Written Statements

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

Tuesday 19 May 2026

National Savings & Investments: Bereavement Claims

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Torsten Bell)]

I am today updating the House on the steps being taken to address historic failures in the handling of some bereavement claims by National Savings and Investments.

On 26 March, I informed the House that NS&I had identified a population of cases where, following notification of a customer’s death, holdings were not fully settled in a timely way. These failures relate to past tracing and operational processes and do not reflect current practice. I recognise the distress and inconvenience that these shortcomings may have caused to those that have suffered bereavements.

The Treasury has instructed NS&I to put this right swiftly and fairly, requiring a delivery plan detailing how it plans to do so to be published during May.

NS&I has now completed extensive work to understand the affected population and to design a remediation approach. Today NS&I is publishing the delivery plan that it will follow to ensure proactive timely contact, payment of outstanding holdings, and appropriate compensation.

The current remediation population is estimated at up to 34,000 cases, with a total value of approximately £367 million. These figures have reduced since my announcement and are likely to reduce further.

We are committed to making the process for reuniting estates with their money as easy as possible. NS&I will contact all affected estates with holdings of £10 or more to reunite them with the full value of those holdings that should have been returned to them earlier. To ensure estates have not been disadvantaged by the delay, this will then be adjusted upwards to include either the higher of the interest accrued since the error occurred or the Bank of England base rate plus 1 percentage point, in line with Financial Ombudsman Service principles.

The de minimis threshold is being set lower than seen in some redress cases reflecting the priority we attach to returning funds to those affected while avoiding creating disproportionate administrative burdens and disturbance in the cases of the smallest holdings.

Contact will be made with estates through executors or personal representatives. Beneficiaries will not be contacted directly except where, as is often the case, beneficiaries are themselves executors or personal representatives. Where solicitors or professional executors dealt with the administration of an estate they will be contacted and it will be for them to contact beneficiaries. All cases will be subject to proportionate tracing checks to ensure payments are made safely and to the correct party.

Remediation will be delivered in phases. NS&I will begin contacting the first cohort next week, with payments made shortly after contact. NS&I aims to return holdings to their rightful owners as swiftly as possible and expects to have completed this remediation programme in the first half of 2027.

I have committed to helping bereaved families avoid disproportionate disruption and administrative costs that could result from the inheritance tax consequences of rectifying previous tracing errors. To achieve this I am confirming today that there will be a full inheritance tax exemption for the holdings of the remediation population affected by the NS&I tracing error which are returned to the estates to which they rightly belong. To further ease the administration of estates, the personal representatives or executors will not be liable for any income tax ordinarily due in their role on interest accrued before death or in the administration period. HMRC is working with NS&I to ensure that executors, personal representatives and beneficiaries do not incur any unnecessary administrative burdens or costs where tax is not due.

Beyond individual redress, NS&I has strengthened its bereavement processes to ensure these tracing errors do not reoccur. While this has driven an increase in processing times, an additional 100 people have been hired to ensure this is temporary. NS&I is also exploring broader improvements to the bereavement journey, including alignment with cross-Government services such as Tell Us Once.

As I committed to the House, Sir Jim Harra, acting chief executive of NS&I, is leading a wider review into the background to the tracing problem and what lessons must be learned. This will report before the summer recess and be shared with the Chairs of the Treasury and Public Accounts Committees. The Treasury has also started the process to recruit a permanent chief executive.

Further information for anyone who believes they or loved ones may have been affected is available on the NS&I website and its contact centre is open seven days a week.

[HCWS44]

Public Service Pensions: SCAPE Discount Rate

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Torsten Bell)]

SCAPE—superannuation contributions adjusted for past experience—is the process for setting employer contribution rates at valuations of unfunded public service pension schemes. As part of the SCAPE process, the SCAPE discount rate is used alongside many other factors such as earnings changes, changes to life expectancy and demographic assumptions to determine the appropriate employer contribution rate. Valuations as at 31 March 2024 are currently under way and will result in new employer contribution rates, which will be implemented from April 2027.

