We have made the landmark commitment to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, and we have begun delivering already; providing domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres, specialist rape and sexual offence investigation units in our police forces, and £16 million for programmes in schools on healthy relationships and tackling harmful behaviour. Our ambition is clear, but there is much more work to do.

The 10-Year Health Plan set out our ambition for high autonomy to be the norm across every part of the country. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the healthcare needs of their local population and have the freedom to do so, including women’s health. The Government is backing ICBs to do this through record funding.

Whilst we have moved away from endless central targets through the planning guidance, we have been very clear with ICBs that we expect them to continue their prioritisation of women’s health services.

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy commits to using insights from what women are saying to improve how services respond. With patient power payments, an innovative pilot approach that will focus on specific gynaecology services as a first step, patients will be contacted after care and given a say on whether the full payment for the costs of their care should be released to the providers. Prioritising specific gynaecology services will provide a new mechanism to ensure providers are responsive to women’s voices.

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy commits to investing £1.5m into a FemTech healthcare challenge. This investment will accelerate the deployment and spread of innovations that benefit women’s health, with a focus on community service models that address health inequalities. It will enable systems and developers to buy products, and critically to free up clinical and management capacity to transform pathways and ways of working to ensure innovations can be adopted to benefit women and support National Health Service activity. The Department is now developing the detailed delivery arrangements for the funding and will set out further details in due course.

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, published in April 2026, committed to redesigning clinical pathways for heavy menstrual bleeding, urogynaecology and menopause.

These redesigned pathways will create roadmaps for health systems to use and adapt for local needs that will enable women to move more quickly through the system and reach the level of care they need with fewer appointments.

They will also help systems to transform services, plan their workforce and consider where capacity is most usefully deployed so that hospitals can provide the specialist care they are designed to, and move more care where appropriate into the community.

The redesigned pathways will be published in the summer.

Progress will reported and monitored by the local integrated care boards by way of Improvement Plans to NHS England Women’s Health National Programme Board.

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, published on the 15 April 2026, sets out 117 actions across four core commitments:

• acting on women’s voices and choices;

• transforming National Health Service performance in services that matter most to women;

• supporting all women to lead healthier lives; and

• creating an approach to research and development that works for and empowers women.

The renewed strategy contains a summary of the actions associated with each commitment, and which organisation(s) will be responsible for delivery of each one.

The Minister for Women’s Health and Mental Health (Baroness Merron) and the Department will have overall responsibility for implementing the renewed strategy.

Change will be immediate and ongoing. Some actions are already underway or funded this year, others will be delivered over the next two to five years, and more fundamental reforms will be phased over the next decade, aligned with the 10-Year Health Plan. The renewed strategy sets out clear milestones and accountability to ensure progress continues.

The integration of NHS England functions into the Department of Health and Social Care is intended to strengthen accountability and reduce duplication, supporting clearer ways of working across the health system.

The transformation does not involve reductions to frontline services, and no investment will be cut to the National Health Service frontline.

During this transformation, the Department will continue to evaluate impacts and work collaboratively to ensure continuity of care and to identify and minimise any risks to patient safety. The future Department will have a dedicated National Priority Director whose portfolio will include women’s health and maternity to ensure girls’ and women’s health is effectively prioritised.

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy, published on 15 April 2026, commits to new investments of around £2.5m and is supported by significant investment already committed through the NHS, public health and wider government programmes. This includes funding for gynaecology recovery and maternity estates which will deliver tangible improvements in the areas that matter most to women. The funding announced for the new policies in the Strategy will not be affected by the integration of NHS England functions into the Department.

The Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England, published on 15 April 2026, is designed to be implemented through clear actions with defined timelines, responsible delivery organisations and success measures.

The summary of actions tables found throughout the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy highlights clearly the responsible delivery organisation, and the planned timeframe, for all 117 actions to which the Department has committed. Change will be immediate and ongoing. Some actions are already underway or funded this year, others will be delivered over the next two to five years, and more fundamental reforms will be phased over the next decade, aligned with the 10-Year Health Plan. The renewed strategy sets out clear milestones and accountability to ensure progress continues.

The Government recognises the significant challenges that crime and theft can pose for small businesses. There is a wide range of available insurance products, where cover is difficult to secure, the British Insurance Brokers’ Association can help identify specialist brokers.

