A report into the firearms licensing system in England and Wales has said problems with the process are putting public safety at risk. His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said the system was not fit for purpose, with applicants facing a "postcode lottery" in how they were assessed.
The report was carried out after Jake Davison murdered five people in the Keyham area of Plymouth in 2021 before taking his own life. Weeks before the attack, his shotgun certificate had been returned to him after it was seized when he assaulted a teenage boy. The inspectorate blamed "unclear guidance and legislation" combined with "poor supervision and oversight" for the shortfalls.
HMICFRS said shootings involving legally held firearms led to at least 39 murders in England and Wales in the decade to March 2025. It has called for a new national authority to replace the 38 local firearms and explosives licensing units.
His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary Lee Freeman said certificate holders and the wider public deserved a system that was "clear, consistent and robust". He said: "Most of the nearly 500,000 certificate holders use their firearms and shotguns responsibly for lawful recreation or as essential tools for work. But they are faced with a postcode lottery in the service they receive from firearms and explosive licensing units."
The government said it would consider the report's recommendations as part of wider police reforms. A Home Office spokesperson said the UK had "some of the toughest firearms laws in the world" and highlighted recent changes including mandatory medical checks and new national police training.
Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said lessons needed to be learned from the killings in Keyham, which is part of his constituency, to prevent similar events. "For five years, I've been campaigning with the Keyham families to strengthen Britain's gun laws," he said. "I am encouraged that HMICFRS is echoing our proposal to completely overhaul firearms licensing legislation. Public safety must come first. I will continue to campaign and work with ministers in parliament for these proposals to become law."
Mark Edwards, a committee member at the National Firearms Association, said the current legislation was "dated, complicated and open for misinterpretation". He said: "I fully agree it needs to be reviewed and should have been done 10 years ago." However, Edwards said the legislation was "robust" in terms of who could hold a firearm.
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Report Calls Firearms Licensing a ‘Postcode Lottery’