The Government is committed to ensuring that there is a good solution for every building and that consumers have access to a range of suitable low-carbon heating technologies.

Through the Warm Homes Plan, which was published earlier this year and represents the biggest public investment in home upgrades in British history, the Government is rolling out cost-effective, clean energy technologies that reduce bills and carbon emissions including solar, batteries, and heat pumps.

Universal grants of up to £9,000 are available for heat pump installations through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and we recently expanded eligibility for the scheme to include grants of up to £2,500 for both air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries.

Low-income households can access fully-funded grant support for various technologies through the Warm Homes: Local Grant, delivered through local authorities, and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, delivered through social housing providers.

The government recognises that heat batteries can play a role in decarbonising domestic heating, noting their ability to take advantage of time-of-use electricity tariffs through charging at off-peak times. The government has committed to provide grants through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, with a value of £2,500, that can support the installation of heat batteries, once appropriate product, design and installation standards have been implemented, including robust consumer protections.

Officials within DESNZ are in regular contact with Association for Decentralised Energy, engaging with them on bringing heat batteries onto the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the potential role heat batteries can play within the government’s overall aims.

The Government response to last year’s public consultation on the Boiler Upgrade Scheme set out that the scheme will begin to provide grants of £2,500 to support the installation of heat batteries once appropriate product and installation standards are in place. There are no plans to alter the grant level at this time.

However, as with all technologies eligible for support under the scheme, the Government continually reviews whether the level of financial support available to consumers remains sufficient, appropriate and aligned with our wider heat decarbonisation objectives.

The Government's Warm Homes Plan, published earlier this year, represents the biggest public investment in home upgrades in British history, rolling out cost-effective, clean energy technologies that reduce bills including solar, batteries, and heat pumps.

Low-income households can access fully-funded grant support through the Warm Homes: Local Grant, delivered through local authorities, and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, delivered through social housing providers.

Additionally, universal grants of up to £9,000 are available for heat pump installations through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and the Warm Homes Plan also committed to brand-new scheme offering low interest, government-backed consumer loans supported with £2 billion of public funding, providing further help with upfront costs.

More widely, the Government’s recent Clean Energy public campaign showed a range of low carbon technologies including the likes of electric vehicles increasingly represent the more affordable and practical choice for all consumers, offering significant financial advantages over their fossil fuel counterparts.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable Register of Number Plate Supplier process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers and the plates they supply. Options being considered include reviewing fees, scheme structure, resources and funding.

As part of its review of motoring offences, the Department for Transport has also sought views on the introduction of penalty points and vehicle seizure for the offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle with an incorrect, altered or false number plate. The consultation closed on 11 May and responses are being considered.

The Government recognises the impact of number plate crime and is committed to addressing this issue. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) works closely with police forces and the National Police Chiefs’ Council to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

As part of its Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January 2026, the Government has sought views on the introduction of penalty points and vehicle seizure for the offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle with an incorrect, altered or false number plate. The consultation closed on 11 May and responses are being considered.

The DVLA is also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable Register of Number Plate Supplier process, which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers and the plates they supply. Options being considered include reviewing fees, scheme structure, resources and funding.

The DVLA uses its social media pages to warn the public of the importance of only buying number plates from a registered supplier and on gov.uk contains information that advises drivers where their nearest suppliers are and what they need to do to purchase new plates.

The Home Office is responsible for police funding. The DVLA offers support and training for police forces on the illegal display and supply of number plates.

The Government recognises the impact of number plate crime and is committed to addressing this issue. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) works closely with police forces and the National Police Chiefs’ Council to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

As part of its Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January 2026, the Government has sought views on the introduction of penalty points and vehicle seizure for the offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle with an incorrect, altered or false number plate. The consultation closed on 11 May and responses are being considered.

The DVLA is also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable Register of Number Plate Supplier process, which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers and the plates they supply. Options being considered include reviewing fees, scheme structure, resources and funding.

The DVLA uses its social media pages to warn the public of the importance of only buying number plates from a registered supplier and on gov.uk contains information that advises drivers where their nearest suppliers are and what they need to do to purchase new plates.

The Home Office is responsible for police funding. The DVLA offers support and training for police forces on the illegal display and supply of number plates.

The Government recognises the impact of number plate crime and is committed to addressing this issue. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) works closely with police forces and the National Police Chiefs’ Council to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

As part of its Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January 2026, the Government has sought views on the introduction of penalty points and vehicle seizure for the offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle with an incorrect, altered or false number plate. The consultation closed on 11 May and responses are being considered.