The current methodology for setting the discount rate, based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast of long-term GDP growth, was adopted in 2011, with a commitment to review its methodology every 10 years. A review under the previous Government, from 2021 to 2023, maintained this methodology.

The SCAPE discount rate to be used as part of the ongoing 2024 valuations will therefore be based on the expected long-term GDP growth figures, published by the OBR in July 2025. Based on these figures, the new SCAPE discount rate is CPI+2% p.a.

[HCWS37]

High Value Council Tax Surcharge: Consultation

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Dan Tomlinson)]

In the 2025 Budget, the Government announced the introduction of a new high-value council tax surcharge—HVCTS—on owners of the most valuable 1% of residential properties in England. Today, together with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, I am launching a consultation on the detailed design of this new surcharge.

Households living in lower value homes often pay more council tax, relative to the value of their property, than those in the most expensive homes. For example, a Band D home in parts of the north can face a higher annual council tax bill than a property worth many millions of pounds in parts of central London. The HVCTS will change that, implementing a significant reform to improve fairness within England’s property tax system, ensuring that those with the most valuable properties pay their fair share.

From April 2028, owners of residential properties valued at £2 million and above will be liable to pay the HVCTS, in addition to their existing council tax bill. Fewer than 1% of homes in England are expected to be affected. Properties will be valued for the purpose of the HVCTS and placed into one of four value bands, with fixed annual charges uprated in line with inflation. Council tax bands will remain separate to this new tax.

The consultation seeks views on the design of the tax including scope, support for those who cannot pay, how the tax will be administered and how owners can challenge and appeal their bill. The consultation also includes detailed information for local authorities, who will collect the tax on behalf of central Government. The revenue will be used to support funding for local government services. Local authorities will be fully compensated for any additional administrative burdens.

We welcome feedback on the detailed design set out in this consultation from local government, homeowners, tax experts, legal professionals and those in the property industry about the technical design and impact of the tax. The consultation will close on 14 July.

The consultation is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/high-value-council-tax-surcharge

[HCWS35]

UK-Isle of Man Social Security Agreement

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Dan Tomlinson)]

A new social security agreement relating to national insurance contributions with the Isle of Man was agreed on 18 May 2026. It modernises the provisions in the 1977 agreement which determine where workers and employers pay their national insurance contributions, so that they operate in line with the social security agreement the UK has with Jersey and Guernsey, as well as those with other countries. The text of the agreement has been deposited in the Library in both Houses and will be made available on gov.uk.

The agreement will come into effect on the first day of the month after the UK and the Isle of Man have exchanged written confirmation that they have complied with their domestic requirements. The agreement will have effect in relation to the tax year beginning on or after 6 April next, following the date on which the agreement comes into effect.

[HCWS38]

Television Selection Services and Electronic Programme Guides: Regulation

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts (Ian Murray)]

Following the statement I published on 24 February 2026, I can now confirm to the House that my Department has today laid the following statutory instruments before Parliament:

The Television Selection Services (Designation) Regulations 2026; and

The Regulated Electronic Programme Guide (Prescribed Description and Transitional Arrangements) Regulations 2026.

The Television Selection Services (Designation) Regulations 2026

This SI specifically designates those television selection services that will be captured by the new prominence regime introduced by the Media Act 2024.

To support the future sustainability of our public service broadcasters, the Media Act introduced a new prominence regime into the Communications Act 2003 that will require particular TV platforms—referred to in the Act as “regulated television selection services”—to carry and give appropriate prominence to designated public service broadcaster video-on-demand apps. Once commenced, this new regime will ensure that UK viewers can continue to find the public service media content they value on-demand.

In order to be captured by the new prominence framework, a television selection service must be designated by the Secretary of State via statutory instrument, following advice from Ofcom. Ofcom issued its draft advice on 22 July 2025, which it consulted on, and then issued its final statement on 16 December 2025. I confirmed on 24 February that, having thoroughly reviewed Ofcom’s advice and considered all stakeholder responses, I was minded to agree to Ofcom’s recommended list of designations set out in its final report. I am now bringing forward this SI to make those designations.

