies in low- and middle-income countries were unintended, caused by a number of factors including early and forced child marriage, sexual abuse, and lack of access to contraceptives. That is a shocking statistic that should concern us all.

The UK is committed to working to address this – education, health and reproductive rights are at the heart of our new International Women and Girls Strategy. We want to see a world in which all adolescents and young people, in particular girls, have access to education that enables them to stay in school and protect their health, well-being, and their dignity.

But, in our view, the transformative impact of education can only be fully realised when adolescents and young people are empowered with the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and values to make appropriate and healthy choices in their sexual lives, including contraception, childbirth and responsible sexual behaviour. The evidence is clear: comprehensive sexuality education helps reduce unintended pregnancies, enhances gender-equitable norms, and decreases incidences of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Quite simply, it saves lives.

This fact should not be for debate.

Colleagues, we are one year away from the 30th Anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development, a key moment for the international community to assess progress made since Cairo. And whilst the general global trend has been positive, we have, in recent years, seen backsliding on many of the gains we have made collectively over the last three decades – limiting women and girls’ lifesaving access to contraception, to quality education, to safe abortion, and to maternal health services.

As we look ahead to ICPD at 30, the UK will continue to listen to and amplify the voices of women, adolescents, and girls and those most marginalised and to empower them as decision-makers, advocates, and leaders to make informed choices – their choices – over their lives and bodies, free of coercion, discrimination and violence.

Thank you very much.

April 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK urges Malian authorities to take steps towards Peace Agreement implementation – UK Statement at the Security Council [April 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 April 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council briefing on Mali.

Thank you, President. Thank you, SRSG Wane, for your briefing. Let me underscore our appreciation for the hard work and the courage of MINUSMA’s peacekeepers.

Last time the Council met on Mali, we had just received the Secretary-General’s review. This established four parameters against which progress was needed for MINUSMA to remain effective and relevant. There are clear indications in the latest report that progress has not been made. In fact, the trajectory seems to be worsening in several respects.

First, ground and air movement restrictions continue to hinder peacekeepers, with almost a quarter of flight requests rejected by the authorities during the reporting period. This impedes the protection of civilians and places peacekeepers at risk.

Second, there was the expulsion of MINUSMA’s human rights director, following the dangerous criticism directed at the civil society representative who briefed this Council in January. This reflects a worrying disregard for the mission’s mandate. We count on the mission’s continued commitment to investigate and report on human rights. In this regard, we urge the release without further delay of the UN report on the alleged massacre of civilians in Moura by Malian armed forces and Wagner Group personnel in March 2022.

Third, tensions persist between Peace Agreement signatories. The UK, along with wider International Mediation, stand ready to support. We urge the parties to engage with the International Mediation proposals presented last week aimed at relaunching the peace process. While all parties need to show willingness to engage on concrete implementation measures, it is the Malian authorities that ultimately have primary responsibility to implement the Agreement. We urge them to make the first step.

Fourth, the timely transition to constitutional rule by March 2024 remains imperative. Electoral and constitutional reforms should not be allowed to impede this.

President, in June this Council will be faced with some difficult decisions. With few visible signs from the Malian authorities of a commitment to meeting the Secretary-General’s parameters, it cannot be business as usual for MINUSMA’s mandate renewal in June. We should be ready to adapt and refocus the mission, reviewing any support that carries risks to the UN’s credibility and reputation.

Thank you.

April 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Crown Jewels light and sound show to tour UK and bring magic of Coronation to millions [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 12 April 2023.

Crown Jewels to be projected onto Tower of London before touring iconic landmarks across the four nations
- The move is part of events to mark Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort’s Coronation celebrations which will see more than 100,000 people attend live screenings of the event next month at 57 UK sites
- It is also revealed today that 50,000 Coronation Big Lunches to mark the event are expected
A new immersive light and sound show displaying the Crown Jewels on iconic UK landmarks will tour the country as part of plans to tell the story of coronations to thousands of people.

‘Crown and Coronation’, produced by Historic Royal Palaces and Luxmuralis, will explore the history of coronations in an immersive visual and musical show which it is planning to project on some of the country’s most famous landmarks and locations.

