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Independent report

Facial recognition technology tests: National Physical Laboratory

Independent testing of facial recognition algorithms commissioned by the Home Office.

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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

The Home Office, in collaboration with the Office of the Police Chief Scientific Adviser (OPCSA) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), commissioned independent testing of the:

  • facial recognition (FR) algorithm which is currently used by specially trained operators in all police forces to search the Police National Database (PND)
  • facial recognition algorithm which is intended to be used within a new national facial matching service

Updates to this page

Published 4 December 2025

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