This SI marks an important milestone in the implementation of the Media Act 2024 and concludes the Department’s work on the designation of which television selection services are in-scope of the new prominence regime.

The Regulated Electronic Programme Guide (Prescribed Description and Transitional Arrangements) Regulations 2026

This SI was announced in the same February statement referred to above, along with the On-demand Programme Services (Tier 1 Services) Regulations. The SI updates the meaning of a regulated electronic programme guide (EPG), extending vital audience protections and accessibility requirements to newer TV guide services, such as Sky Glass and Freely. Any TV channel that can be accessed through a regulated EPG will also be within Ofcom’s remit and therefore required to have a broadcast licence.



Furthermore, the regulations will address a regulatory loophole in the existing framework whereby some TV guide services fall outside regulation despite being easily accessible through regulated services.

[HCWS33]

Armed Forces Bill Select Committee Report: MOD Response

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for the Armed Forces (Al Carns)]

The Ministry of Defence welcomes the Select Committee’s special report on the Armed Forces Bill 2026, HC 1712.

The Department continues to support the appointment of a Select Committee for Armed Forces Bills, recognising that their work ensures transparency and proper scrutiny of the legislation.

I am extremely grateful for this Committee’s thorough and constructive consideration of the Bill. The report reflects the Committee’s support for the improvements that this Government are seeking to make through this Bill: to deliver better housing, better support and better protections for our armed forces personnel, and to provide for the expansion and earlier mobilisation of the strategic reserves.

The Committee’s conclusions and recommendations have been considered, and detailed responses have been provided in the attached MOD response. A copy of the MOD response has also been placed in the Library of the House and published on the Armed Forces Bill 2026 page at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/armed-forces-bill-2026

I am pleased that the vast majority of the Committee’s recommendations are supported. This includes the two at paragraphs 20 and 65, which recommend minor amendments to the provisions for the covenant legal duty extension and to protections orders respectively. The Government intend to bring forward amendments to make these changes.

There are, however, a small number of recommendations that the Department does not support or is unable to accept in full. For these recommendations, a detailed explanation of the Department’s position has been provided or an alternative approach has been set out, as appropriate.

Given the Committee’s considerable interest in the practical implementation of the armed forces covenant legal duty, and for transparency purposes to aid discussions during the remaining Bill stages, the Ministry of Defence is also publishing today on gov.uk a draft version of the statutory guidance. This guidance has been developed collaboratively across Government to ensure it is fit for purpose, and feedback on it will continue to be sought from a wide range of stakeholders.

I look forward to continuing to engage with Members across the House as the Bill progresses through its remaining stages in the Commons.

Attachments can be found at https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-05-19/HCWS41

[HCWS41]

Maternity Adviser

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (James Murray)]

I am today announcing the appointment of Michelle Welsh MP as a maternity adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care.

Improving the safety of maternity and neonatal services and the experiences of women and their families is a key priority for me as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and for this Government. We are committed to acting with urgency, transparency and accountability to drive improvements in care, working closely with families, clinicians and stakeholders. A central part of this work will be tackling the unacceptable inequalities in outcomes that persist across maternity and neonatal services.

Michelle Welsh MP will provide me, and my Department, with independent advice to support the Government aim of improving the quality of care for women, babies and their families in NHS maternity and neonatal care, and to reduce the stark inequalities faced by so many.

The new DHSC maternity adviser will support my Department to deliver for maternity services by:

Providing advice on improving the quality of care in maternity and neonatal services, including addressing inequalities in outcomes and access to care. This will include supporting the Department to agree priority areas and deliverables to support improvement, drawing on the experiences of women and families, available evidence, stakeholder views and her own experience and expertise.

Supporting and driving forward the work of the national maternity and neonatal taskforce, including by chairing the parliamentary and mayoral panel and as a member of the taskforce.

Engaging with stakeholders, including families and under-represented groups, to ensure that a wide range of perspectives inform the Government work to improve maternity and neonatal care, particularly those experiencing health disparities.