The Government is also strengthening its response to retail crime and improving town centre safety through the Crime and Policing Bill, the Safer Streets mission, and the new High Streets Illegality Taskforce.

The Government published a number of impact assessments and economic notes upon the introduction of the Bill, which can be accessed here: Crime and Policing Bill 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK and here: Crime and Policing Bill 2025: economic notes - GOV.UK.

We will publish further impact assessments after the Bill receives Royal Assent.

The Government published a number of impact assessments and economic notes upon the introduction of the Bill, which can be accessed here: Crime and Policing Bill 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK and here: Crime and Policing Bill 2025: economic notes - GOV.UK.

We will publish further impact assessments after the Bill receives Royal Assent.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a new specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

This bespoke offence will send a clear signal to perpetrators that assaults on retail workers are unacceptable and won’t go unpunished. It will also ensure that assaults on retail workers are separately recorded so that we know the true scale of the problem, enabling the police to respond accordingly.

The Government is also supporting the ‘Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy’, which was jointly developed by the police and industry, providing a collaborative and evidence-based approach in preventing and detecting retail crime.

We are providing £7 million over a three‑year period covering 2025 to 2028, to tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team – in partnership with the retail sector - to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.

Additionally, we are removing the legislation which makes shop theft of and below £200 a summary-only offence, sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously.

Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a new specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

This bespoke offence will send a clear signal to perpetrators that assaults on retail workers are unacceptable and won’t go unpunished. It will also ensure that assaults on retail workers are separately recorded so that we know the true scale of the problem, enabling the police to respond accordingly.

The Government is also supporting the ‘Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy’, which was jointly developed by the police and industry, providing a collaborative and evidence-based approach in preventing and detecting retail crime.

We are providing £7 million over a three‑year period covering 2025 to 2028, to tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team – in partnership with the retail sector - to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.

Additionally, we are removing the legislation which makes shop theft of and below £200 a summary-only offence, sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously.

Police forces will be held accountable for improving response times and investigative outcomes through the new Police Performance System, which will provide a single, consistent picture of police performance across all forces, enable earlier identification of problems and provide targeted support to deliver better service for the public.

As set out in the Police Reform White Paper, we have committed to introducing clear national targets on response times. The Police Performance System will enable consistent assessment of contact and response, using nationally comparable data. This will strengthen the scrutiny of underperforming forces, enabling earlier and robust intervention, including performance improvement plans where necessary and statutory intervention powers.

We are committed to ensuring the UK remains the world’s leading destination for film and television production. That ambition sits at the core of the Government’s industrial strategy and the creative industries sector plan, which recognises the sector’s strength as a driver of growth. Every single best visual effects Oscar nominee this year had work done in UK studios, including Bournemouth’s own Outpost VFX for its work on “Sinners”.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.

The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.

The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:

Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, England

Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall

The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.

We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.

Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.

The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.

The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:

Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, England

Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall

The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.

We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.

Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.

The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.

The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:

Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, England

Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall

The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.

We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.

Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.

The Government recognises the wide-reaching impact of commercial burglary, including the profound impact these crimes can have on business owners, retail workers and the wider community.

The offences for non-residential burglaries such as business and commercial burglary across England and Wales decreased by 13% in the year to September 2025 compared with the previous year.

The table below shows the proportion of non-residential (commercial) burglaries reported to police in England resulted in a charge or summons in the last three years:

Police recorded offences, burglary - business and community, England

Note 1: Figures for year ending Sep 2023 exclude Devon and Cornwall

The Government is determined that robust action should be taken to prevent commercial burglaries from happening and ensure swift justice for perpetrators.

We are doing this by focusing our efforts on delivering our ambitious police reform agenda, the central aim of which is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces, so they focus on tackling local issues, like tackling commercial burglary. In addition, the Government has already taken steps to boost the neighbourhood policing response, ensuring that every neighbourhood has named, contactable officers and more visible patrols, with over 3,000 additional police officers and police community support officers put into neighbourhood roles in less than a year.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill we are giving police the powers they need, including to enter and search premises where stolen items are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.

Guidance for the police, including authorised professional practice guidance, is a matter for the College of Policing. The National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) works closely with businesses, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to prevent and reduce the impact of business crime in the UK. National Police Chief Council leads for business crime work closely with the NBCC to support the policing response to business crime, including on improved outcomes.