Home Office

Individual police forces retain operational ownership of investigations. However, several international cooperation tools can support cross‑border enquiries. This includes engagement with INTERPOL and Europol, as well as other mechanisms such as international biometric exchange. Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) can be used where evidence is required from overseas jurisdictions. Eurojust can support coordination of prosecutions and judicial cooperation in relevant cross‑border cases, where appropriate.

We have limited data on the prevalence of drug-facilitated sexual assault within intimate relationships. We have however taken several steps to tackle spiking in England and Wales, including where it is linked to drug facilitated sexual assault. Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we are introducing a new criminal offence for spiking, which will give greater clarity to victims and raise the maximum sentence for the offence of administering a poisonous or noxious substance in section 24 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.

We are working with three police forces to roll out a sample collection pilot in Spring 2026, which aims to improve the timeliness and accessibility of urine sample collection following suspected spiking incidents. We have commissioned the University of Birmingham to undertake academic research into the motivations of spiking perpetrators. finally, the Police are developing a new guidance and training package on spiking for frontline officers, which will enable better support to be provided to suspected victims, as well as more timely evidence-gathering which should help to bring perpetrators to justice.

Statutory guidance on controlling or coercive behaviour has been issued to the police and other agencies, which highlights that perpetrators of domestic abuse may use substances such as alcohol or drugs to control a victim through dependency. More details can be found here: Controlling or coercive behaviour: statutory guidance framework (accessible) - GOV.UK. The Government has committed to updating the controlling or coercive behaviour statutory guidance by the end of 2026.

All NHS staff receive national mandatory safeguarding training that is being strengthened for launch in December 2026. This will reinforce to staff their safeguarding responsibilities and support them in identifying and responding to victims of violence and abuse.

Individual police forces retain operational ownership of investigations. However, several international cooperation tools can support cross‑border enquiries. This includes engagement with INTERPOL and Europol, as well as other mechanisms such as international biometric exchange. Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) can be used where evidence is required from overseas jurisdictions. Eurojust can support coordination of prosecutions and judicial cooperation in relevant cross‑border cases, where appropriate.

We have limited data on the prevalence of drug-facilitated sexual assault within intimate relationships. We have however taken several steps to tackle spiking in England and Wales, including where it is linked to drug facilitated sexual assault. Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we are introducing a new criminal offence for spiking, which will give greater clarity to victims and raise the maximum sentence for the offence of administering a poisonous or noxious substance in section 24 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861.

We are working with three police forces to roll out a sample collection pilot in Spring 2026, which aims to improve the timeliness and accessibility of urine sample collection following suspected spiking incidents. We have commissioned the University of Birmingham to undertake academic research into the motivations of spiking perpetrators. finally, the Police are developing a new guidance and training package on spiking for frontline officers, which will enable better support to be provided to suspected victims, as well as more timely evidence-gathering which should help to bring perpetrators to justice.

Statutory guidance on controlling or coercive behaviour has been issued to the police and other agencies, which highlights that perpetrators of domestic abuse may use substances such as alcohol or drugs to control a victim through dependency. More details can be found here: Controlling or coercive behaviour: statutory guidance framework (accessible) - GOV.UK. The Government has committed to updating the controlling or coercive behaviour statutory guidance by the end of 2026.

All NHS staff receive national mandatory safeguarding training that is being strengthened for launch in December 2026. This will reinforce to staff their safeguarding responsibilities and support them in identifying and responding to victims of violence and abuse.

The Home Office works closely with police forces and stakeholders to assess the use of facial recognition by law enforcement. As part of this engagement, we have consulted on a new legal framework on how and when law enforcement should use biometrics and facial recognition, including the safeguards that should apply to the use of these technologies. That consultation closed on 12 February; we are considering responses and will legislate in due course.

