The Performance of Police Firearms Licensing Departments in England and Wales

The Performance of Police Firearms Licensing Departments in England and Wales 2025 is a major new report published by BASC in July 2025 which reviews the performance of police firearms licensing departments in England and Wales.

The report is the most detailed and wide-ranging of its kind. It combines data from more than 5,000 certificate holders, Freedom of Information responses from 41 of 42 police forces, and official figures from the Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

The findings offer a snapshot of a firearms licensing system that remains deeply inconsistent in its delivery. The report identifies forces that are providing a timely and proportionate service, and others that are falling well short of expectations.