Update from the SIA on problems encountered with the new licensing system

August 17, 2016

We know from the length of the service request queues, Twitter and other incoming messages that some people and businesses are frustrated at struggling to register and apply for licences on our new licensing system. Two weeks into the new system, we have over 24,000 individuals and 660 businesses registered online, we have issued over 1900 licences and are processing in excess of 6000 further applications. The numbers are unlikely to lift the frustration, but it is important to affirm that the system is working and will get better and faster week by week.

Many of the historic service requests were caused by early system glitches that are now fixed and our website is updated with a range of ‘hints and tips’. We prepared for the spike in service requests and have progressively grown the customer support team in line with the enquiry queues. Colleagues from across the SIA have been brought in and are responding to the exponential rise in requests for assistance. We are continually analysing and prioritising service requests and posting information on our website and Twitter helping people and businesses register, link (where appropriate) and apply for licences.

We will continue providing an extraordinary response to the rise in service requests until the queues reduce and can be managed by customer support as business as usual. We anticipate that the current high volumes of service requests will continue for a further two weeks and apologise that this may result in a short delay in providing you with a meaningful response. Please refer to our website at http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Pages/changes-hints.aspx for more information, assistance and video tutorials.