When using the technology, the police must operate within the legal framework, including data protection, equality and human rights legislation, national guidance, a code of practice and force‑level policies. The Home Office is aware of the risk of bias in facial recognition algorithms and all police facial recognition systems funded by the Home Office must be independently tested so that they can be operated at settings where there is negligible bias.

The Home Secretary has also tasked His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), with support from the Forensic Science Regulator, to look at whether people have been affected by the bias as part of the inspection of police and relevant law enforcement agencies’ use of retrospective facial recognition. The inspection is in progress and the terms of reference have been published by HMICFRS.

The Home Office continues to invest in the development of its data and data systems to support insightful analysis of the immigration system.

The Home Office is taking steps to improve data quality and transparency regarding agents. From 7 April Student sponsors will be required to provide agent details on the Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for all student applications where the sponsor has used an agent to recruit the student. From the same date, all sponsors will also be required to adhere to the Agent Quality Framework (AQF).

Minimum academic, attendance and engagement requirements already apply to the Graduate route. Graduate applicants are required to have successfully completed an eligible qualification whilst holding permission on the Student route and student sponsors are required to comply with the Home Office’s academic engagement policy in relation to all sponsored students.

As announced in the Immigration White Paper, from 1 January 2027 Graduates will be granted 18 months of permission instead of 2 years in recognition of the need for Graduates to transition into Graduate level jobs more quickly.

The Home Office is taking steps to improve data quality and transparency regarding agents. From 7 April Student sponsors will be required to provide agent details on the Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for all student applications where the sponsor has used an agent to recruit the student. From the same date, all sponsors will also be required to adhere to the Agent Quality Framework (AQF).

Minimum academic, attendance and engagement requirements already apply to the Graduate route. Graduate applicants are required to have successfully completed an eligible qualification whilst holding permission on the Student route and student sponsors are required to comply with the Home Office’s academic engagement policy in relation to all sponsored students.

As announced in the Immigration White Paper, from 1 January 2027 Graduates will be granted 18 months of permission instead of 2 years in recognition of the need for Graduates to transition into Graduate level jobs more quickly.

The Home Office is taking steps to improve data quality and transparency regarding agents. From 7 April Student sponsors will be required to provide agent details on the Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for all student applications where the sponsor has used an agent to recruit the student. From the same date, all sponsors will also be required to adhere to the Agent Quality Framework (AQF).

Minimum academic, attendance and engagement requirements already apply to the Graduate route. Graduate applicants are required to have successfully completed an eligible qualification whilst holding permission on the Student route and student sponsors are required to comply with the Home Office’s academic engagement policy in relation to all sponsored students.

As announced in the Immigration White Paper, from 1 January 2027 Graduates will be granted 18 months of permission instead of 2 years in recognition of the need for Graduates to transition into Graduate level jobs more quickly.

The Home Office is taking steps to improve data quality and transparency regarding agents. From 7 April Student sponsors will be required to provide agent details on the Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for all student applications where the sponsor has used an agent to recruit the student. From the same date, all sponsors will also be required to adhere to the Agent Quality Framework (AQF).

Minimum academic, attendance and engagement requirements already apply to the Graduate route. Graduate applicants are required to have successfully completed an eligible qualification whilst holding permission on the Student route and student sponsors are required to comply with the Home Office’s academic engagement policy in relation to all sponsored students.

As announced in the Immigration White Paper, from 1 January 2027 Graduates will be granted 18 months of permission instead of 2 years in recognition of the need for Graduates to transition into Graduate level jobs more quickly.

The Home Office is taking steps to improve data quality and transparency regarding agents. From 7 April Student sponsors will be required to provide agent details on the Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for all student applications where the sponsor has used an agent to recruit the student. From the same date, all sponsors will also be required to adhere to the Agent Quality Framework (AQF).

Minimum academic, attendance and engagement requirements already apply to the Graduate route. Graduate applicants are required to have successfully completed an eligible qualification whilst holding permission on the Student route and student sponsors are required to comply with the Home Office’s academic engagement policy in relation to all sponsored students.

