Committee publication · Estimate memoranda · 13 May 2026
Home Office Main Estimates Memorandum 2026 - 27
From: Home Affairs Committee
Summary
The Home Office Main Estimates Memorandum for 2026-27 sets out departmental spending plans totalling £19.5bn (Resource DEL, net) and £1.7bn (Capital DEL). The memorandum details five strategic priorities: reducing illegal migration, creating a fair migration system, restoring trust in policing, strengthening national security, and transforming the Home Office. Key funding increases include £535.8m for police, £175m for pension compensation, and £150m for migration system reform, offset by £388m reductions in asylum support.
Key findings
- Resource DEL net budget of £19,528.4m represents +6.1% increase from previous year (£1,114.5m), driven by police funding settlement uplift (£535.8m) and migration reform investment (£150m)
- Asylum support budget reduced by £388m reflecting exit from hotel accommodation and transition to large-scale sites; Immigration Health Surcharge budgeted at 50% of forecast (£880.2m) versus 100% previously
- Police funding allocation of £13,369.2m (net) supports recruitment of additional officers and neighbourhood policing; Border Security Command receives £100m uplift
- Capital DEL maintains spending at £1,712.9m with reductions in policy delivery (-£111.5m) offset by operations increases (+£47.8m) and enabling functions growth (+£61.7m)
- Nine major government projects removed from portfolio including Home Office Biometrics, National Strategic Number Plate Recognition Platform, and Civil Registration Service Transformation
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Home Office, Police Forces (England and Wales), Border Force, National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, HM Treasury, Department for Health and Social Care
Notable line
“Resource DEL has seen a steady rise in cash terms. The main areas where additional funding has been allocated to are: o The asylum support system which saw a rise in spending due to the increased use …”
Key Quotes
“The Government has an ambitious agenda for the Home Office to keep our citizens safe and the country secure.”
“£535.8 million uplift in Home Office budget required to deliver the funding committed to in the Final Police Funding Settlement (England and Wales) 2026-27.”
“£150.0 million to reform and transform the Migration and Borders system to drive efficiencies.”
“End the use of hotels for asylum accommodation, including by transitioning to large-scale sites.”
“The Future Home Office Programme is driving the organisation to become higher performing, more agile, and more efficient.”
“As of end of December 2025, the Scheme has paid over £122 million in compensation across 3,793 claims.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