This appointment, alongside the membership of the national maternity and neonatal taskforce, and the expert reference groups that feed into it, bring together the depth and breadth of expertise and experience needed to truly drive forward the taskforce’s urgent work to improve maternity and neonatal care.

The taskforce will oversee the development of a new national action plan based on the findings and recommendations of the national maternity and neonatal independent investigation led by Baroness Amos, and by holding the system to account for implementation of the action plan and for improvements in care and experiences for women, babies and families, and for the experiences of staff.

The action plan will also consider any recommendations from other reviews and inquiries that have national implications, including the independent review of maternity and neonatal care at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. It will tackle the systemic issues in maternity and neonatal care, providing clear priorities for action so that the workforce is supported to ensure that women and families are listened to and provided with safe care, and so that truth, accountability and learning take place when things go wrong.

Transparency on how the national maternity and neonatal taskforce is delivering the necessary change is important for public accountability. To support this, today my Department will be publishing the taskforce’s terms of reference, ways of working charter and summary note of the first meeting on gov.uk. We will also be publishing the names and organisations of those involved in the expert reference groups which support the work of the taskforce.

The appointment will take effect from Tuesday 19 May 2026 and is an unpaid role.

[HCWS42]

Mental Health Strategy for England

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Preet Kaur Gill)]

I am today informing the House of the Government’s plans to develop a new, once-in-a-generation, cross-Government strategy for mental health in England, which will be published later this year. The strategy will be informed by a call for evidence, alongside wider engagement, including through the ongoing independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, and the modern service framework for severe mental illness. The call for evidence launched on Friday 15 May and will close on Friday 10 July.

Good mental health is central to our overall health, wellbeing and ability to participate fully in education, work and community life. Yet far too many people are experiencing mental health problems and distress, with over a quarter of young people now estimated to have a common mental health condition such as depression or anxiety.

The Government have already taken significant steps to improve mental health services. We have taken through landmark reform of the Mental Health Act 1983 and met our manifesto commitment to recruit an additional 8,500 additional mental health staff three years early, and we are expanding mental health support teams to reach every school and college by 2029. This is backed by a record £16.1 billion forecast to be spent on NHS mental health services this year.

However, we know that there is more to do, within and beyond the NHS. Demand for mental health support has risen rapidly, with long waits and too many people unable to access the right support when they need it. Despite sustained investment, systems remain too often reactive, fragmented and variable, with outcomes that fall short of what people and communities need.

It is time to go further and take a new approach. We want a mental health system and society that respond earlier and more proportionately to need, providing the right tools and intervening before distress escalates to crisis. We want a system organised around participation, not thresholds, where people can access timely, practical support that matches their needs and circumstances, and where support is joined up, with no wrong front door.

The 10-year health plan set out an ambitious vision for reform of the NHS, centred around three strategic shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. The mental health strategy is the next stage of this Government’s programme of reform, and it will be informed by the independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism. This review, chaired by Professor Peter Fonagy and engaging with experts in the field, including people with lived experience, will make recommendations on how to shift from a system that responds late and is overly focused on diagnosis to one that responds earlier, more proportionately, and with improving participation in education and work in mind.

The Government have launched a call for evidence to build on the 10-year health plan engagement and collate practical implementation evidence with a focus on how we can turn our vision into action.

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/informing-the-mental-health-strategy-for-england

We welcome examples of good practice, from across the UK and internationally, and from across sectors, including schools, workplaces and community settings. Input is encouraged from the mental health sector and beyond, clinicians, local leaders and parliamentarians.

The mental health needs of autistic people and people with ADHD will also be reflected within the mental health strategy. We know that autistic people and people with ADHD face a much higher risk of developing a mental health condition, and that there is a need for integrated and equitable access to mental health services and support that is responsive to their needs, including appropriate adjustments to how services are designed and delivered.

Separately, we will develop and publish a new cross-Government autism strategy, as required under the Autism Act 2009. This will be informed by all relevant evidence, reviews and reports, including the recommendations from the House of Lords Autism Act 2009 Inquiry Committee report and the ongoing independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism. As part of this work, we will consider and seek the views of stakeholders as to whether the new autism strategy should be extended to cover ADHD.