As announced in the Immigration White Paper, from 1 January 2027 Graduates will be granted 18 months of permission instead of 2 years in recognition of the need for Graduates to transition into Graduate level jobs more quickly.

The Home Office is taking steps to improve data quality and transparency regarding agents. From 7 April Student sponsors will be required to provide agent details on the Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) for all student applications where the sponsor has used an agent to recruit the student. From the same date, all sponsors will also be required to adhere to the Agent Quality Framework (AQF).

Minimum academic, attendance and engagement requirements already apply to the Graduate route. Graduate applicants are required to have successfully completed an eligible qualification whilst holding permission on the Student route and student sponsors are required to comply with the Home Office’s academic engagement policy in relation to all sponsored students.

As announced in the Immigration White Paper, from 1 January 2027 Graduates will be granted 18 months of permission instead of 2 years in recognition of the need for Graduates to transition into Graduate level jobs more quickly.

The Home Office English Language Testing Programme remains in live procurement. We anticipate that the successful bidder will hold, or secure, Ofqual recognition. They must then continue to meet the rigorous bar required to comply with Ofqual's regulatory requirements. We are committed to working with Ofqual through to mobilisation to protect the integrity of these high-stakes tests.

In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, the Government committed to transforming its approach to safe and legal routes. This included the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community groups to sponsor refugees and displaced persons.

Work is underway to deliver the named community sponsorship route.

Further details, including the number of beneficiaries, will be set out in due course.

The security and integrity of English Language Testing arrangements is a matter the Government takes very seriously and robust standards in this area are essential to maintaining the integrity of the immigration system.

We work closely with our Five Eyes counterparts across all service areas, including language testing, and value the insight provided by these interactions.

As there is a live procurement exercise currently under way, it would not be appropriate for the Home Office to comment further on the specific arrangements or any discussions that may inform them at this time.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 November 2025 to Question UIN 94124.

The security schedule and solution requirements form part of the live procurement documentation for this contract. As the procurement process is live and ongoing, it would not be appropriate to publish these documents at this time, as doing so could prejudice the integrity of the competitive tendering process

Externally, prior to live procurement, the Home Office English Language Testing (HOELT) Programme conducted five rounds of market engagement. This included industry experts and market leaders.

The programme has also engaged with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) Commercial Innovation Hub, including the Government Digital Service in addition to Home Office Digital (HOD) who are fully embedded in the programme, supported by specialist managed services covering technical architecture, service design, cyber security, testing, and AI assurance.

The Government recognises the importance of safe and timely shearing to protect animal welfare. The sheep shearing concession has been operating for 15 years and it is reasonable to expect that over this period a long-term sustainable solution had been found to identify this workforce gap. Therefore, having considered the potential merits, and in line with the plans set out in the White Paper “Restoring Control over the Immigration System,” published in May 2025, the Government does not consider a long-term route is required.

The Government expects the sector to meet these needs through the domestic workforce and individuals with existing general work rights, including dependants or Youth Mobility Scheme visa holders, who are free to take up work as a sheep shearer subject to the relevant visa restrictions.

The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, including service standards for processing visa applications.

All family visa applications are carefully considered in line with the published family visa processing times available here: Visa processing times: applications inside the UK - GOV.UK. Where applicants require their application to be expedited owing to their individual compelling and compassionate circumstances, we will consider each case on its own merit.

Applicants on certain family routes may choose to use optional priority or super priority services, where available, for an additional fee to receive a faster decision on their application. Applicants using the priority service will usually receive a decision within five working days.

Further information on the priority service is available here: Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application: Applying for a faster decision - GOV.UK.

The decision to introduce a visa brake on the Student visa route for Sudan and three other nationalities was based on data-driven migration and border security considerations. There are no plans to provide exceptions for prospective students in scope of the brake.

