Home Office

Quarterly data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by local authority. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).

The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab).

Quarterly data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release. The data can also be broken down by local authority. Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).

The Home Office publishes information on asylum expenditure in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts at Home Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab).

The Home Office is committed to ensuring that the asylum system is not open to abuse. All asylum claimants are subject to mandatory security checks to confirm their identity and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system.

The Home Office uses several processes and tools to identify a claimant’s nationality and other identity features including fingerprint and other systems, identity documents, language analysis, and asylum interviews.

For further information regarding security checks during the asylum screening process, please see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-screening-and-routing/asylum-screening-and-routing-accessible.

The guidance for doubtful or disputed nationality can be found here: Doubtful and disputed nationality cases: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.

The Home Office remains committed to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of those receiving asylum support. There are mechanisms in place, managed by Migrant Help, to allow asylum seekers to request assistance, provide feedback and/or report issues. This support is available 24/7 by telephone, webchat or email.

The Home Office has not accommodated unaccompanied children in UASC emergency hotels since 31 January 2024.

It is a routine part of the asylum process to inform asylum seekers of their legal rights, and of the support available to them.

The Home Office is in regular contact with local authorities throughout the country in relation to the accommodation and other support provided to asylum seekers in each area.

The Home Office is in regular contact with local authorities throughout the country in relation to the accommodation and other support provided to asylum seekers in each area.

The Border Security Command was established on 5 July 2024. Martin Hewitt CBE QPM was appointed as Border Security Commander, as a Civil Servant, on 7 October 2024.

The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will place the role of the Border Security Commander on a statutory footing, designating the postholder as a Civil Servant (Part 1, Chapter 1, Clause 1).

The 2015 police pension scheme is the scheme currently open to serving police officers. This scheme provides life-long survivor benefits for spouses, civil partners and unmarried partners, including those who remarry or cohabit after losing a spouse. The introduction of the 2006 police pension scheme meant that all eligible police officers were able to join a pension scheme with such survivor benefits.

Prior to 2006, the 1987 police pension scheme provides a pension for the widow, widower or civil partner of a police officer who dies. In common with most other public service pension schemes of that time, these benefits cease to be payable where the widow, widower or civil partner remarries or cohabits with another partner. From 1 April 2015, the 1987 Police Pension Scheme was amended to allow widows, widowers and civil partners of police officers who have died as a result of an injury on duty to receive their survivor benefits for life regardless of remarriage, civil partnership or cohabitation.

The Metropolitan Police are operationally independent of the government. It is for the police to make decisions about how to respond to specific incidents based on their professional judgement and the circumstances at hand.

The fee for an Irish citizen seeking to gain British Citizenship through the British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024 is currently under consideration and we will provide an update in due course.

As a central part of the Safer Streets Mission, £200 million has been made available in FY 25/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood policing personnel.

In 2025-26, funding for this grant has been allocated using the Police Funding Formula, and details of the force-level allocations have been confirmed in individual letters directly with forces.

The number of licences granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act for the use of animals in scientific procedures is published in the Regulator’s Annual Report.

The Report for 2023 is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-reports.

During 2023, 460 new project licences were granted. The Report for 2024 will be published later this year.

The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) with the Home Office and Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs involvement is leading on a strategy to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternatives to animal testing which is scheduled for publication later this year.

Pharmaceutical legislation requires that, before a medicine can be approved for testing in humans, it is tested in a rodent and non-rodent species under international guidelines. This may include dogs as an appropriate model. The majority of Beagles bred for use in science (85%) are for the purposes of regulatory testing under legislation on pharmaceutical products for human use. The number of Beagles bred is largely determined by the forecast needs of the pharmaceutical industry that require testing of medicines.

The Home Office regulator ensures compliance of all work licensed with the rigorous requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act. The number of animals used in scientific research and testing, including Beagles, is published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit#statistics.

The Home Office assures that, in every research proposal, animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering.

The Home Office does not hold information on the number of current gross misconduct hearings for police forces, including Warwickshire Police. Nor does it publish information on the average length of time taken to conclude gross misconduct hearings.

