From 29 September, applicants for firearm or shotgun certificates must disclose all properties— including overseas residences—where weapons could be stored and list every adult living in those homes, under new Home Office regulations published on 30 September. While primarily a public-safety measure, the rule change carries practical implications for globally-mobile executives and international assignees who split time between the UK and another country yet keep sporting rifles or shotguns at a British address. Police forces will now be able to carry out security inspections at each declared property and share data with counterparts in the relevant jurisdiction, adding an extra administrative layer for certificate holders who maintain UK ties. Applicants must also report new or worsening medical conditions during the five-year licence period, regardless of whether treatment is received from an overseas or online provider. For relocation managers the headline is compliance complexity: expats returning for periodic stints will need to factor in inspection scheduling and medical-record sharing, while landlords providing corporate housing may see an uptick in police enquiries. Insurance brokers warn that undeclared storage locations could invalidate home-contents cover, potentially exposing employers to liability if weapons belong to an assignee on a company move. Although firearms licensing sits on the fringe of mainstream mobility policy, today’s announcement reflects a broader Home Office trend toward more granular data collection across security-sensitive regimes—mirrored in eVisa linking, Electronic Travel Authorisation carrier checks and advanced passenger information pre-clearance. Multinationals are advised to update internal guidance notes and brief any employees with sporting firearms before year-end, when transitional arrangements close.
Source: Home Office (GOV.UK)