By providing 21 days’ notice ahead of the implementation of the visa brake, any prospective Sudanese student who held an offer of study from a licenced student sponsor and a valid Confirmation of Acceptance of Study (CAS), was able to apply for a Student visa as normal ahead of implementation on 26 March.

Since August 2025, there has been no three-year residency requirement to access Adult Skills Fund provision. A correction to PQ 110385 was issued on 31 March.

Following the completion of Economic Crime Plan 2, the Government will publish its new Anti-Money Laundering and Asset Recovery (AMLAR) Strategy this summer. The strategy is being developed jointly by the Home Office, HM Treasury and in close partnership with the private sector, and will set out a series of ambitious measures to strengthen the UK’s response to money laundering and improve our approach to asset recovery.

The AMLAR Strategy will be published alongside the new Economic Crime Plan 2026–29, which will bring together the Government’s economic crime strategies in a single strategic framework and drive forward key cross‑cutting initiatives.

There are currently no refugees arriving via the UK's Safe and Legal Routes who are scheduled for resettlement in Grantham.

The Asylum Accommodation Plans are the mechanisms via which the Home Office works towards achieving Full Dispersal and thus a fair and balanced distribution of asylum accommodation across all local authorities nationally. The Asylum Accommodation Plans are underpinned by an indexing model which accounts for a multitude of pressures within local authorities, including availability of housing, levels of homelessness, availability of GP and dentists as well as levels of community cohesion. Development of the plans was informed by engagement with a range of national, regional and local stakeholders, to ensure that the evidence base was reflective of boarder local authority feedback.

Procurement and delivery of asylum accommodation, in line with the plans, is supported by regular engagement between the Home Office, accommodation providers, and local authority officials. Engagement is undertaken both via regular official forums jointly chaired by the Home Office and regional Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs), as well as via ad hoc meetings with individual local authorities where there is a need to discuss specific concerns and/or issues. I can confirm that there has been continued engagement between Home Office, South Kesteven and Lincolnshire officials, both via official forums as well as ad hoc meetings, not only in reference to the broader Asylum Accommodation Plans but also more specifically regarding Grantham.

Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation; ensuring procurement of suitable accommodation that allows us to fulfil out statutory obligations whilst carefully considering any potential impacts on local areas. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas, but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence to inform procurement. This approach supports our commitment to ensuring that the provision of asylum accommodation is informed by local context and that any impacts on communities and services are minimised.

There are currently no refugees arriving via the UK's Safe and Legal Routes who are scheduled for resettlement in Grantham.

The Asylum Accommodation Plans are the mechanisms via which the Home Office works towards achieving Full Dispersal and thus a fair and balanced distribution of asylum accommodation across all local authorities nationally. The Asylum Accommodation Plans are underpinned by an indexing model which accounts for a multitude of pressures within local authorities, including availability of housing, levels of homelessness, availability of GP and dentists as well as levels of community cohesion. Development of the plans was informed by engagement with a range of national, regional and local stakeholders, to ensure that the evidence base was reflective of boarder local authority feedback.

Procurement and delivery of asylum accommodation, in line with the plans, is supported by regular engagement between the Home Office, accommodation providers, and local authority officials. Engagement is undertaken both via regular official forums jointly chaired by the Home Office and regional Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs), as well as via ad hoc meetings with individual local authorities where there is a need to discuss specific concerns and/or issues. I can confirm that there has been continued engagement between Home Office, South Kesteven and Lincolnshire officials, both via official forums as well as ad hoc meetings, not only in reference to the broader Asylum Accommodation Plans but also more specifically regarding Grantham.

Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation; ensuring procurement of suitable accommodation that allows us to fulfil out statutory obligations whilst carefully considering any potential impacts on local areas. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas, but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence to inform procurement. This approach supports our commitment to ensuring that the provision of asylum accommodation is informed by local context and that any impacts on communities and services are minimised.

There are currently no refugees arriving via the UK's Safe and Legal Routes who are scheduled for resettlement in Grantham.