The Home Office does however collect and publish data on the number of police complaints, conduct matters, and misconduct proceedings (including cases and allegations) on an annual basis in the ‘Police misconduct, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-misconduct-statistics.

The latest information covers cases finalised in year ending 31 March 2024. The data tables accompanying these statistics contain information on individuals referred to proceedings by proceeding type and Police Force Area (table MP1), and the subsequent misconduct finding level (table MP3).

Tables CM7a and RC7a contain information on the total time to finalise conduct and recordable conduct matter cases, by Police Force Area. These statistics include all finalised cases, including those not referred to misconduct proceedings or where no action was deemed necessary.

These statistics are designated Official Statistics in Development to acknowledge that they should be interpreted with caution, particularly when comparing between years. Please see the user guide for further details https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/user-guide-to-police-misconduct-statistics/user-guide-to-police-misconduct-statistics.

The Government has committed to restoring neighbourhood policing through the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. As set out in the 2025-26 police funding settlement, £200 million of funding has been allocated to forces in England and Wales in 2025-26 to kickstart the recruitment of 13,000 additional police officers and PCSOs into neighbourhood policing roles by the end of this Parliament.

On 9 April, the Government published force allocations and projections for total neighbourhood policing growth in year one as agreed with each force.

This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neighbourhood-policing-grant-allocations-and-projections-2025-to-2026

Local authorities may already use the closure power under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, to close premises quickly which are being used, or are likely to be used, to commit nuisance or disorder. Courts may in turn grant a Closure Order where a person has engaged in criminal behaviour on the premises. This existing power is designed specifically to protect victims and communities by enabling swift action where premises are creating harm.

Alongside these powers, the Government is introducing a new criminal offence of ‘cuckooing’, being brought forward in the Crime and Policing Bill. This offence will criminalise the control over another person’s home for criminal purposes, particularly where vulnerable individuals are targeted and exploited. It will enable stronger action against criminals who prey on others in this way and help ensure victims are protected from this crime. The Government will publish guidance to support implementation of the new offence, including on how law enforcement partners can work with local authorities as part of a multi-agency response to tackle cuckooing.

These tools and legislative measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to empowering local authorities and law enforcement agencies to take robust action against serious and organised criminal activity.

With reference to the Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals in Great Britain 2023, Table 7.3, the 12 procedures carried out on beagles were to satisfy legislative requirements on the testing of medicinal products for human use.

A birth certificate issued by the General Register Office records sex at birth. A British passport issued by HM Passport Office includes a M or F sex marker, denoting the sex of the holder.

The UK has offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families under the Ukraine Schemes, thanks to the immense generosity of the British public. We are determined to continue to provide stability for those we have welcomed to the UK and who still need our sanctuary.

The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme, which opened to applications on 4 February 2025, provides up to an additional 18 months’ permission to stay in the UK for those with existing Ukraine Scheme permission.

Any person who applies for the UPE before their current permission expires will automatically have their current permission extended by Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971 until any final decision is made in their case. Those successful will be granted permission to stay under the UPE for 18 months.

Applications can be made under the UPE free of charge.

We do not share details of operational policing deployments.

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including by grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims and pursuing and punishing the perpetrators of these abominable crimes.

On 8 April I made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. This included an update on our work to develop a new best practice framework, backed by additional funding, to support local authorities that want to undertake local inquiries or other related activities, including the independent local inquiry commissioned by Oldham Council, for which we have already announced our support.

To develop this framework, we have engaged with a range of experts, victims and survivors, drawing on the lessons from local independent inquiries like Telford, Rotherham and Greater Manchester. We are now in the process of testing the framework with stakeholders, including local areas, to ensure it will effectively facilitate work improve local responses to grooming gangs offending. We will publish the details of the framework and the national fund next month.

The Home Secretary also wrote to all local authorities in the country last month to update them on the actions we have taken in this area, and ask them to review their own local progress in tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation, and investigating historic cases of those crimes.