The DVLA is also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable Register of Number Plate Supplier process, which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers and the plates they supply. Options being considered include reviewing fees, scheme structure, resources and funding.

The DVLA uses its social media pages to warn the public of the importance of only buying number plates from a registered supplier and on gov.uk contains information that advises drivers where their nearest suppliers are and what they need to do to purchase new plates.

The Home Office is responsible for police funding. The DVLA offers support and training for police forces on the illegal display and supply of number plates.

Vehicle registration plate compliance checks are already included within the MOT test. Registration plates are inspected to ensure they are legible, correctly displayed and comply with legal requirements, and non-compliant plates can result in an MOT failure.

The Government recognises the impact of number plate crime and is committed to addressing this issue. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) works closely with police forces and the National Police Chiefs’ Council to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime.

As part of its Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January 2026, the Government has sought views on the introduction of penalty points and vehicle seizure for the offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle with an incorrect, altered or false number plate. The consultation closed on 11 May and responses are being considered.

The DVLA is also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable Register of Number Plate Supplier process, which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers and the plates they supply. Options being considered include reviewing fees, scheme structure, resources and funding.

The DVLA uses its social media pages to warn the public of the importance of only buying number plates from a registered supplier and on gov.uk contains information that advises drivers where their nearest suppliers are and what they need to do to purchase new plates.

The Home Office is responsible for police funding. The DVLA offers support and training for police forces on the illegal display and supply of number plates.

No such recent estimate has been made, and, as a devolved responsibility, it is not the Department’s role to assess the impact of alcohol harm outside England.

The Department and NHS England have been working on a drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce transformation programme since 2022. The 10-year strategic plan for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, published in 2024, sets out actions for the Government, commissioners, and employers between 2024 and 2034.

This work is informed by three national workforce censuses and an Ipsos staff survey to identify where national and local action is most needed. The latest workforce census showed the workforce increased from 11,270 in 2022 to 13,103 in 2024.

Relevant initiatives have been implemented, including to improve the skills mix, and strengthen clinical supervision and governance, enabling training for currently unregulated roles, and increasing access to regulated professional training.

In March 2025, the Department and NHS England published the Capability framework for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, which sets out the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for 15 core roles in the local authority-funded drug and alcohol treatment and recovery sector.

The programme is also supporting workforce planning and pipeline development for regulated professions. This includes work to support psychology training placements in drug and alcohol services, including through a toolkit developed to support Doctorate in Clinical Psychology placements in drug and alcohol services, and the development of an addiction psychiatry credential with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to help increase specialist addiction psychiatry capacity.

The Department has also funded the development of three national training curricula for drug and alcohol workers, children and young people’s drug and alcohol workers, and peer support workers.

The Department has commissioned a detailed scoping exercise, including engaging with relevant stakeholders, to establish if a national Centre for Addiction would be viable and if so, how it could be established and what its remit could be. This work is considering workforce needs, possible functions, delivery models, and risks. The findings will inform a future decision on whether and how to establish a centre.

The Department and NHS England have been working on a drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce transformation programme since 2022. The 10-year strategic plan for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, published in 2024, sets out actions for the Government, commissioners, and employers between 2024 and 2034.

This work is informed by three national workforce censuses and an Ipsos staff survey to identify where national and local action is most needed. The latest workforce census showed the workforce increased from 11,270 in 2022 to 13,103 in 2024.

Relevant initiatives have been implemented, including to improve the skills mix, and strengthen clinical supervision and governance, enabling training for currently unregulated roles, and increasing access to regulated professional training.

In March 2025, the Department and NHS England published the Capability framework for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, which sets out the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for 15 core roles in the local authority-funded drug and alcohol treatment and recovery sector.

The programme is also supporting workforce planning and pipeline development for regulated professions. This includes work to support psychology training placements in drug and alcohol services, including through a toolkit developed to support Doctorate in Clinical Psychology placements in drug and alcohol services, and the development of an addiction psychiatry credential with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to help increase specialist addiction psychiatry capacity.

The Department has also funded the development of three national training curricula for drug and alcohol workers, children and young people’s drug and alcohol workers, and peer support workers.

The Department has commissioned a detailed scoping exercise, including engaging with relevant stakeholders, to establish if a national Centre for Addiction would be viable and if so, how it could be established and what its remit could be. This work is considering workforce needs, possible functions, delivery models, and risks. The findings will inform a future decision on whether and how to establish a centre.