The strategy will be aligned with relevant modern service frameworks and the suicide prevention strategy for England.

Transforming the mental health system will take time, but we are committed to delivering a new approach that enables people to stay well, participate fully in society and access the right support at the right time.

[HCWS36]

Hantavirus Outbreak Response: Regulatory Changes

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Mrs Sharon Hodgson)]

On 10 May, the UK Government safely returned all remaining British nationals on board the MV Hondius. With some passengers having returned to England earlier than this, and with the arrival for monitoring of a number of individuals from UK Overseas territories who had contact with passengers, I would like to inform the House that, as of Monday 18 May 2026, the following amendments have been laid and come into force:

The Health Protection (Notification) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 amend the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010 to include hantavirus disease, including hantavirus pulmonary or cardiopulmonary syndrome and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome as a notifiable disease in schedule 1 (“Hanta virus” is already included within the list of causative agents in schedule 2).

The National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 have been amended to include hantavirus in schedule 1. They have also been amended to exempt overseas visitors from NHS charging for schedule 1 diseases, where the person was brought to the UK in agreement with the UK Government for treatment or quarantine for a schedule 1 disease.

The public health assessment remains that the risk to the public is very low. I would like to pay tribute to the staff from across the health system, particularly regional health protection teams, for their ongoing efforts to support the hantavirus response and protect the public’s health. The amendments that came into force yesterday will support the UK Health Security Agency and our health partners to swiftly identify, treat and control the disease, and reduce potential financial barriers to overseas visitors in England who require NHS-funded secondary care services in relation to hantavirus.

Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010

As of 6 pm on 18 May 2026, hantavirus disease—including hantavirus pulmonary or cardiopulmonary syndrome and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome—is a notifiable disease and there is now an explicit legal duty on doctors in England to notify the proper officer of the relevant local authority if they see a patient who they suspect of having hantavirus disease. While we believe cases have been reliably notified to date, this amendment puts beyond doubt the legal obligation of doctors to report cases of suspected hantavirus disease. Placing a legal duty on doctors to report suspected hantavirus disease and provide the relevant patient information—as set out in the regulations—will strengthen our understanding of the virus and its transmission within the England and, if required, support the implementation of timely infection prevention and control measures.

There is already a legal duty on laboratories to notify the UKHSA if they identify hantavirus when they test a human sample in England, as “Hanta virus” is already included within the list of notifiable causative agents at schedule 2 of the regulations.

National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2015 (“the charging regulations”)

NHS charging regulations require providers of NHS-funded secondary care to make charges to people not ordinarily resident in the UK—overseas visitors—except where an exemption category applies.

We acted swiftly, and as of 6 pm on 18 May 2026, we ensured that, should an overseas visitor in England need NHS-funded secondary care services in respect of hantavirus disease, hantavirus pulmonary or cardiopulmonary syndrome and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, they will not be charged. Providing such services without charge removes a potential financial barrier to overseas visitors presenting for NHS-funded secondary care, therefore ensuring that the risk to the public’s health from infected visitors is minimised. This brings hantavirus disease into line with most other infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and covid-19.

The inclusion of hantavirus disease in schedule 1 of the charging regulations means that overseas visitors will not be charged for the diagnosis and treatment of hantavirus disease. We have also amended the charging regulations so that any charges already incurred for hantavirus disease since 1 May 2026 must be cancelled or, if paid, must be refunded.

We have also amended the charging regulations so that diagnosis and treatment for a disease in schedule 1 will remain exempt from charging, provided that the overseas visitor travelled to the UK by means of transport that has been agreed with, or funded by, the Secretary of State for supported repatriation or travel to the UK for the purposes of quarantine. This amendment will apply to all schedule 1 diseases.

[HCWS43]

Biometrics Commissioner Valedictory Report: 2024-25

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Policing and Crime (Sarah Jones)]

I am pleased to announce that my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is today publishing the valedictory report of the Biometrics Commissioner, Francesca Whitelaw KC.

