Proposed Changes to UK Gender Pay Gap & Menopause Policies

Gender Pay Gap & Menopause Policies: New Employer Obligations Ahead

The UK government has published new policy plans aimed at strengthening workplace equality through enhanced gender pay gap reporting and support for employees experiencing menopause. The initiative forms part of the wider programme implementing the Employment Rights Act 2025 and the government’s “Make Work Pay” agenda. The government has announced plans to require large employers […]

New Skilled Worker Visa Pay Period Rule Introduced

New Skilled Worker Visa Pay Period Rule

The UK government has introduced new salary compliance provisions for the Skilled Worker visa route through the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules published on 5 March 2026. The amendment inserts paragraph SW 14.3B into Appendix Skilled Worker and takes effect on 8 April 2026. The provision changes how salary compliance may be assessed […]

ERA 2025: Industrial Action Reforms from 18 Feb 2026

ERA 2025: Industrial Action Reforms from 18 Feb 2026

On 18 February 2026, the first phase of reforms under the Employment Rights Act 2025 took effect. These initial changes concentrate on industrial action and collective dispute procedure. While the amendments do not remove the statutory framework governing ballots and notice, they recalibrate how that framework operates in practice and how participating employees are protected. […]

UK Data Protection Rules on AI, Marketing and Cookies Now Apply

UK Data Protection Rules on AI, Marketing and Cookies Now Apply

Recent amendments to the UK’s data protection framework have now taken legal effect, bringing specific changes to how personal data is regulated. These reforms do not replace the UK GDPR or the Data Protection Act 2018, but they recalibrate key areas that have been generating sustained regulatory friction, particularly AI-supported decision-making, research use of personal […]

Fire and Rehire Consultation: Employment Rights Act 2025 Update

fire and rehire consultation

The Government has launched a consultation on how the fire and rehire protections under the Employment Rights Act 2025 should apply to employment expenses, benefits and shift patterns. While narrow in scope, the consultation goes directly to how far employers will be able to enforce contractual change once the new regime is in force.   […]

Employers Urged to Review Digital Right to Work Processes

Employers Urged to Review Digital Right to Work Processes

The UK immigration system is now operating on a fully digital footing, and this is changing how employers are expected to manage right to work compliance in practice. While there has been no recent change to the underlying law, enforcement focus has shifted as digital systems have become the default. Audits are now increasingly unearthing […]

Updated Timeline for Employment Rights Act 2025

updated timeline employment rights act

The Government has published a revised Employment Rights Act 2025 timeline as part of the wider Plan to Make Work Pay. This update replaces the July 2025 roadmap and confirms when different parts of the legislation are expected to take effect across 2026 and 2027. The reforms are being introduced in phases to allow time […]

Trade Union Law Changes from February 2026

Trade Union Law Changes from February 2026

From 18 February 2026, a series of statutory changes will fundamentally alter the legal framework governing trade unions and industrial action in the UK. These reforms sit within the wider architecture of the Employment Rights Act 2025 and are brought into force through multiple commencement regulations and consequential statutory instruments. Taken together, they represent the […]

April 2026 Changes under the ERA 2025

April 2026 Changes under the ERA 2025

The Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA 2025) represents a significant recalibration of employment law enforcement and statutory entitlements in the UK. Although much of the public focus has been on reforms that will not take effect until 2027, including changes to unfair dismissal qualifying service, the changes scheduled for April 2026 will have a more […]

Earned Settlement: UK Consults on ILR Changes with 10-Year Default

Earned Settlement: UK Consults on ILR Changes with 10-Year Default

The Home Office has launched a consultation on a new, contribution-based ‘Earned Settlement system that would replace the long-standing five-year route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) for most migrants. The Home Secretary’s ‘command paper’ sets out what could be a fundamental shift in UK ILR rules: settlement would no longer be presented as a predictable […]

UK Immigration Rule Changes October 2025

uk immigration rule changes October 2025

The Home Office has confirmed a wide set of reforms to the UK immigration system following the publication of the latest Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 1333) on 14 October 2025. The measures, forming part of the government’s Plan for Change, will tighten eligibility and increase costs for both employers and visa […]

UK Implements Key Changes to Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs) Under Windsor Framework

UK Implements Key Changes to Supplementary Protection Certificates

Effective 1 January 2025, the United Kingdom has enacted significant reforms to its Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) regime for medicinal products, aligning with the provisions of the Windsor Framework. These changes aim to streamline the regulatory landscape post-Brexit and ensure the uninterrupted supply of medicines across the UK, including Northern Ireland.   Overview of the […]

UK Supreme Court to Decide on AI Patentability in Emotional Perception Case

UK Supreme Court to Decide on AI Patentability

The UK Supreme Court is set to hear a pivotal case that could redefine the boundaries of patent law concerning artificial intelligence (AI). The case, Emotional Perception AI Ltd v Comptroller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, centers on whether AI systems, specifically those utilizing artificial neural networks (ANNs), can be patented under UK law. […]

UK Government’s AI Copyright Plans Face Growing Backlash from Creative Sector

UK Government’s AI Copyright Plans Face Growing Backlash from Creative Sector

The UK government is facing mounting criticism from leading figures in the creative industries over proposed reforms to copyright law that aim to support artificial intelligence (AI) development. Following a recent public consultation on “Copyright and Artificial Intelligence,” the government outlined its preferred approach: allowing AI developers to use copyrighted materials for training datasets under […]

Right to Work Scheme to Expand Under Immigration Bill Reform

right to work uk

The UK government has introduced a clause to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill which would expand the scope of the right to work regime. If passed, the changes would require employers and other businesses to carry out right to work checks for individuals engaged under a broader range of working arrangements, including:   […]

IoD Publishes Proposed Code of Conduct for Directors

IoD Publishes Proposed Code of Conduct for Directors

The Institute of Directors has released a consultation document on a proposed Code of Conduct for Directors. The Code aims to serve as a practical tool to aid directors in making improved decisions. It also offers organisational leaders a behavioural framework designed to build and sustain public trust in their business operations. The document was […]

Consultation to Relax Non-Financial Reporting for Medium-Sized Companies

Consultation to Relax Non-Financial Reporting for Medium-Sized Companies

The Government is currently consulting on proposed changes to the UK’s non-financial reporting regime, which aim to reduce the burden on medium-sized companies. A company qualifies as “medium-sized” in a financial year if it meets at least two of the following three criteria: a. Annual turnover exceeding £10.2m but not more than £36m. b. Balance […]

Draft Legislation to Protect Residential Addresses on Companies House

Draft Legislation to Protect Residential Addresses on Companies House

The Government has released draft regulations aimed at enhancing the protection of individuals’ usual residential addresses (URA) from being publicly accessible at Companies House. Under the new regulations, individuals would be allowed to suppress their URA from public view if it has previously been used as a company’s registered office address, a provision not currently […]

Companies House Issues Draft Rules for Director ID Verification

Companies House Issues Draft Rules for Director ID Verification

Companies House has unveiled draft rules concerning the identity verification of directors, persons with significant control (PSCs), and others under forthcoming changes. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 amended the Companies Act 2006 and the Limited Partnerships Act 1907, introducing requirements for certain individuals to verify their identity. This applies to individual directors […]