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including by grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims and pursuing and punishing the perpetrators of these abominable crimes.

On 8 April I made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. This included an update on our work to develop a new best practice framework, backed by additional funding, to support local authorities that want to undertake local inquiries or other related activities, including the independent local inquiry commissioned by Oldham Council, for which we have already announced our support.

To develop this framework, we have engaged with a range of experts, victims and survivors, drawing on the lessons from local independent inquiries like Telford, Rotherham and Greater Manchester. We are now in the process of testing the framework with stakeholders, including local areas, to ensure it will effectively facilitate work improve local responses to grooming gangs offending. We will publish the details of the framework and the national fund next month.

The Home Secretary also wrote to all local authorities in the country last month to update them on the actions we have taken in this area, and ask them to review their own local progress in tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation, and investigating historic cases of those crimes.

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including by grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims and pursuing and punishing the perpetrators of these abominable crimes.

On 8 April I made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. This included an update on our work to develop a new best practice framework, backed by additional funding, to support local authorities that want to undertake local inquiries or other related activities, including the independent local inquiry commissioned by Oldham Council, for which we have already announced our support.

To develop this framework, we have engaged with a range of experts, victims and survivors, drawing on the lessons from local independent inquiries like Telford, Rotherham and Greater Manchester. We are now in the process of testing the framework with stakeholders, including local areas, to ensure it will effectively facilitate work improve local responses to grooming gangs offending. We will publish the details of the framework and the national fund next month.

The Home Secretary also wrote to all local authorities in the country last month to update them on the actions we have taken in this area, and ask them to review their own local progress in tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation, and investigating historic cases of those crimes.

Our focus is to deliver meaningful change for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation, including by grooming gangs. That means protecting more children, getting justice for victims and pursuing and punishing the perpetrators of these abominable crimes.

On 8 April I made a statement to Parliament setting out a detailed update on Government action to tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a progress update on the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. This included an update on our work to develop a new best practice framework, backed by additional funding, to support local authorities that want to undertake local inquiries or other related activities, including the independent local inquiry commissioned by Oldham Council, for which we have already announced our support.

To develop this framework, we have engaged with a range of experts, victims and survivors, drawing on the lessons from local independent inquiries like Telford, Rotherham and Greater Manchester. We are now in the process of testing the framework with stakeholders, including local areas, to ensure it will effectively facilitate work improve local responses to grooming gangs offending. We will publish the details of the framework and the national fund next month.

The Home Secretary also wrote to all local authorities in the country last month to update them on the actions we have taken in this area, and ask them to review their own local progress in tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation, and investigating historic cases of those crimes.

The Government recognises the major role UK cybersecurity professionals play in enhancing and protecting the UK’s resilience against cyber threats, and it is vital that we support them.

In an increasingly digital world, it is important that the CMA remains up to date and fit for purpose. The Home Office is in the process of reviewing the CMA, including considering the impact of emerging technologies such as AI. It is important that any changes brought forward are proportionate and do not undermine law enforcement’s ability to take action against cyber criminals. The Home Office will update on proposals taken forward in due course.

The Government recognises the major role UK cybersecurity professionals play in supporting the economy and protecting the UK’s resilience against cyber threats, and it is vital that we support them.

In an increasingly digital world, the Home Office is committed to ensuring the Computer Misuse Act remains up to date and fit for purpose. The Home Office is reviewing the CMA. As part of this, officials are considering the issue of strengthened legal protections for legitimate cyber security researchers and how this could unlock economic growth. However, this work is complex and requires careful consideration, in order to protect law enforcement’s ability to prosecute cyber criminality.

The Home Office will provide further updates in due course.

Licenced establishments are responsible for the welfare of employees at animal testing facilities.

The Regulator has published extensive guidance for the regulated community on the operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The published guidance includes information on the operation of named roles whose responsibilities include ensuring that those dealing with animals are adequately educated, trained and supervised until they are competent and ensuring that those dealing with animals have access to the information they need.