The Biometrics Commissioner is appointed under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and provides independent oversight of the retention and use of biometric material by the police and other authorities.

This report covers casework data from January 2024 to March 2025 and includes reflections on the commissioner’s interim tenure from July to October 2025. It provides transparency on the oversight of national security determinations and applications made under section 63G of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and sets out recommendations for operational improvements.

The report does not contain material requiring exclusion for reasons of national security or public interest.

The report has been laid before the House and will be available from the Vote Office and on gov.uk.

[HCWS39]

HMICFRS Inspection Report: National Crime Agency’s Effectiveness and Efficiency

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Security (Dan Jarvis)]

The National Crime Agency is an intelligence-led crime fighting agency that leads and co-ordinates the UK law enforcement operational response to serious and organised crime and protects the public by targeting the highest harm groups and networks.

His Majesty’s inspectorate of constabulary and fire and rescue services has finalised its first graded inspection of the agency as an organisation, following previous inspections examining thematic areas of the agency’s work. The inspection assessed the NCA’s effectiveness and efficiency in fulfilling its statutory crime reduction and criminal intelligence functions, and the extent to which leadership, strategic direction and the culture within the NCA contribute to the discharge of those functions.

I welcome the findings of the inspection. I have asked HMICFRS to publish the report. It will be published today and will be available online at: https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The inspectorate graded the NCA as “good” for achieving its strategic priorities, investigating SOC and leading collaboration; “adequate” in understanding SOC threats; and “requires improvement” for managing finances and building the workforce.

HMICFRS found that the agency collaborates effectively with a wide range of partners and maintains a strong global presence. Inspectors also recognised innovative practice in the use of child protection advisers, which has improved investigations and accelerated responses from partners in sensitive cases.

However, the inspectorate also reported that the NCA must urgently strengthen its IT capability and strategy, identifying this as a cause of concern. It highlighted the need for substantial investment and co-ordinated action to transform the agency’s IT. To address this, the Home Office has supported the NCA in significantly increasing its capital departmental expenditure limit budget from £173 million in 2025-26 to £224 million in 2028-29—which should enable the NCA to address its technology debt and advance its transformation programme, delivering greater efficiencies and productivity gains. The inspectorate also noted that more could be done to support, develop and retain a highly skilled workforce. The spending review settlement will support this process as the agency’s core revenue departmental expenditure limit will increase from £619 million in 2025-26 to £715 million in 2026-27.

Overall, the inspectorate has made three recommendations linked to one cause of concern and 10 areas of improvement. These recommendations will support the agency’s continuing work to enhance its IT and address the challenges identified. The agency accepts the findings and steps are already being taken to address the challenges highlighted during the inspection. I want to thank HMICFRS for this vital inspection.

I have asked my officials to work closely with the NCA and HMICFRS to deliver the necessary changes and ensure recommendations align with the proposals I set out in the White Paper on police reform on 26 January. This included plans to create a new national police service which, in its final state, will bring together national and cross-border policing capabilities, including the NCA. The new national police service will drive efficiencies, reduce duplication and deliver the capabilities needed to respond to national and international threats. The necessary legislative provisions to establish the national police service will be included in the police reform Bill announced in the King’s Speech on 13 May.

[HCWS40]

High Streets Organised Crime Unit Launch

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Security (Dan Jarvis)]

I am today announcing the launch of the Government’s high streets organised crime unit, a new cross-Government unit designed to strengthen our response to money laundering, tax evasion, illegal working and other forms of organised criminality taking place on our high streets.

The criminal exploitation of the high street has a significant impact on local communities, undermining the vibrancy and safety of neighbourhoods and eroding public trust in legitimate businesses. It undermines competition, discourages investment and contributes to the decline of once-thriving high streets. Residents feel less safe, while honest business owners struggle to compete against those circumventing the law.

The National Crime Agency assesses that it is likely that at least £1 billion is laundered through a wide range of high street businesses in the UK each year. Despite significant operational efforts currently under way across law enforcement and local partners, action has too often been fragmented and reactive in nature, with no single mechanism to drive a coherent, system-wide response.