The programme will launch by being projected onto the Tower of London in Autumn before touring the length and breadth of the country.

In addition, the Government has today confirmed additional screening sites for the Their Majesties’ Coronation, bringing the total to 57 in locations including Ely Cathedral, Trinity Market in Hull and Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, meaning that more than 100,000 people will be able to watch the Coronation live in their hometowns.

To mark the Coronation weekend, communities are being encouraged to come together for street parties on the Sunday and across the UK more than 32,000 Coronation Big Lunch packs have been ordered with around 50,000 neighbourhood events, attended by millions of people, being planned. Eighty per cent of those signing up are first-time organisers. Plans include a youth centre Big Lunch in Shetland to community focused celebrations across the water in Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. A community carnival is being planned in Morecambe and a Big Lunch paddle board will take place in Bude, Cornwall.

There will also be hundreds of thousands of opportunities to take part in The Big Help Out on the additional Bank Holiday granted to celebrate the Coronation on Monday 8th May. The project aims to ensure the Coronation leaves a lasting legacy in communities by inspiring and recruiting a new generation of volunteers. Opportunities include the chance to volunteer in your local community, with everyone from the Scouts, Royal Voluntary Service and Guide Dogs to the smallest local volunteering groups already signed up.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

The Coronation marks the beginning of a new chapter in our magnificent national story. It promises to be full of memorable experiences for the whole country, with millions of us bearing witness to a moment of history for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

Every part of the United Kingdom should have a chance to see and feel the joy of the Coronation, and this giant light projection will give communities the chance to see precious centuries-old Royal treasures up close over the next year.

With less than a month to go until Coronation weekend, there are countless opportunities for people to be part of it – whether it’s watching the service on a big screen in your community, hosting your own Big Lunch for family, friends and neighbours or volunteering in The Big Help Out to give something back.

The Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort will take place on Saturday 6 May at Westminster Abbey followed by a spectacular Coronation Concert held at Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May. On Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday, the public are encouraged to come together to take part in celebratory Coronation Big Lunches and in a national day of volunteering as part of the Big Help Out. Events taking place across the country are detailed on the Government’s Coronation map which is available on coronation.gov.uk.

The programme of events will reflect the modern, diverse, multi-faith United Kingdom and promote the themes of youth, community, diversity, and sustainability.

Lindsey Brummitt, Programme Director at the Eden Project, home of The Big Lunch, said:

It’s fantastic to see such an appetite for connection and community across the UK and it is growing every day!

What makes the Coronation Big Lunch on 6-8 May weekend ‘Big’ is everyone, everywhere doing the same thing on the same weekend – sharing friendship, food and fun with their neighbours and communities.

You can have a sarnie with a neighbour, connect over a cuppa, host a back garden BBQ or put tables down the street – how you decide to join in is up to you.

It is a fantastic way to celebrate where you live, be part of history and even fundraise for a charity or cause you care about. Bust out the bunting, knock on a neighbours door and get to know one another a little better over a tasty snack – it’s such an easy way to be part of everything!

Matt Hyde, CEO of the Scouts, said:

It’s just about a month to go until The Big Help Out – The event will provide so many opportunities for new volunteers to find their passion and to support causes that make a difference in their local communities. Research tells us that volunteering is good for you in so many ways so if you have not signed up yet check out the app and get involved and change your life and others lives forever.

Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service, said:

With one month to go before The Big Help Out, there is plenty of time for people to explore the abundance of exciting volunteering opportunities in their area.

Royal Voluntary Service has a real mix of activities available in the app, from helping to run craft and activity sessions or providing a friendly service in one of our retail outlets, to helping decorate a hall to host a Coronation lunch for 100 people! And that’s just us.

There are thousands of unique options available from other charities and organisations, big and small, so there is something to inspire everyone to join in and lend a hand.
April 14, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Joint Expeditionary Force Chiefs of Defence meet in Helsinki [April 2023]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 12 April 2023.

The Chiefs discussed Baltic Sea and the High North security, the future development of the joint force and the groups’ commitment to wider regional stability.