The Home Office holds regular, scheduled, meetings with stakeholders from the regulated community to discuss their concerns.

The Government will commence post legislative scrutiny from May 2025, and submit a memorandum to the Home Affairs Select Committee. The memorandum will include aspects such as explanatory notes, impact assessments and legal issues as necessary.

Once the Committee has received the Government’s memorandum on the Public Order Act 2024, the committee can decide to take further steps regarding further post legislative scrutiny if it so wishes.

Details about post-legislative scrutiny, including the contents to be covered in the Government’s memorandum, can be found here: Guide to making legislation - GOV.UK

Available data on the Afghan Resettlement Programme is published on a quarterly basis. The latest release is viewable at: Afghan Resettlement Programme: operational data - GOV.UK.

Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) were introduced in October 2023 to enhance our ability to screen travellers upstream, and stop those who pose a threat from travelling to the UK. They were more recently expanded to eligible non-European nationals (in November 2024) and European nationals (on 5 March this year). Data on the number of people not holding an ETA in Northern Ireland is unavailable. The Home Office will provide regular updates in the months and years ahead on how the ETA requirement is being implemented and enforced.

I refer the Rt Hon Gentleman to the Statement form the Home Secretary on 22 July 2024, to which this question refers, and which explains the fundamental flaw in the premise of his question, namely that – during his own time as Home Secretary, he was unable to establish a way to make the Rwanda scheme operational, and as such, the categories referred to in this question do not exist.

Nevertheless, the Rt Hon Gentleman will be pleased to note that – since coming to office – this Government has ensured the removal of more than 24,000 people with no right to be in the UK, the highest nine-month total for returns since January to September in 2017.

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 will be carried out by the department responsible for each act and a memorandum will be submitted to the relevant departmental select committees in accordance with normal parliamentary practice.

Post legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will occur this year, beginning in May. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e. between April 2025 and April 2027.

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 will be carried out by the department responsible for each act and a memorandum will be submitted to the relevant departmental select committees in accordance with normal parliamentary practice.

Post legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will occur this year, beginning in May. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e. between April 2025 and April 2027.

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 will be carried out by the department responsible for each act and a memorandum will be submitted to the relevant departmental select committees in accordance with normal parliamentary practice.

Post legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will occur this year, beginning in May. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e. between April 2025 and April 2027.

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 will be carried out by the department responsible for each act and a memorandum will be submitted to the relevant departmental select committees in accordance with normal parliamentary practice.

Post legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will occur this year, beginning in May. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e. between April 2025 and April 2027.

The Government is committed to reviewing the recommendations of the Manchester Arena Inquiry, including Monitored Recommendation 8, with a view to delivering better uniformity of standards in the private security industry, enhanced provision of security services, and effective counter-terrorism measures.

The Government recognises the need for an effective multi-agency response to missing person investigations and we are clear in our ambition to reduce missing incidents and safeguard those vulnerable to going missing. Missing children and adults represent a concern which spans many cross-Governmental priorities and policy areas. The Home Office is committed to working with the Department for Education and Department for Health and Social Care and other relevant departments; sending a clear message that missing needs a whole-system response.

Repeat missing incidents are often a red flag for a number of the harms, such as child sexual or criminal exploitation. The Home Office is heavily invested in supporting and protecting vulnerable people, particularly children and young people from all forms of harm.

The Home Office and Department for Education have been supporting the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) lead for Missing Persons in the development of a 'Missing Children from Care' framework, which has been piloted in West Yorkshire. This framework outlines good practice that can be adopted by local areas when setting up their own multi-agency protocols for the strategic and operational response to a missing incident, with an aim to ensure that the appropriate safeguarding partner responds in the best interest of the missing person.

The Government recognises the need for an effective multi-agency response to missing person investigations and we are clear in our ambition to reduce missing incidents and safeguard those vulnerable to going missing. Missing children and adults represent a concern which spans many cross-Governmental priorities and policy areas. The Home Office is committed to working with the Department for Education and Department for Health and Social Care and other relevant departments; sending a clear message that missing needs a whole-system response.

