Home Office

The Home Office is the UK Government department with lead responsibility for immigration and borders, national security, policing, crime and fire and rescue services in England and Wales. Established in 1782, it is one of the oldest departments of state, its REMIT having expanded significantly since the Windrush era and the post-2010 hostile-environment policy. The Home Secretary holds one of the four Great Offices of state; Shabana Mahmood survived the change of prime minister, one of a small number of senior figures Andy Burnham chose to carry over rather than replace once his new team was in place on 23 July 2026 . The department controls UK Visas and Immigration, Border Force, the National Crime Agency and the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism.

For the technology sector, the department's primary relevance is Visa and immigration policy: the AI Researcher Recognition programme, a fast-track Visa route for senior AI researchers and critical technical hires, routes through Home Office immigration infrastructure. Maritime security operations involving autonomous vessels in UK waters, such as those pursued by startups like Online Oceans, also fall under frameworks the department shares with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the National Crime Agency .

On local government, the Home Secretary retains a watching brief over council-level decisions with security implications, including Reform-controlled Lancashire's May 2026 withdrawal from the national refugee resettlement scheme .