Members should note that alongside the announcement today of the new Statutory Guidance, the government have enacted Firearms Amendment rules that can be found here:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/914/made

The notable changes (the ones in bold particularly so), are as follows (there may also be others):-

Form 201 (Firearms and Shotgun application)

Para 10. There is now a requirement to declare if you have lived outside the UK for 6 months or more 

Para 14. A requirement to declare if there have been periods when you haven’t been registered with a UK GP.

Page 4 Part C, this is now a broader definition of ‘convictions’ and will include speed awareness courses

Page 13. The expected requirement for a second referee – now applicable to shotgun and firearms applications

Page 18. Referees. Para 2. A new requirement to have had a reasonable degree of contact with the person for whom you are standing as referee.

Page 19. Para 5. “The list is not intended to be exhaustive” is a new comment on medical conditions.

Page 23. Letter to the Doctor. The above line is repeated along with “whether now or in the future”.

Page 28. A new question for the Doctor, “How is the patient now?”.

Pages 29-33 New and in depth guidance notes for potential referees. 

Form 116 (RFD application)

Same requirement as above if you have lived outside the UK for more than 6 months.

Page 10, para 5 a new requirement for dealers that are SGC of FAC holders then to be relevant for non disclosure of medical information, they must have more than 3 years validity remaining.

Derek Stimpson