The first duty of the Government is to keep citizens safe and the country secure. The Home Office has been at the front line of this endeavour since 1782. As such, the Home Office plays a fundamental role in the security and economic prosperity of the United Kingdom. Each and every member of Home Office staff plays a part in making that happen.

The Home Office leads on immigration and passports, drugs policy, crime policy, counter-extremism and counter-terrorism and works to ensure visible, responsive and accountable policing in the UK. These issues are at the heart of the Government’s agenda.

• Working on the problems caused by illegal drug use
• Shaping the alcohol strategy, policy and licensing conditions
• Keeping the United Kingdom safe from the threat of terrorism
• Reducing and preventing crime, and ensuring people feel safe in their homes and communities
• Securing the UK border and controlling immigration
• Considering applications to enter and stay in the UK
• Issuing passports and visas
• Supporting visible, responsible and accountable policing by empowering the public and freeing up the police to fight crime

• Fire prevention and rescue
• Prevent terrorism
• Cut crime
• Control immigration
• Promote growth
• Transform the Home Office

The Home Office is a fast-paced and dynamic place in which to further your career. Our people strive to provide the best possible service to the nation, ultimately keeping them safe and enhancing economic prosperity. The resulting atmosphere is both exciting and challenging and provides a unique environment in which to explore and develop your full capabilities.

The Home Office is composed of a number of business areas:

• Crime, Policing and Fire Group works with police, fire and rescue services and other partners, to reduce crime, vulnerability and extremism, keep citizens safe and become more efficient.
• Office for Security and Counter Terrorism, which works with other departments and agencies to ensure an effective and coordinated response to the threat of terrorism;
• Serious and Organised Crime Group, which works with the National Crime Agency, police, other departments, agencies and partner organisations to tackle serious and organised crime.
• Border, Immigration and Citizenship Policy and Strategy Group, which delivers our overall policy approach to tackling migration and border issues;
• Border Force is responsible for securing the UK border and controlling migration at 138 ports and airports across the UK and overseas;
• A high-volume UK Visas and Immigration Command that makes high-quality decisions about who comes here, with a culture of customer satisfaction for business people and visitors who want to come here legally;
• An Immigration Enforcement Command that enforces the law against those who break our immigration laws;
• Her Majesty’s Passport Office is responsible for issuing UK passports and for overseeing the system of civil registration in England and Wales;
• Capabilities and Resources is responsible for ensuring that operational and policy teams in the Home Office have the support they need to achieve the Department’s priorities. The work is captured in a wide portfolio of enabling functions including human resources, estates, finance, investment management, performance management, governance and assurance, commercial, science and innovation and security;
• A small strategic centre, which advises the Home Office board on strategy and direction, as well as the allocation of resources

The Home Office’s Single Departmental Plan 2015 to 2020 can be found here.