The Asylum Accommodation Plans are the mechanisms via which the Home Office works towards achieving Full Dispersal and thus a fair and balanced distribution of asylum accommodation across all local authorities nationally. The Asylum Accommodation Plans are underpinned by an indexing model which accounts for a multitude of pressures within local authorities, including availability of housing, levels of homelessness, availability of GP and dentists as well as levels of community cohesion. Development of the plans was informed by engagement with a range of national, regional and local stakeholders, to ensure that the evidence base was reflective of boarder local authority feedback.

Procurement and delivery of asylum accommodation, in line with the plans, is supported by regular engagement between the Home Office, accommodation providers, and local authority officials. Engagement is undertaken both via regular official forums jointly chaired by the Home Office and regional Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs), as well as via ad hoc meetings with individual local authorities where there is a need to discuss specific concerns and/or issues. I can confirm that there has been continued engagement between Home Office, South Kesteven and Lincolnshire officials, both via official forums as well as ad hoc meetings, not only in reference to the broader Asylum Accommodation Plans but also more specifically regarding Grantham.

Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation; ensuring procurement of suitable accommodation that allows us to fulfil out statutory obligations whilst carefully considering any potential impacts on local areas. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas, but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence to inform procurement. This approach supports our commitment to ensuring that the provision of asylum accommodation is informed by local context and that any impacts on communities and services are minimised.

There are currently no refugees arriving via the UK's Safe and Legal Routes who are scheduled for resettlement in Grantham.

The Asylum Accommodation Plans are the mechanisms via which the Home Office works towards achieving Full Dispersal and thus a fair and balanced distribution of asylum accommodation across all local authorities nationally. The Asylum Accommodation Plans are underpinned by an indexing model which accounts for a multitude of pressures within local authorities, including availability of housing, levels of homelessness, availability of GP and dentists as well as levels of community cohesion. Development of the plans was informed by engagement with a range of national, regional and local stakeholders, to ensure that the evidence base was reflective of boarder local authority feedback.

Procurement and delivery of asylum accommodation, in line with the plans, is supported by regular engagement between the Home Office, accommodation providers, and local authority officials. Engagement is undertaken both via regular official forums jointly chaired by the Home Office and regional Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs), as well as via ad hoc meetings with individual local authorities where there is a need to discuss specific concerns and/or issues. I can confirm that there has been continued engagement between Home Office, South Kesteven and Lincolnshire officials, both via official forums as well as ad hoc meetings, not only in reference to the broader Asylum Accommodation Plans but also more specifically regarding Grantham.

Consultation with local authority officials forms a vital part of procurement of asylum accommodation; ensuring procurement of suitable accommodation that allows us to fulfil out statutory obligations whilst carefully considering any potential impacts on local areas. The Home Office and its accommodation providers operate a robust consultation process, which not only ensures that local authorities are aware of all ongoing procurement activity of Dispersed Accommodation in their respective areas, but also allows them to share local expertise and intelligence to inform procurement. This approach supports our commitment to ensuring that the provision of asylum accommodation is informed by local context and that any impacts on communities and services are minimised.

An updated protocol has been produced, with support from police representatives and was shared in mid-October 2025.

For Asylum Accommodation, the agreement now includes Home Office data sharing commitments between NPCC and HO Asylum Support. A summary is highlighted below:

• In accordance with provisions of General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, any request by police for sharing of personal data relating to current occupants of asylum accommodation premises must have a lawful basis and be necessary and proportionate to the proposed use of data.
• Enquiries or requests from police for one-off or small-scale data or information regarding personal details of individual service users, or occupants of individual properties should be directed to, and met by, the Home Office’s accommodation providers in the first instance.
• Where police forces encounter a concern with a Home Office accommodation provider’s service, compliance or reasonable timeliness of response to data requests, concerns can be escalated to the appropriate Home Office Service Delivery Team.