To address this gap, the high streets organised crime unit has been convened to deliver a unified, strategic and system-wide response. The unit will bring together key Government Departments, policing partners and local authorities to deliver long-term policy solutions to high street organised criminality, enhance intelligence sharing, and support both communities and legitimate businesses to prosper.

In line with the commitment made at the autumn Budget, the work of the unit will be supported by £10 million of funding to enhance the operational response to money laundering and related organised crime on the high street. This funding will provide for:

An increase in National Crime Agency officers dedicated to tackling high street money laundering and associated criminality;

Dedicated operational activity by Greater Manchester police, West Midlands police, and by a joint Kent police and Essex police unit;

An annual national multi-agency crackdown on money laundering through the high street and associated criminality;

Increased local authority capacity to strengthen trading standards and wider business compliance on the high street;

An HMRC-led targeted surge against tax evasion and illicit finance on the high street; and

A communications and compliance campaign aimed at high street businesses, focused on raising awareness of illegal working.

Through this funding, the Government are empowering law enforcement agencies, local authorities and community partners to protect our high streets, disrupt criminal activity and support thriving local businesses. As a result of the funding, I expect to see:

A surge in enforcement targeting organised crime’s exploitation of high street businesses;

Local authorities, regulators and police equipped with the necessary tools, data and co-ordination to identify, investigate and disrupt high street criminality; and

Communities experiencing fewer harms and feeling more confident in their local high streets, supporting thriving businesses.



Tackling organised criminality on the high street is only one component of a larger strategy to revitalise the UK’s high streets. As such, this unit supports the work of the Government’s high streets strategy to protect communities and create resilient, thriving high streets, led by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

I will update the House on progress as the unit develops its strategic policy recommendations.

[HCWS32]

Access to Work Backlog

Tuesday 19th May 2026 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Pat McFadden)]

The Access to Work scheme plays an important role in supporting disabled people and people with health conditions in, and into, work. The core ambition of the scheme is to ensure that disability is never a barrier to, or in, the workplace. The scheme is highly valued by the many disabled people it supports, disabled people’s organisations and employers.

Demand for Access to Work has risen sharply since the pandemic, with more than double the number of applications in 2024-25 than in 2018-19. Alongside this, we inherited a substantial backlog of around 57,000 cases awaiting a decision beyond the expected timescales.

I know how frustrating these delays are, and the impact they can have on the recruitment and retention of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.

That is why we have already increased the number of staff working on Access to Work by around 30%—from 500 in March 2024 to 657 in March 2026—and continued to prioritise applications where a customer is due to start work within four weeks.

Thanks to the action and hard work of our colleagues, we have eliminated delays in making payments and cleared around 96% of cases where a customer was due to start work in four weeks within 28 days.

This is important progress, but there is more to do.

Today I am announcing a clear plan of action to clear the backlog in applications by September 2027.

We will recruit an additional 480 case staff to process the higher volume of applications. When recruitment is complete, we will have more than twice as many staff working on Access to Work as in March 2024. The recruitment process has already begun, and new case managers will receive extensive training to handle complex applications with confidence. This will ensure that disabled people and people with health conditions can receive timely support to secure and sustain employment.

This comes alongside wider work on Keep Britain Working, where Government are partnering with employers and stakeholders to develop practices and approaches to better support disabled people and those with health conditions in the workplace.

It is also important that we consider wider changes to the Access to Work scheme. We are keen to ensure that the scheme remains fair and sustainable. I know how important Access to Work is to the people it supports, so it is important that we take the time to get reforms right to deliver real improvements.

I have taken the time to consult widely and to collaborate with and gather evidence from disabled people, employers and representative bodies. I am now considering the insights from the collaboration committee process, the recent National Audit Office report and work with the independent disability advisory panel to help shape potential wider changes to the scheme.

This announcement is a great step to help deliver an Access to Work that is timely and efficient and can meet the new levels of demand. It will restore confidence in the capability of the scheme to award the right support at the right time, and sets a pathway towards wider improvements.

[HCWS34]