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. […]
Why are Expats Renouncing UK Citizenship?
If you are a British national living overseas, recent changes to UK passenger checks may already be on your radar. From 25 February 2026, carriers are expected to enforce stricter pre-departure verification. Although the law on nationality has not changed, the practical mechanics of travelling to the UK have. For some dual nationals, the tighter […]
UK ILR Reform Moves Step Closer to Implementation
The Home Office consultation on the proposed earned settlement reforms closed on 12 February 2026, with around 130,000 responses reported to have been submitted. The next phase is policy design and implementation. As yet, no changes to the Immigration Rules have taken effect. Existing five-year and ten-year routes to indefinite leave to remain continue to […]
India Young Professionals Scheme UK Ballot Dates Confirmed for 2026
The UK Government has confirmed the opening dates for the next India Young Professionals Scheme (IYPS) ballot 2026, setting out when eligible Indian citizens can register for a chance to apply for this highly sought-after UK visa. The ballot system remains a mandatory first step. Anyone hoping to apply under the scheme in 2026 needs […]
Tougher UK Passenger Checks from 25 February 2026
From 25 February 2026, travelling to the UK carries new practical risks for individuals who rely on UK immigration permission. Stricter carrier checks mean immigration status is now being verified before travel begins, rather than on arrival at the UK border. For many travellers, this represents a significant change in how problems arise and how […]
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
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
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 […]
Report Sets out Proposals to Cut Criminal Court Backlogs
A senior judicial review has called for sweeping reforms to the criminal courts in England and Wales, warning that the justice system is struggling under record delays and growing backlogs. The report, entitled Independent Review of the Criminal Courts: Part 1, was led by former senior judge Sir Brian Leveson, says urgent action is required […]
Updated Timeline for Employment Rights Act 2025
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 […]
Earned Settlement: UK ILR Reforms Set to Proceed
The Government has confirmed that it plans to proceed, in principle, with reforms to Indefinite Leave to Remain based on an earned settlement approach. This position was set out during a Westminster Hall debate on 2 February 2026, which followed two public petitions that triggered parliamentary scrutiny of the proposals. The Minister for Migration and […]
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 […]
Zero-Hours Working Rules Changes in 2026
Changes introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025 came into force on 6 January 2026 and affect how zero-hours working operates in practice. The reforms apply across sectors and are relevant to both employers and individuals working on flexible or variable hours. The changes focus on two areas. One removes a short-lived statutory framework that […]
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
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 to Reform Asylum & Returns System
The UK’s proposed new asylum and returns policy marks a decisive change in how the UK treats people who seek protection and those whose claims fail. Through a series of asylum reforms, the existing model of relatively secure refugee leave is set to be replaced with a more conditional system where status, support and long […]
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 […]
Transparency in the Family Courts: What’s Changing in 2025 and Why It Matters
The family courts in England and Wales have long operated behind closed doors, primarily to protect the privacy of children and vulnerable adults. But this protective approach has often led to criticism—especially around a perceived lack of accountability, inconsistency in decisions, and public misunderstanding of how the system works. In response to mounting pressure from […]
Family Law in the Digital Age: Remote Hearings and Online Justice in 2025
The digital transformation of the UK’s family court system—accelerated by necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic—continues to evolve in 2025. With court backlogs, limited resources, and changing expectations about accessibility, the judiciary is increasingly embracing technology as a long-term solution rather than a temporary fix. Remote hearings, digital case management tools, and online filing systems are […]
No-Fault Divorce in 2025: How the Landscape of Separation is Changing in the UK
Divorce in England and Wales has undergone a quiet but transformative shift since the introduction of the no-fault divorce regime. Although the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 came into effect on 6 April 2022, its practical consequences are only now being fully felt by the legal system and the families who pass through it. […]