It's time to end the postcode lottery of firearms licensing

The firearms licensing system is not fit for purpose.

I recently led an inspection into firearms licensing across police forces in England and Wales, and the findings left me in no doubt that urgent change is needed.

Firearms licensing regulates and authorises the possession and purchase of firearms and shotguns. The system should protect public safety by making sure only those deemed suitable are permitted to possess a firearm or shotgun.

Given how important this system is for keeping the public safe, it needs to be clear, consistent and robust. The current system is none of these things.

In the ten years to March 2025, at least 39 people were murdered using a legally held firearm. We can’t wait for further tragedies before action is taken.

A combination of fragmented guidance, overly complex legislation, poor supervision and a lack of appropriate oversight has created unacceptable inconsistencies both between and within police forces. This means the rules are being applied differently depending on where firearms certificate holders or applicants live.

There shouldn’t be a postcode lottery approach to suitability checks. The level of scrutiny carried out to determine whether someone should be given permission to possess a firearm or shotgun should be the same regardless of where that applicant lives.

What makes this even more concerning is that this is not the first time the policing inspectorate or others have raised similar concerns.

That’s why the inspectorate is calling for a new national firearms licensing authority to be created.  This organisation would replace the current model of 38 separate firearms and explosive licensing units, where different units are interpreting guidance and the law inconsistently.

The new authority should combine locally based personnel to carry out suitability visits with a single national structure and central control. This would make sure there is greater consistency in a range of areas, including decision-making, risk management, training, governance and performance oversight.

During our inspection we found strong support for a new national authority from senior police leaders and frontline licensing staff, as well as shooting groups.

To help keep the public safe and support lawful firearms ownership, we have made several other recommendations too. This includes requiring in-person medical assessments for all firearm and shotgun certificate applicants, rather than just relying on written records, and introducing a digital verification system to reduce the risk of people using forged certificates to buy firearms or shotguns. This would be similar to the QR codes used for driving licences.

We are also recommending that the rules for firearms (such as rifles) and shotguns are aligned, as they are currently regulated differently despite both being potentially lethal weapons.

Nearly half a million people hold a firearms or shotgun certificate. We know most of these people use their firearms and shotguns responsibly for lawful recreation or for their work, whether that’s for target shooting, pest control or farming. They, and the wider public, deserve better. A new national licensing authority would deliver that and better protect the public.