The ten Chiefs of Defence from the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) nations met in Helsinki today (12 April), hosted by Finland’s Chiefs of Defence, General Timo Kivinen. UK Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin attended the meeting.

The Chiefs of Defence discussed Baltic Sea and the High North security, the future development of the joint force and the groups’ commitment to wider regional stability.

The JEF is a group of like-minded, northern European nations: the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

The Chiefs agreed to continue the enhanced programme of JEF exercises and activities in the High North, Baltic Sea and North Atlantic region. Recently, forces from JEF nations have taken part in operations and exercises together, including in the Baltic Sea and Exercise Joint Viking in the arctic circle in Norway.

UK Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said:

The past year has demonstrated that the security of Europe can never be taken for granted, but it was also the year when the Joint Expeditionary Force came of age. While President Putin has sought to divide, this ten nation partnership is another example of just how strong and united we have become.

It was therefore excellent to meet with my counterparts in Helsinki for the first time since Finland joined NATO. We discussed how the JEF can continue to complement NATO through its focus on the security of the North Atlantic, High North and Baltic Sea, and we considered how we may better coordinate future exercises and operations”.

Finland Chief of Defence General Timo Kivinen said:

JEF’s agile way of planning and operating enhances security in Northern Europe. JEF’s combined capacity and capability is a clear sign of how we stand together, providing reassurance to our populations and deterrence to any would-be adversaries.

In the last year, the JEF has also deployed forces and provided defensive assurances to Finland and Sweden during their accession to NATO. The Chiefs welcomed the news of Finland’s accession to the Alliance last week and committed steadfast support to Sweden becoming full members of NATO. The JEF continues to play an active role in promoting regional security, complementary to NATO’s defence and deterrence posture and international partnerships.

Recent developments in Ukraine and the continued support to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity was also discussed. JEF member nations have made significant commitments and provisions of aid to Ukraine in the last year. Seven JEF partner nations are supporting the training of Ukrainian volunteers in the UK – Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and the UK.

JEF Defence Ministers are expected to meet in Amsterdam, Netherlands in June 2023, where work is expected to be progressed further.

April 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Rishi Sunak meeting with US President Joe Biden [April 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 12 April 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak welcomed US President Joe Biden to the United Kingdom for a meeting in Belfast today.

The leaders reflected on the legacy of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, which was signed 25 years ago this week. They agreed that this anniversary is a moment to celebrate the progress that Northern Ireland has made over the last quarter of a century and to recommit to building an even brighter future for Northern Ireland.

The Prime Minister thanked President Biden for the role the US people and businesses have played in Northern Ireland’s prosperity, with billions of pounds of investment creating tens of thousands of jobs.

The Prime Minister and President Biden both expressed their sincere hope that the institutions in Northern Ireland will be restored as soon as possible.

The Prime Minister and President Biden discussed the wider relationship between the UK and the US.

They agreed that manipulation of global markets by authoritarian leaders demonstrates, more than ever, the need for likeminded partners to work together to support the economic health and security of our nations.

The leaders said that the thriving trade relationship between the UK and US demonstrates we are doing just that.

They looked forward to discussing the issue of economic security further during the G7 Summit next month and the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington DC in June.

They also agreed on the importance of using global forums like the G7 and G20 to challenge economic coercion and market manipulation, and promote the economic well-being of our countries.

April 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Over £130 million paid out for energy bill support this winter [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 12 April 2023.

An estimated five million Cold Weather Payments worth £130 million have been issued to households for support with energy bills this winter.
- Over five million £25 Cold Weather Payments have been made to households in England and Wales
- Almost two million payments made to pensioners and over three million to working-age households
- Cold Weather Payments are paid directly into people’s bank accounts between November and March
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates that over £130 million was paid out from November until the end of March – with over £40 million of this going to pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit.

DWP’s Cold Weather Payments are an automatic bank top-up of £25, triggered to be paid to eligible households when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to an eligible person’s postcode.

Around 80% of this winter’s payments – approximately four million – were triggered in December.

Minister for Pensions Laura Trott said:

Cold Weather Payments provide vital support to help people through cold snaps each Winter.

While those colder months are now thankfully behind us, there will be no let-up in our extensive support for households across the country.