Leave granted under the European Community Association Agreement (ECAA) allows people, largely Turkish nationals, to work or establish businesses in the UK.

The Home Office does not publish information on ECAA applications awaiting decision.

The Home Office does not publish information specifically relating to grants of Indefinite Leave to Remain under the ECAA route.

However, from the immigration statistics published for the calendar year ending December 2025, it was noted that the published data on grants of Settlement under the Work Permit holder category largely relates to persons granted leave under the ECAA route. The published statistics for the year ending December 2025 show that there were 6,367 Settlement grants for Work Permit holders, an increase of 72% on the previous 12 months.

The Home Office publishes statistics on returns from the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The latest data on asylum-related returns by return type and top 10 most common nationalities in 2025 can be found in table Ret_04 of the ‘Returns summary tables’.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.

As you are aware, the Home Office publishes statistics on the number of returns from the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The latest data on returns from the UK, by nationality and asylum and non-asylum is published in table Ret_04 of the ‘Returns summary tables’. The latest data goes up to the end of December 2025.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.

As you are aware, the Home Office publishes statistics on the number of returns from the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The latest data on returns from the UK, by nationality and asylum and non-asylum is published in table Ret_04 of the ‘Returns summary tables’. The latest data goes up to the end of December 2025.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is operationally independent and therefore responsible for the information it publishes.

The organisation currently publishes performance against its targets at DBS dataset 1: DBS checks, the DBS Update Service, and disputes - GOV.UK.

It does not publish information about the sector, occupation, or Standard Industrial Classification in relation to its checks.

The Government is committed to halving knife crime and tackling violent and exploitative county lines gangs is crucial to achieving this. That is why we are investing more than £34 million in 26/27 in the County Lines Programme, to pursue violent line holders and safeguard children and vulnerable people.

The success and impact of the County Lines Programme is clear. Since July 2024, the Programme has resulted in more than 3,000 deal lines closed, 8,200 arrests, (including the arrest and subsequent charge of over 1,600 deal line holders), 4,300 safeguarding referrals of children and vulnerable people, and 900 knives seized. More than 620 children and young people have also received dedicated specialist support through our county lines support service in the same period.

Independent evaluation of the Programme has shown it is having a significant impact, reducing hospitalisations due to knife stabbings by 25% and drug misuse hospitalisations by 29% in the Programme taskforce areas. The latest Strategic Assessment by the National County Lines Coordination Centre also shows that the number of children involved in county lines has reduced by 17% since 22/23.

As committed to in the Government’s manifesto, we have also introduced a new offence of criminal exploitation of children in the Crime and Policing Bill to go after the gangs who are luring young people into violence and crime. As part of this legislation, we are delivering new civil preventative orders to disrupt and prevent child criminal exploitation from occurring or re-occurring.

Equality impacts will be considered for individual policies as they continue to be developed and will be kept under review to ensure there are no unintended impacts.

The scale of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable and this Government is treating it as the national emergency that it is. The cross-government VAWG Strategy, published on 18 December 2025, sets out the strategic direction and concrete actions to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims, and to deliver our unprecedented commitment to halve VAWG in a decade.

The Strategy is supported by at least £1 billion of government funding over the Spending Review period, alongside much wider investment across the whole of government. All commitments within the Strategy are fully funded and funding allocations will be announced by the departments leading individual policy measures in the normal way

In December 2025, the Home Office confirmed the continuation of funding for some of the current vital frontline support services to victims of VAWG, including improving the police response to VAWG and tackling the root causes of VAWG, ahead of anticipated future funding. Future funding will be dependent on the scope and eligibility criteria of the competitions. Further information about future opportunities for funding will be communicated openly, including on ‘Find Government Grants’ - GOV.UK.

The scale of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable and this Government is treating it as the national emergency that it is. The cross-government VAWG Strategy, published on 18 December 2025, sets out the strategic direction and concrete actions to prevent violence and abuse, pursue perpetrators, and support victims, and to deliver our unprecedented commitment to halve VAWG in a decade.

