There will be no stone left unturned in the fight against corruption. In December 2025, the British government unveiled a new strategy to combat corruption and the trafficking of illicit finance, as well as new investments in regulatory bodies to bolster their crime-fighting capabilities. Transparency International UK reports that the integrity of the public sector is losing the battle for transparency and against the tide of corruption.
The UK Government’s plan to fight corruption
To this end, the government will act in relation to the public and private sectors and to fraud, bribery, and corruption. In respect of financial crimes, the government will concentrate on a more aggressive pursuit of offenders and the closure of legal black holes that facilitate such crimes. The UK will budget millions of additional dollars to the Serious Fraud Office, the National Crime Agency, and other bodies responsible for investigating major financial crimes.
Other actions the UK government will take include:
- More protection for Informants: efforts to report corruption will be protected to ensure that retaliation will not occur, boosting the protection of informants
- Less corporate secrecy: corporations will be required to report more on their beneficial owners and on the financial activities of their businesses, which will mitigate opportunities to launder money.
- More international cooperation: To tackle complex cross-border corruption and illicit finance, the UK will enhance partnerships with other countries.
- Public sector accountability measures: local councils and government departments will face increased controls to combat financial impropriety.
- Targeted action: The plan seeks to build a complete anti-corruption system to mitigate both structural weaknesses and new risks.
The UK government aims to remain a global leader in finance
The UK has maintained its crown as a foremost global financial centre and has earned a strong reputation as such. Efforts to eliminate illicit activities will be vital in guiding the Government to ensure new resources are allocated towards genuine fiscal enforcement.
They shine a light on the urgency to close the gaps in property and company ownership that have allowed corrupt individuals to shelter assets within the UK. The government can significantly reduce financial crime by addressing these gaps.
The UK government has stated:
“Corruption is a demotivator for the public, and more importantly, deprives them of essential services.”
The UK government wants to safeguard taxpayers and instill public confidence in the government
Regarding the integrity-tackling actions taken by the government, the UK government states that this is a demonstration of upholding integrity and fairness, which is a must and is due to a democratic government. The government wishes to gain taxpayers’ money and strengthen the relationships between the government and the companies that exist in the United Kingdom. The government is spending money to protect the citizens of the country from evil and unscrupulous systems.
Accountability is on the citizens and more so on businesses. There could be protection clauses for whistleblowers so that citizens can give their concerns to the government. It is more than an understatement to say that the plans are ambitious; however, the plans to tackle corruption will need a remarkable commitment, a lot of work, and the attention of a whole country. The UK government’s broad anti-corruption policies aim to cover the gap with fraud, bribery, and financial crime to bring back the trust of the public of the UK and protect the public confidence in the government of the United Kingdom.
The government’s challenge will be to ensure that the policies are not just promises of new legislation, but actual new legislation that results in the spending of public money. If they do spend public money and implement the policies, the UK will lead the world in new public sector anti-corruption policies, and it will be viewed as a world leader in public sector anti-corruption practices and a country that is fair and has public sector transparency.
