Gun Control in the UK
Significant Laws, Regulations, and Licensing Guidance for England & Wales, and Scotland: 1968 – Present
We don’t cover Northern Ireland which has different legislation.
1968 Firearms Act
The Firearms Act 1968 brought together all existing firearms legislation in a single statute.
Applicants for Firearms Certificates (for rifles and handguns) had to be of good character, to show good reason for possessing a firearm, and the weapons had to be stored securely.
The Act introduced a Shotgun Certificate for the first time. A Shotgun Certificate was less rigorous than a Firearm Certificate, it covered any number of shotguns, no good reason was required, and there were no storage requirements.
This Act formed the legal basis for British gun control until the Hungerford massacre in 1987.
1988 Firearms (Amendment) Act
This Act introduced some new restrictions on shotguns. Pump-action and self-loading rifles were prohibited. Also controlled were military weapons firing explosive ammunition.
1997 Firearms (Amendment) Acts
Following the Dunblane tragedy the Conservative government introduced the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 which confined handguns to clubs and prohibited larger calibre handguns. The subsequent Labour government introduced the Firearms (Amendment) (No 2) Act 1997 which banned the civilian ownership of handguns almost completely (significant exceptions being muzzle-loading guns and starting pistols).
2003 Anti Social Behaviour Act
It became an offence to be in possession of an air weapon or imitation firearm in a public place.
2006 Violent Crime Reductions Act
The Act banned the sale, manufacture, import, modification, and transfer of Realistic Imitation Firearms (RIFs). However, it was still legal to own one. Airsoft guns were exempt from the terms of this Act.
The sale and transfer of air weapons had to be done ‘face to face’.
2010 Crime and Security Act
This Act made it an offence to allow airguns to be stored in such a way as to allow unauthorised access by people under 18.
2014 Authorised Police Practice - Guide to firearms Licensing
This Guide issued by the College of Policing requires police to refuse or revoke firearms licences where the applicant or licence holder is on record for domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, or mental illness.
2015 Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act
The 2015 Act requires all airguns over one joule in power in Scotland to be licensed.
2016 British Medical Association guidance to GPs
This guidance requires GPs to record firearms licence applications on their patients’ notes and to inform police of any factors which might be of concern until they are notified that the person no longer holds weapons.
2019 Offensive Weapons Act
Introduced some further restrictions on firearms.
2021 Statutory Guidance for chief officers of police on firearms licensing
Guidance to help police chiefs carry out checks when assessing someone’s suitability to own firearms or become a registered firearms dealer (Revised in 2023).
2021 The Antique Firearms Regulations and the Policing and Crime Act 2017 (Commencement No.11 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations
These have resulted in some firearms previously regarded as antique, and therefore exempt from control, no longer being qualified as such and these should now be licensed.