The Strategy is supported by at least £1 billion of government funding over the Spending Review period, alongside much wider investment across the whole of government. All commitments within the Strategy are fully funded and funding allocations will be announced by the departments leading individual policy measures in the normal way

In December 2025, the Home Office confirmed the continuation of funding for some of the current vital frontline support services to victims of VAWG, including improving the police response to VAWG and tackling the root causes of VAWG, ahead of anticipated future funding. Future funding will be dependent on the scope and eligibility criteria of the competitions. Further information about future opportunities for funding will be communicated openly, including on ‘Find Government Grants’ - GOV.UK.

The Home Office maintains regular and ongoing engagement with all asylum accommodation providers, including Serco, to ensure contractual obligations are met and that accommodation is delivered in line with the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contract (AASC).

These discussions take place on a frequent and sustained basis as part of routine operational oversight. Engagement focuses on performance, property standards, welfare provisions, and the quality of accommodation, ensuring services are delivered in accordance with Home Office guidance and statutory responsibilities.

While the Home Office and Serco work closely on these operational matters, decisions on the use of specific properties or locations - including in Grantham - are taken within the Home Office's statutory duty under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to ensure asylum seekers are not left destitute while their claims are processed. The Department retains overall responsibility for accommodation provision, with Serco delivering services and managing property portfolios in line with contract requirements.

We continue to work closely with local authorities, including those covering the Grantham area, to ensure dispersal is carried out fairly, responsibly, and with consideration of local capacity and public services.

In circumstances where concerns are raised by the local authority about proposed accommodation, these matters are considered through the Home Office's strengthened governance and oversight arrangements for asylum accommodation. Where agreement cannot be reached at a local level, issues may be escalated through internal decision‑making routes for further consideration, in line with the enhanced governance and contract‑management framework described in recent Home Office responses to parliamentary scrutiny.

We are continuing to review and analyse the 200,000 responses received during the earned settlement consultation ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’ (CP 1448), which will help inform development of the final model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once that is decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.

The Asylum Policy Search tool (APS) tool is an artificial intelligence (AI) search assistant. It is a chat-based interface which finds and summarises Country Policy Information Notes (CPIN) directly relevant to the inputted query, to provide the policy basis for decisions.

In line with the ‘human in the loop’ principle, APS was designed so that decision-makers cannot use the tool by itself to decide a claim. AI technology does not make decisions on Asylum applications; instead, it will help Asylum Decision Makers analyse data and provide insightful information that further informs outcomes.

The Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) tool uses AI to summarise asylum interview transcripts. The tool uses a Large Language Model to extract and summarise information from existing asylum interview transcript documents to provide decision-makers with a concise summary document. In line with the ‘human in the loop’ principle, ACS has been designed so that decision-makers cannot use the tool by itself to decide a claim. Instead, it acts as an aid in the usual decision-making process.

After APS was operationalised, a specific inbox was set up for Decision Makers to feed back any issues found with the tool. Subject Matter Expert (SME) testing continues after operationalisation, in conjunction with the CPIT (Country Policy & Information Team), for APS.

Whilst there is no standard operating procedure in place on the use of APS, all members of the Department were required to complete a mandatory ‘AI for all’ learning package in 2025. Furthermore, caseworkers were given comprehensive training on the use of APS before it was operationalised.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the Department intends to publish a DPIA for the APS and ACS tools after both have been operationalised. APS is now fully rolled out, while ACS is due to follow in April 2026.

The Asylum Policy Search tool (APS) tool is an artificial intelligence (AI) search assistant. It is a chat-based interface which finds and summarises Country Policy Information Notes (CPIN) directly relevant to the inputted query, to provide the policy basis for decisions.

