Apply for civil legal aid – building an improved service
Some civil legal aid providers can now access: Apply for civil legal aid Section 8, Special Children Act, Public Law Family and Domestic Abuse – except Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPO) – applications for legal aid in civil proceedings should be submitted through the Apply for civil legal aid portal. Apply for civil legal aid […]
Sellafield’s ’locked vault’ gives up its nuclear secrets
Waste is now being routinely retrieved from one of the world’s oldest nuclear waste stores for the first time in its history. Sellafield’s Pile Fuel Cladding Silo has effectively been a locked vault since the 1970s. That was when waste stopped being tipped into its 6 compartments. After decades of work to figure out how […]
Alex Ely has been appointed as Chair of the Museum of the Home
Alex Ely Alex is Founder Director of Mæ, an architecture and urban design studio based in London. Alex is a RIBA Chartered Architect and a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, he graduated from the Royal College of Art. Under his leadership, Mæ has gained international recognition for its innovative and socially responsive design […]
Reappointment of a Non-Judicial Member of the Sentencing Council
The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointment of Richard Wright KC as a non-judicial member of the Sentencing Council with special expertise in criminal defence. The reappointment is for 3 years from 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2028. The Sentencing Council for England and Wales was set up in April 2010 to promote […]
Statement on Serco asylum accommodation list
A Home Office spokesperson said: The list of local authorities Serco shared on its website for landlords is not a Home Office list, nor is it a list of any existing or future asylum accommodation. Serco is one of several companies contracted by the previous government 6 years ago to provide dispersal asylum accommodation in […]
New powers to root out fake ‘lawyers’ giving rogue asylum advice
Fake immigration lawyers offering rogue ‘advice’ to migrants on how to lodge fraudulent asylum claims will be weeded out through tough new powers in the government’s milestone Border Security, Asylum, and Immigration Bill. Currently, giving immigration advice without proper registration with the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA), or recognised legal regulatory body, is a criminal offence […]
Clients award GAD high ratings in feedback
In the latest client feedback exercise about the work of the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), 99% of respondents have rated us 4 or more stars for being highly valued. The survey included clients’ views on their overall perception of our how well we undertake our work and fulfil our objectives. We also asked for ratings […]
Immigration offenders returned on flight to Nigeria and Ghana
43 failed asylum seekers and foreign offenders were returned on a charter flight to Nigeria and Ghana, as the government steps up international collaboration to secure our borders. The flight underscores the government’s progress restoring order to the immigration system through the Plan for Change, ensuring rules are respected and those who break them are […]
International crackdown on cannabis smuggling
Cannabis arrivals by post from Thailand plummeted by 90% in the first three months of this year, thanks to a new partnership between UK Border Force and Thai customs. Since Thailand decriminalised cannabis in 2022, there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of cannabis being sent to the UK by post. In the […]
Redesigning and rebuilding ‘Check if you can get legal aid’
We recently launched an improved service that helps clients better understand whether they may qualify for legal aid. The website supports our wider goal of making legal aid simpler and more accessible for everyone. The updated tool allows members of the public to check their eligibility with ease, using clear, everyday language that reflects how […]