UK Economic Crime Plan

In July 2019, the UK government launched its first Economic Crime Plan (2019–2022) and, in March 2023, the UK government launched its second Economic Crime Plan (2023-2026). This project tracks and reviews the implementation of these plans.




Courtesy of HMRC/flickr


The UK government’s first Economic Crime Plan (2019–2022) delivered a range of measures relating to anti-money laundering, asset recovery and corporate transparency. Since July 2019, CFCS has been working to support the formulation of the government’s second Economic Crime Plan and its future Fraud Strategy through the provision of roundtables, technical expertise and expert commentary.

Since the launch of the UK government’s second Economic Crime Plan (2023-2026) in March 2023, CFCS will continue to provide technical support and expertise to government during the lifetime of the plan and provide expert external commentary on its progress to increase accountability for its delivery on a range of measures to reduce money-laundering, fraud and sanctions evasion and increase the recovery of criminal assets.

Project sponsor

This project is funded by the Open Society Foundation.

Courtesy of HMRC/flickr

Aims and objectives

The overarching aim of this project is to provide a strong evidence base for economic crime in the UK and to provide technical expertise to ensure that the implementation of government measures reduces the attractiveness of the UK as a global hub for money laundering and fraud.

The project has two key objectives. First, it aims to support evidence-based policymaking by providing impartial, technical input to officials and parliamentarians through workshops and working groups, targeted policy papers and informal advice.

The second objective is to increase independent scrutiny of the delivery of UK economic crime reforms through expert commentary, media engagement and the provision of evidence to parliamentary committees.

The project has also worked with partners to establish the Civil Society Organisation Steering Group, which inputs coordinated civil society positions on key issues to the ministerially chaired Economic Crime Steering Board. CFCS also works as a member of the civil society Illicit Finance Working Group.

What Should the Second Economic Crime Plan Focus On?


Thought leadership

Our series of thought leadership videos focuses on key themes under the UK Government’s Economic Crime Plan.

Edward Lucas: Illicit Finance Undermines ‘Global Britain’

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Karen Baxter: Information-Sharing to Tackle Economic Crime

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Dame Margaret Hodge: The UK Needs Corporate Transparency Reform

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Michael Bowes QC: The UK’s Economic Crime Enforcement Landscape

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Alison Thewliss: AML Supervision and Corporate Integrity

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Project outputs


Access the online tracker tool and information on CSOSG

Economic Crime Plan Online Tracker

This online tracker provides a tool by which the progress of the Economic Crime Plan can be monitored.

Economic Crime Civil Society Organisations Steering Group (CSOSG)

Latest publications

View all publications


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