In line with the ‘human in the loop’ principle, APS was designed so that decision-makers cannot use the tool by itself to decide a claim. AI technology does not make decisions on Asylum applications; instead, it will help Asylum Decision Makers analyse data and provide insightful information that further informs outcomes.

The Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) tool uses AI to summarise asylum interview transcripts. The tool uses a Large Language Model to extract and summarise information from existing asylum interview transcript documents to provide decision-makers with a concise summary document. In line with the ‘human in the loop’ principle, ACS has been designed so that decision-makers cannot use the tool by itself to decide a claim. Instead, it acts as an aid in the usual decision-making process.

After APS was operationalised, a specific inbox was set up for Decision Makers to feed back any issues found with the tool. Subject Matter Expert (SME) testing continues after operationalisation, in conjunction with the CPIT (Country Policy & Information Team), for APS.

Whilst there is no standard operating procedure in place on the use of APS, all members of the Department were required to complete a mandatory ‘AI for all’ learning package in 2025. Furthermore, caseworkers were given comprehensive training on the use of APS before it was operationalised.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the Department intends to publish a DPIA for the APS and ACS tools after both have been operationalised. APS is now fully rolled out, while ACS is due to follow in April 2026.

The Asylum Policy Search tool (APS) tool is an artificial intelligence (AI) search assistant. It is a chat-based interface which finds and summarises Country Policy Information Notes (CPIN) directly relevant to the inputted query, to provide the policy basis for decisions.

In line with the ‘human in the loop’ principle, APS was designed so that decision-makers cannot use the tool by itself to decide a claim. AI technology does not make decisions on Asylum applications; instead, it will help Asylum Decision Makers analyse data and provide insightful information that further informs outcomes.

The Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) tool uses AI to summarise asylum interview transcripts. The tool uses a Large Language Model to extract and summarise information from existing asylum interview transcript documents to provide decision-makers with a concise summary document. In line with the ‘human in the loop’ principle, ACS has been designed so that decision-makers cannot use the tool by itself to decide a claim. Instead, it acts as an aid in the usual decision-making process.

After APS was operationalised, a specific inbox was set up for Decision Makers to feed back any issues found with the tool. Subject Matter Expert (SME) testing continues after operationalisation, in conjunction with the CPIT (Country Policy & Information Team), for APS.

Whilst there is no standard operating procedure in place on the use of APS, all members of the Department were required to complete a mandatory ‘AI for all’ learning package in 2025. Furthermore, caseworkers were given comprehensive training on the use of APS before it was operationalised.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the Department intends to publish a DPIA for the APS and ACS tools after both have been operationalised. APS is now fully rolled out, while ACS is due to follow in April 2026.

An Equality Impact Assessment and Data Protection Impact Assessment were completed for both Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) and Asylum Policy Search (APS) before pilots commenced. An updated EIA for both ACS and APS is currently intended to be published after both tools have been operationalised.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the Department intends to publish a DPIA for the APS and ACS tools after both have been operationalised. APS is now fully rolled out, while ACS is due to follow in April 2026.

An Equality Impact Assessment and Data Protection Impact Assessment were completed for both Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) and Asylum Policy Search (APS) before pilots commenced. An updated EIA for both ACS and APS is currently intended to be published after both tools have been operationalised.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the Department intends to publish a DPIA for the APS and ACS tools after both have been operationalised. APS is now fully rolled out, while ACS is due to follow in April 2026.

An Equality Impact Assessment and Data Protection Impact Assessment were completed for both Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) and Asylum Policy Search (APS) before pilots commenced. An updated EIA for both ACS and APS is currently intended to be published after both tools have been operationalised.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the Department intends to publish a DPIA for the APS and ACS tools after both have been operationalised. APS is now fully rolled out, while ACS is due to follow in April 2026.

Home Office officials keep the asylum accommodation estate under continual review.

As part of this estate management, operational adjustments are made on an ongoing basis to ensure sufficient and suitable capacity is maintained to meet expected levels of demand.