This government is committed to helping the most vulnerable in our society. We’re delivering the biggest State Pension increase in history and boosting benefits by over 10 percent, while our Energy Price Guarantee will continue to hold down people’s energy bills.

Between 25 April and 17 May, millions of UK households will receive £301 directly from the DWP. This is the first of three payments totalling up to £900 for those eligible and on means-tested benefits, such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit, in 2023/24. This follows the £650 Cost of Living Payment made to over eight million people in 2022. There will also be further payments worth £150 for eligible disabled people and £300 for pensioners due later this year, meaning the most vulnerable can receive up to £1,350 in direct payments.
April 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UK sanctions Abramovich and Usmanov’s financial fixers in crackdown on oligarch enablers [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 April 2023.

New sanctions announced target those who have knowingly assisted sanctioned Russia oligarchs to hide their assets in complex financial networks.
- fresh UK action targets those helping oligarchs to avoid the full cost of sanctions
- Demetris Ioannides and Christodoulos Vassiliades – financial fixers for Putin’s allies Abramovich and Usmanov – sanctioned
- Usmanov’s financial network, including companies USM, Curzon Square and Hanley Limited sanctioned
- family members of oligarchs acting as proxies to hide wealth also sanctioned
New sanctions announced by Foreign Secretary James Cleverly today (Wednesday 12 April) target those who have knowingly assisted sanctioned Russia oligarchs to hide their assets in complex financial networks.

In the face of unprecedented international sanctions in response to Putin’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine – with over £18 billion of Russian and other assets frozen in the UK alone – oligarchs have scrambled to shield their wealth with the help of financial fixers, offshore trusts, shell companies, and even using their family members.

Now UK experts have uncovered their financial networks – tracing those responsible for facilitating the activity and sanctioning them directly with asset freezes, travel bans, transport sanctions, and trust services sanctions. Working in partnership across Whitehall, the FCDO, HMRC, NCA, OFSI and others such as DfT, are enforcing sanctions and pursuing those who try to undermine them.

Among those sanctioned are Demetris Ioannides and Christodoulos Vassiliades, 2 Cypriot professional enablers supporting major Russian oligarchs Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov. Ioannides is responsible for crafting the murky offshore structures which Abramovich used to hide over £760 million assets ahead of being sanctioned following Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Vassiliades, a Cypriot lawyer, is at the centre of a web of trusts and offshore companies that link Usmanov and Sutton Place Estate.

The UK has also targeted Usmanov’s financial network, including companies USM, Curzon Square Limited, and Hanley Limited. Sanctioning these companies ensures that assets associated with Usmanov – including the £90 million Beechwood House mansion in London – remain sanctioned. Curzon Square Limited, the outfit that acted as Usmanov’s London office and as leaseholder of a Grade II mansion on Curzon Square, is also subject to an asset freeze. Vladimir and Varvara Skoch, the father and daughter of Usmanov’s business partner and ”richest man in the Duma” Andrei Skoch, have also been sanctioned.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

We are closing the net on the Russian elite and those who try to help them hide their money for war.

There’s no place to hide. We will keep cutting them off from assets they thought were successfully hidden.

Together with our international partners the UK will continue to crack down on those who are supporting the war.

We won’t stop until Putin does.

Today’s package hits a number of family members of other oligarchs, who are used as proxies to hide their assets. This includes:
- Tatiana Evtushenkova, the acting director of firm Redline Capital which is owned by her father, Vladimir Evtushenkov
- Natalia Evtushenkov, wife of Vladimir Evtushenkov who holds board positions in banks and other companies in which her husband owns stakes including MTS Bank. She is also on the board of directors for Telecomms company Instacom International, which is owned by her husband
- Felix Evtushenkov, whose father Vladimir transferred 10% of shares in Russian conglomerate Sistema to Felix at the time of his own designation, bringing Vladimir’s stake to below 50%
- Gulnara Kerimova, who holds four luxury villas in France on behalf of her father Suleyman Kerimov
- Nariman Gadzhiev, who acts as the beneficiary owner of a series of shell companies connected to Kerimov. A company linked to Gadzhiev was found to be transferring hundreds of millions of dollars to companies linked to his uncle Kerimov
- Oksana Marchenko, the wife of key Putin ally Victor Medvedchuk, and owner of multiple luxury properties in Crimea
Today’s package comes as part of the UK’s crackdown on all forms of evasion and circumvention – including an additional £50 million announced as part of the new Economic Deterrence Initiative to support sanctions enforcement and continued work with international partners.