Repeat missing incidents are often a red flag for a number of the harms, such as child sexual or criminal exploitation. The Home Office is heavily invested in supporting and protecting vulnerable people, particularly children and young people from all forms of harm.

The Home Office and Department for Education have been supporting the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) lead for Missing Persons in the development of a 'Missing Children from Care' framework, which has been piloted in West Yorkshire. This framework outlines good practice that can be adopted by local areas when setting up their own multi-agency protocols for the strategic and operational response to a missing incident, with an aim to ensure that the appropriate safeguarding partner responds in the best interest of the missing person.

The number of companies and public bodies prosecuted for the principal offence of money laundering under POCA 2002 has fluctuated between 1 and 5 each year between the year ending June 2019 and the year ending June 2024.

The number of companies and public bodies convicted for the principal offence of money laundering under POCA 2002 has fluctuated between 0 and 5 each year between the year ending June 2019 and the year ending June 2024.

To note, a small proportion of defendant types are also recorded as ‘unknown’ each year (not included in figures in table).

Source: Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: June 2024 - GOV.UK

The government is carefully considering the judgment issued by the High Court in May 2024 which found that particular sections of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, as amended by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, were incompatible with Convention rights.

We acknowledge and respect the High Court’s decision, and the National Police Chiefs’ Council have written to forces in England and Wales advising them of the judgment. Forces will need to consider their own legal advice in to inform any related enforcement decisions, which are operationally independent of government.

Services like CIFAS (Credit Information Fraud Avoidance Service) play a crucial role in safeguarding against financial fraud, supporting the government’s broader efforts to protect individuals and businesses from these crimes.

CIFAS is a not-for-profit organisation that facilitates fraud prevention by providing a platform for financial institutions to share information about potential fraud risks. When a financial institution suspects fraudulent activity, they can register a "marker" against a customer's credit report on the National Fraud Database, which is managed by CIFAS. As stated on their website, the markers themselves are not created by CIFAS, but rather by the financial institutions who suspect fraud. CIFAS only provides the infrastructure for these markers to be registered and accessed by other members.

Individuals affected by CIFAS markers have the right to challenge and seek removal of incorrect or unjustified markers. Individuals can do that by submitting a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) to obtain details of the marker and can then contact the organisation that applied the marker to request evidence and removal if necessary. If the organisation denies the request, CIFAS provides an independent review within 14 days, with further options available through the Financial Ombudsman service.

The Home Office has not assessed the number of individuals incorrectly flagged by CIFAS as it does not hold this information.

Services like CIFAS (Credit Information Fraud Avoidance Service) play a crucial role in safeguarding against financial fraud, supporting the government’s broader efforts to protect individuals and businesses from these crimes.

CIFAS is a not-for-profit organisation that facilitates fraud prevention by providing a platform for financial institutions to share information about potential fraud risks. When a financial institution suspects fraudulent activity, they can register a "marker" against a customer's credit report on the National Fraud Database, which is managed by CIFAS. As stated on their website, the markers themselves are not created by CIFAS, but rather by the financial institutions who suspect fraud. CIFAS only provides the infrastructure for these markers to be registered and accessed by other members.

Individuals affected by CIFAS markers have the right to challenge and seek removal of incorrect or unjustified markers. Individuals can do that by submitting a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) to obtain details of the marker and can then contact the organisation that applied the marker to request evidence and removal if necessary. If the organisation denies the request, CIFAS provides an independent review within 14 days, with further options available through the Financial Ombudsman service.

The Home Office has not assessed the number of individuals incorrectly flagged by CIFAS as it does not hold this information.

On the 4^th March, the Security Minister announced to Parliament a concerted package of measures to counter the threat from the Iranian Intelligence Services. This includes our decision to specify Iran on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), which will require individuals and organisations directed by Iran to conduct activity in the UK to register with the Home Office. Failure to do so will be a criminal offence.

In concert with partners, the UK Government will continue to use all appropriate tools at our disposal to protect the UK and its people against any threats from the Iranian state, including malign influence.