The UK anti-corruption strategy: pillar one in focus

The UK Anti-Corruption Strategy published on 8 December 2025 (“the Strategy”) sets out the myriad ways in which the presence of corruption and illicit finance in the UK has an immediate negative impact – from the health of our economy to the safety of our citizens. Declaring that: “corruption is a corrosive force that undermines growth, threatens our national security, and erodes the foundations of our democracy” it seeks to tackle this at home and abroad. 

With a focus on: combatting the influence of corrupt actors and their funds in the UK and overseas; tackling vulnerabilities to corruption in the UK; and building greater domestic resistance to corrupt influences from abroad, the theme of “corrupt influences” is a reminder of the pressing current domestic and global context. 

Building on the 2014 Anti-Corruption Strategy, this initiative is also part of the wider growth agenda to support British business, promote fair competition and uphold the rule of law domestically and globally. The breadth of its perceived impact is reflected in the scope of ambition set out in the Strategy. There are three “pillars” upon which the Strategy is based and we focus on “Pillar One: Corrupt Actors” here. This centres on the Government’s response to corruption based on justice and accountability.

Blowing the whistle?

Seeking better intelligence on the scale and source of corruption, a key action is to review the reporting system – both through improving the co-ordination of referral systems and tactical oversight (led by the Bribery and Corruption clearing house in the National Economic Crime Centre), and by focusing on early detection of corrupt practices. A 2026 priority is to assess the feasibility of introducing financial incentive schemes and support for individuals reporting economic crime. This is something the Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Nick Ephgrave, has long campaigned for, no doubt looking enviously upon other jurisdictions which, it is reported, are reaping increased “actionable intelligence” on corrupt activities and enhancing law enforcement outcomes. Ephgrave reiterated the value of such insight in transforming economic crime investigations in his remarks for the launch of the Strategy. Indeed, it is worth noting the recently launched HMRC “Strengthened Reward Scheme” for individuals who report serious tax avoidance or evasion, indicating that the UK is already moving in this direction.

At a law enforcement level, we can expect the creation of a new Domestic Corruption Unit in the City of London Police and speedier SFO investigations and outcomes. Via a more efficient investigative process and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning on uncovering wrongdoing, the plan calls for an end-to-end review of concluded bribery cases, to identify common barriers to resolving cases.

No more enabling of the corrupt elites

The strategy sets out the government’s intention to increase efforts to dismantle “kleptocratic networks in the UK”, where, the report cites, “corrupt elites benefit from illegitimate wealth converted into legitimacy” using influence and protection provided through a network of global services.