From best to worst: firearms licensing collapse

Tri-force collaboration that led the country in 2022 now fails public safety test with a two-year backlog and renewals processed without any checks.

Three police forces are failing to keep the public safe through their handling of firearms licensing, according to Government inspectors who have issued an urgent warning over public safety concerns.

What did the inspectors find?

The tri-force collaboration between Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Hertfordshire Constabulary has left some applications and renewals unresolved for two years. Inspectors found 2,190 unanswered emails and more than 1,000 temporary permits issued as staff struggled with the backlog.

Roy Wilsher, His Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary, said the collaboration doesn’t effectively manage firearms and explosives licensing. Inspectors found inadequate supervision, insufficient training and no standard procedure for seizing and revoking licences across the three forces.

An alarming discovery was that shotgun licence renewals are handled entirely at a desk, with no home visits, no household checks and no direct contact with applicants or their referees. Inspectors also found certificates being signed without proper authority and no phone number for the public to contact the licensing unit.

What is the industry saying?

Martin Parker, BASC’s head of firearms, said the findings confirmed what the organisation had long been warning about. “Serious failings were already evident in our 2025 report, yet the situation has been allowed to worsen. This is unacceptable given the 133% rise in firearms licensing fees.”

BASC’s July 2025 firearms licensing report showed the tri-force unit had gone from being one of the most efficient in the country in 2022 to the worst performing in the UK by 2025.

Mr Parker stressed this was an administrative and leadership failure rather than a problem with the law itself. “The legislation is already robust - it is ineffective licensing practice that creates risk. Calls to tighten firearms law or reclassify shotguns ignore the real issue.”

Livia Brynin from the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation said these forces are among those that members complain about most often. “When people are left unable to renew licences through no fault of their own, that is not a failure of compliance by the licence holder. It is a failure of the system.”

What happens now?

The three Police and Crime Commissioners have accepted the findings and promised to hold chief constables accountable.

Mr Wilsher said: “The forces must immediately prioritise firearm licensing and renewals. They need to put in place consistent policies, operating procedures and governance structures and this should be supported by enough resources, including officers and staff with the right skills. I am pleased with the forces’ immediate response to our concerns and commitment to improve. I will be closely monitoring their progress.”