Guidance

Update to Surveillance Camera Code of Practice

An updated code was laid before Parliament on 16 November 2021 and came into effect on 12 January 2022.

Documents

Amended Surveillance Camera Code of Practice

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Surveillance Camera Code – summary of consultation responses

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Explanatory memorandum to the Surveillance Code of Practice

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Code of Practice: guide to the 12 principles

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Code of Practice: steps to compliance

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Surveillance Camera Code of Practice - Welsh version

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

An updated Surveillance Camera Code of Practice was laid before Parliament on 16 November 2021 pursuant to Section 31(3) of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. Due to receiving parliamentary approval, the updated code came into effect on 12 January 2022.

The government is committed to empowering the police to use technologies like biometrics and surveillance cameras to protect the public while maintaining their trust.

Simplifying and updating the code is important in this context because the code provides guidance on the appropriate use of surveillance camera systems by local authorities and the police.

We have updated references to subsequent legislation, in particular the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Court of Appeal judgment on live facial recognition in Bridges v South Wales Police.

We have also shortened the text to make it easier for users to follow. The updated code does not place any additional burden on users.

Before laying the code before Parliament the Home Office conducted a statutory consultation. Details of the consultation and responses are in the accompanying document.

Updates to this page

Published 22 November 2021
Last updated 3 March 2022 + show all updates
  1. Added the Welsh translation of the updated Surveillance Camera Code of Practice

  2. The updated code came into effect on 12 January 2022. Pre-existing guidance to compliance with the code has been added for ease of access.

  3. Page reassigned from the Home Office to the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner.

  4. Updated explanatory memorandum. This explanatory memorandum replaces the previous version laid before Parliament on 16 November 2021, which has been withdrawn.

  5. Accessible HTML versions of 'Amended Surveillance Camera Code of Practice', 'Surveillance Camera Code – summary of consultation responses' and 'Explanatory memorandum to the Surveillance Code of Practice' added.

  6. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page