The possession and use of air weapons is subject to statutory controls and regulation to guard against misuse, including attacks on animals, and to ensure safe handling. The controls on air weapons sit alongside other legislation relating to deliberate attempts to kill, injure or inflict harm on wildlife, or to cause suffering to animals.

In England and Wales, higher powered air rifles can only be held lawfully on a firearm certificate and higher-powered air pistols are prohibited. Lower powered air weapons are subject to controls relating to possession and use. A guide to air weapons, published on gov.uk, explains these controls, including advice on safe handling, recognising that irresponsible or misuse of air weapons can result in serious injuries or death. The guide also explains the restrictions that apply to the shooting of air weapons where this can cause danger or injury to others, damage to property or injury or death wild animals, birds or pets.

The possession and use of air weapons is subject to statutory controls and regulation to guard against misuse and to ensure safe handling. In England and Wales, higher powered air rifles can only be held on a firearm certificate and higher powered air pistols are prohibited. Lower powered air weapons are subject to controls in relation to possession and use. We keep these controls under review, whilst the enforcement of the law on air weapons is an operational matter for police forces.

A guide to air weapons safety is available on gov.uk and is intended to explain the law in relation to air weapons and to encourage responsible ownership and use. The guide provides advice on safe handling, recognising that irresponsible or misuse of firearms can result in serious injuries or death, The guide also stresses the importance of preventing children from accessing air weapons and sets out clearly how the law applies to possession in a public place and restrictions that apply to the shooting of air weapons where this can cause danger or injury to others, damage to property or injury or death wild animals, birds or pets.

Alongside the guide, the Firearms (Air Weapons) (England and Wales) Rules 2023 clarified the ‘reasonable precautions’ that air weapon owners must take to safely store air weapons away from children when not in use, so that whenever under-18s are present, air weapons must be stored securely, out of sight, and separately from ammunition.

The possession and use of air weapons is subject to statutory controls and regulation to guard against misuse and to ensure safe handling. In England and Wales, higher powered air rifles can only be held on a firearm certificate and higher powered air pistols are prohibited. Lower powered air weapons are subject to controls in relation to possession and use. We keep these controls under review, whilst the enforcement of the law on air weapons is an operational matter for police forces.

A guide to air weapons safety is available on gov.uk and is intended to explain the law in relation to air weapons and to encourage responsible ownership and use. The guide provides advice on safe handling, recognising that irresponsible or misuse of firearms can result in serious injuries or death, The guide also stresses the importance of preventing children from accessing air weapons and sets out clearly how the law applies to possession in a public place and restrictions that apply to the shooting of air weapons where this can cause danger or injury to others, damage to property or injury or death wild animals, birds or pets.

Alongside the guide, the Firearms (Air Weapons) (England and Wales) Rules 2023 clarified the ‘reasonable precautions’ that air weapon owners must take to safely store air weapons away from children when not in use, so that whenever under-18s are present, air weapons must be stored securely, out of sight, and separately from ammunition.

The possession and purchase of air weapons is subject to statutory controls. Higher powered air rifles that are over 12 foot pounds, must be held on a firearm certificate and air pistols over 6 foot pounds are prohibited weapons.

Although lower powered air weapons can be possessed without a firearm certificate in England and Wales, they are still subject to control. For example, it is an offence to carry an air weapon in public without reasonable excuse, or for an air weapon pellet to be fired beyond the boundary of the land or dwelling where permission has been given to shoot. It is also an offence to intentionally or recklessly kill a pet animal or knowingly cause a pet animal to suffer unnecessarily, which could be committed by shooting at a domestic cat.

We keep the law in this area under close review.

Defra regularly engage with animal welfare organisations on a range of issues. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare. Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare, may be banned from owning animals. They may also face an unlimited fine, be sent to prison, or both.

Defra does not hold data on cases of domestic animals being attacked with air weapons.

Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act), it is an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare. Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare, may be banned from owning animals. They may also face an unlimited fine, be sent to prison, or both.

The Government keeps animal welfare policy under review and is committed to ensuring that animals are protected from unnecessary suffering.

Air weapons are subject to firearms legislation which regulates their possession and use. Air weapons can be lawfully possessed in England and Wales without a firearm certificate if the muzzle energy is not more than six foot pounds for air pistols, and 12 foot pounds for air rifles. An air rifle above this muzzle energy threshold must be held on a firearm certificate and an air pistol above this threshold is a prohibited firearm which can only be held with the authority of the Secretary of State.

