Security & Policing 2026 brings together those responsible for frontline delivery, technology innovation and strategic policy to consider how we collectively strengthen the UK’s security capabilities. For Home Office Biometrics (HOB), it is an opportunity to demonstrate how we continue to deliver reliable, mission critical services today while transforming with our partners for the challenges of tomorrow.
HOB enables the UK to capture, authenticate, verify, search and match individuals’ biometric to solve crime, protect borders, prevent terrorism and enable growth. We deliver capabilities to establish identity using fingerprint, DNA and facial image data that are fundamental to policing, immigration and national security.
Our services support over 50 organisations across law enforcement immigration services (including asylum, visas, the EU Settlement Scheme and passport issuance. HOB systems currently hold around 120 million biometric records, equating to approximately 85 million individuals, with some duplicate entries. This scale brings both a responsibility to deliver with accuracy and resilience in a way that strengthens trust and capability across the system.
Our work spans the full lifecycle of biometric identity:
- Enrolling biometrics to reliably fix identity to an individual
- Verifying that a person is who they are believed to be
- Searching national and international datasets to support investigations and secure border
- Supporting partners and suppliers to implement new technology and integrate effectively with our services
Throughout Security & Policing 2026, HOB colleagues will be available in the Government Zone to discuss ongoing work and demonstrate how the programme is modernising biometric services while maintaining continuity of essential national capabilities.
I will also be speaking on the Spotlight Stage on Thursday 12 March, from 10:00–10:30, where I will set out how we are balancing secure and reliable delivery today with the transformation required for the future. This includes how we are working with partners to embed responsible innovation, strengthen resilience and ensure our services meet the needs of those who depend on them every day.
Your insight, experience and challenge play a vital role in how we evolve.
I look forward to meeting many of you at the event and continuing our work together delivering today while transforming, in partnership, for tomorrow.
Graham Camm
Home Office Biometrics Programme Director