The Home Secretary also recently announced the expansion of the National Crime Agency’s Combating Kleptocracy Cell to target corrupt elites and their enablers.

The UK, alongside international partners, is also continuing to strengthen the unprecedented sanctions imposed to constrain Russia’s capacity to wage its illegal war – including through the new enforcement co-ordination mechanism to bolster the compliance and enforcement of our measures.

By implementing these measures, the UK is ensuring – consistent with its legal systems – that Putin and those who continue to support his war have no access to any of these assets until they end their violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
April 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Increased flexibility of alternative fuel payments, so more households will be supported with their energy bills [April 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 12 April 2023.

Government expands scheme offering households using alternative fuels £200 in energy bills support.
More households using heating oil, LPG, biomass and other alternative fuels will receive £200 in energy bills support, thanks to the government’s expansion of the scheme, announced today.

The UK government is continuing to get help to those households across the UK that need it most – which is why today, Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps has increased the period of time that applicants can evidence purchase of alternative fuels, by 3 months to June 2022, instead of September 2022. This ensures that households who purchased fuel in bulk ahead of the winter are able to receive the £200 energy bill support they are entitled to.

This means those eligible for £200 Alternative Fuel Payment can now apply using receipts from June 2022 – a 3-month extension – until May 2023. This is to recognise that many will have bought fuel ahead of winter price rises – and it is right that these households aren’t penalised.

Only a small number of households using alternative fuels as their main heating source need to apply to receive bills support. The vast majority of alternative fuel users will have already received payments automatically. Earlier this year Mr Shapps also increased the number of receipts that households can submit to claim the Alternative Fuel Payment from 2 to 10.

Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Grant Shapps said:

We have already stepped in and paid half of a typical household energy bill, but we also always want to make sure support gets to those who need it.

That’s why today we’re again stepping in to make sure those households using heating oil, LPG, biomass and more, can submit receipts for fuel purchases as far back as June 2022, because we recognise many households will have bought ahead of winter.

Amanda Solloway Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability said:

We will always stand by consumers and families who have been hit by the impact of Putin’s illegal war on Ukraine.

Today we have gone one step further in extending our support to users of heating oil, LPG, biomass and more, to make sure all those in need of assistance with bills are able to access it.

Most will have got this automatically, but for those needing to apply – if you haven’t done so already, I urge you to put in your application to get the £200 support you’re entitled to.

This is just one of a range of ongoing schemes supporting households and businesses with energy costs at this time – which the government is urging all eligible customers to apply for and take full advantage of:

the Non-Domestic Alternative Fuel Payment scheme is providing top-ups starting at £750 for organisations using large quantities of kerosene heating oil, such as such as farms, hotels, charities and public buildings like schools and hospitals. Organisations have until 28 April to apply for this support via GOV.UK. The scheme is also offering £150 payments to organisations using alternative fuels. A minority of those eligible will also need to apply for this extra support by 28 April if they haven’t received payments automatically through an electricity supplier

the Energy Bills Support Scheme has provided £400 payments to help households with winter energy bills. While most will have already received this automatically, those on traditional prepayment meters need to redeem support through vouchers from their electricity supplier at either a Post Office or PayPoint outlet, as listed on the voucher. Vouchers that have been lost, damaged or have expired can be replaced – customers should contact their supplier directly in these circumstances. All vouchers must be redeemed by 30 June 2023

the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding provides equivalent £400 payments to households who do not have a domestic electricity supply and were not eligible to receive the Energy Bills Support Scheme automatically. Eligible applicants include residents in partially or wholly self-funded care homes and residents of park homes. These households must apply either via GOV.UK or the contact centre helpline by 31 May 2023
April 13, 2023