The Department and NHS England have been working on a drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce transformation programme since 2022. The 10-year strategic plan for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, published in 2024, sets out actions for the Government, commissioners, and employers between 2024 and 2034.

This work is informed by three national workforce censuses and an Ipsos staff survey to identify where national and local action is most needed. The latest workforce census showed the workforce increased from 11,270 in 2022 to 13,103 in 2024.

Relevant initiatives have been implemented, including to improve the skills mix, and strengthen clinical supervision and governance, enabling training for currently unregulated roles, and increasing access to regulated professional training.

In March 2025, the Department and NHS England published the Capability framework for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery workforce, which sets out the skills, knowledge and behaviours required for 15 core roles in the local authority-funded drug and alcohol treatment and recovery sector.

The programme is also supporting workforce planning and pipeline development for regulated professions. This includes work to support psychology training placements in drug and alcohol services, including through a toolkit developed to support Doctorate in Clinical Psychology placements in drug and alcohol services, and the development of an addiction psychiatry credential with the Royal College of Psychiatrists to help increase specialist addiction psychiatry capacity.

The Department has also funded the development of three national training curricula for drug and alcohol workers, children and young people’s drug and alcohol workers, and peer support workers.

The Department has commissioned a detailed scoping exercise, including engaging with relevant stakeholders, to establish if a national Centre for Addiction would be viable and if so, how it could be established and what its remit could be. This work is considering workforce needs, possible functions, delivery models, and risks. The findings will inform a future decision on whether and how to establish a centre.

Local authorities are responsible for commissioning alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. As a condition of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are responsible for improving the uptake of, and outcomes from, their drug and alcohol treatment services, based on an assessment of local need and a plan which has been developed with local health and criminal justice partners.

The Government’s estimates of dependence for opioids and crack, and for alcohol, have been used to produce estimates of unmet need, which are added to the Local Outcomes Framework, i.e. national priority outcomes delivered at the local level. Over the next three years, through the Public Health Grant, we will provide local authorities with a minimum of £3.4 billion of ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Key elements of the Addiction Healthcare Goals (AHG) programme are already being rolled out, including the provision of over £10 million for the Addiction Research Leadership Programme to create a UK-wide pipeline of future research leaders, and £20 million for the ‘AHG: Catalysing Innovation Awards’ to accelerate new pharmaceutical, medical technology, and digital solutions. This work will strengthen our evidence base, and generate new treatments and recovery approaches to improve healthcare outcomes.

Local authorities are responsible for commissioning alcohol and drug treatment and recovery services as part of their public health responsibilities. As a condition of the Public Health Grant, local authorities are responsible for improving the uptake of, and outcomes from, their drug and alcohol treatment services, based on an assessment of local need and a plan which has been developed with local health and criminal justice partners.

The Government’s estimates of dependence for opioids and crack, and for alcohol, have been used to produce estimates of unmet need, which are added to the Local Outcomes Framework, i.e. national priority outcomes delivered at the local level. Over the next three years, through the Public Health Grant, we will provide local authorities with a minimum of £3.4 billion of ringfenced funding for drug and alcohol prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Key elements of the Addiction Healthcare Goals (AHG) programme are already being rolled out, including the provision of over £10 million for the Addiction Research Leadership Programme to create a UK-wide pipeline of future research leaders, and £20 million for the ‘AHG: Catalysing Innovation Awards’ to accelerate new pharmaceutical, medical technology, and digital solutions. This work will strengthen our evidence base, and generate new treatments and recovery approaches to improve healthcare outcomes.

The Government is committed to the safe, ethical and transparent use of algorithmic decision-making and wider algorithmic tools. Transparency is essential to building public trust, enabling accountability, and improving understanding of how algorithms influence decisions and services.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold a separate public register of automated decision-making systems. Where tools fall within scope of the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard, information is published in line with that standard. The Department also has internal governance and assurance arrangements, including an internal inventory of AI-enabled tools and products.

The Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS) is a UK Government standard designed to promote transparency and accountability in the use of algorithmic tools, including artificial intelligence (AI) and automated or algorithm-assisted decision-making systems, across the public sector. It provides a standardised template that enables public bodies to explain what a tool does, why it is being used, how it supports or informs decision-making, the data it uses, the potential risks and impacts that have been identified, and the governance and safeguards in place to manage those risks.

On the basis of current records, the Department does not use AI-enabled tools to take decisions without human involvement. These tools support, rather than replace, professional judgement. Their outputs are reviewed by a suitably qualified person and checked against authoritative sources before being relied upon.