In July 2023, secondary legislation introduced in Parliament clarified the ‘reasonable precautions’ which air weapons owners must take to safely store air weapons away from children, so that whenever under-18s are present, air weapons must be stored securely, out of sight, and separately from ammunition.

The Government keeps all firearms controls under review, and we will not hesitate to take action to further tighten the controls on air weapons where it is deemed appropriate.

We published the outcome of our earlier air weapons review along with proposals for new controls in England and Wales, as part of the firearms safety consultation which ran from 24 November 2020 to 16 February 2021. We received over 12,000 responses to the consultation and we will consider these carefully before publishing the Government response.

There are existing controls on both air weapons and crossbows. Retailers are banned from selling crossbows to persons under 18 and legislation is in place to deal with those who use crossbows as a weapon. We keep the legislation on bladed articles and offensive weapons, including crossbows, under review.

It is already an offence to sell or let on hire air weapons or their ammunition to those under 18 years of age, or for a person under the age of 18 years to purchase or hire an air weapon or ammunition. In relation to storage, the firearms safety consultation proposed strengthening the offence of failing to take ‘reasonable precautions’ so that whenever under-18s are on the premises, this must include locking an air weapon out of sight when not in use and storing the ammunition separately.

We published the outcome of our earlier air weapons review along with proposals for new controls in England and Wales, as part of the firearms safety consultation which ran from 24 November 2020 to 16 February 2021. We received over 12,000 responses to the consultation and we will consider these carefully before publishing the Government response.

There are existing controls on both air weapons and crossbows. Retailers are banned from selling crossbows to persons under 18 and legislation is in place to deal with those who use crossbows as a weapon. We keep the legislation on bladed articles and offensive weapons, including crossbows, under review.

It is already an offence to sell or let on hire air weapons or their ammunition to those under 18 years of age, or for a person under the age of 18 years to purchase or hire an air weapon or ammunition. In relation to storage, the firearms safety consultation proposed strengthening the offence of failing to take ‘reasonable precautions’ so that whenever under-18s are on the premises, this must include locking an air weapon out of sight when not in use and storing the ammunition separately.

The Government conducted a review of air weapons regulation following the death of a child involving an air weapon. We invited views on the issue from a wide range of interested parties. As part of the review, the Government also looked at the arrangements that apply to the controls on air weapons in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but we did not solicit specific evidence in relation to the position in those administrations.

We published the outcomes of the review and sought views on our proposals for changes to the regulation of air weapons in the public consultation on firearms safety issues which ran from 24 November 2020 to 16 February 2021.

We will publish our formal response to the consultation, including in relation to air weapons controls in due course, following a full and careful consideration of the responses we received.

The Government conducted a review of air weapons regulation following the death of a child involving an air weapon. We invited views on the issue from a wide range of interested parties. As part of the review, the Government also looked at the arrangements that apply to the controls on air weapons in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but we did not solicit specific evidence in relation to the position in those administrations.

We published the outcomes of the review and sought views on our proposals for changes to the regulation of air weapons in the public consultation on firearms safety issues which ran from 24 November 2020 to 16 February 2021.

We will publish our formal response to the consultation, including in relation to air weapons controls in due course, following a full and careful consideration of the responses we received.

The Government conducted a review of air weapons regulation following the death of a child involving an air weapon. We invited views on the issue from a wide range of interested parties. As part of the review, the Government also looked at the arrangements that apply to the controls on air weapons in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but we did not solicit specific evidence in relation to the position in those administrations.

We published the outcomes of the review and sought views on our proposals for changes to the regulation of air weapons in the public consultation on firearms safety issues which ran from 24 November 2020 to 16 February 2021.

We will publish our formal response to the consultation, including in relation to air weapons controls in due course, following a full and careful consideration of the responses we received.

The consultation on firearms safety proposed further measures on air weapons control following the earlier review of air weapons regulation in England and Wales. The consultation specifically sought views on the outcomes of that review, including strengthening legislation in relation to young persons, and the safe and secure storage of air weapons, with the aim of ensuring their safe and responsible use. The proposals in the consultation focused on improving air weapons safety, particularly in relation to children. The consultation also included further proposals relating to specific firearms safety issues that were raised during the passage of the Offensive Weapons Act 2019.

The requested information is not held centrally.