Legal Updates
Track significant changes to English and Welsh law — new Acts, important reforms, and regulatory updates explained in plain English.
Renters' Rights Act 2025
The Renters' Rights Act abolishes Section 21 no-fault evictions and creates a new assured tenancy framework for the private rented sector in England.
Affects: Private sector tenants and landlords in England
Employment Rights Bill 2024
A landmark Employment Rights Bill introduced in October 2024 proposes day-one unfair dismissal rights, flexible working from day one, and restrictions on fire-and-rehire practices.
Affects: All employees, workers, and employers in Great Britain
Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 restricts ground rents, makes lease extension and freehold enfranchisement cheaper and easier, and bans new leasehold houses.
Affects: Leaseholders, freeholders, and property developers in England and Wales
Victims and Prisoners Act 2024
The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 places the Victims' Code on a statutory footing, reforms the Parole Board, and strengthens support for victims of crime.
Affects: Victims of crime, prisoners subject to Parole Board review, and criminal justice agencies in England and Wales
Online Safety Act 2023
The Online Safety Act 2023 imposes new duties on internet platforms and introduces criminal offences covering cyberflashing, false communications, and intimate image abuse.
Affects: Online platforms (user-to-user services, search services), content creators, and victims of online abuse in the UK
Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduces a 'failure to prevent fraud' offence for large organisations and reforms Companies House to improve transparency.
Affects: Large organisations, company directors, and accountants across the UK
Procurement Act 2023
The Procurement Act 2023 replaces the EU-derived public procurement regime with a new unified framework for public contracts in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Affects: Central and local government contracting authorities, NHS bodies, and businesses tendering for public contracts in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023
The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023 gives workers and agency workers the right to request a more predictable working pattern after 26 weeks of service.
Affects: Workers on variable hours contracts (including zero-hours), agency workers, and employers in Great Britain
Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 ends the special constitutional status of retained EU law and enables ministers to more easily restate, revoke, or replace it.
Affects: All persons and businesses in Great Britain whose rights or obligations derive from EU-origin legislation retained after Brexit
Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023
The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 enables the government to set minimum service levels during strikes in certain public-facing sectors.
Affects: Trade unions, workers in specified sectors (health, fire, education, transport, nuclear, border security), and employers in Great Britain
Carer's Leave Act 2023
The Carer's Leave Act 2023 grants employees with caring responsibilities the right to take one week of unpaid leave per year from day one of employment.
Affects: Employees with caring responsibilities for a dependant with a long-term care need, and all employers in Great Britain
Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023
This Act extends the redundancy protection period for pregnant employees and those returning from maternity, adoption, or shared parental leave.
Affects: Pregnant employees, employees on or returning from maternity leave, adoption leave, or shared parental leave, and their employers
Building Safety Act 2022
The Building Safety Act 2022 creates the Building Safety Regulator, establishes a new regime for higher-risk buildings, and extends remediation obligations for unsafe cladding.
Affects: Owners, developers, residents, and managing agents of higher-risk buildings (residential buildings above 18 metres or 7 storeys) and all those involved in construction in England
No-Fault Divorce — Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 came into force on 6 April 2022, introducing no-fault divorce and removing the need to prove one of five facts.
Affects: Married couples and civil partners in England and Wales seeking to end their relationship
Domestic Abuse Act 2021
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 introduces a statutory definition of domestic abuse, creates Domestic Abuse Protection Orders, and strengthens protections for victims.
Affects: Victims of domestic abuse, their children, perpetrators, police, local authorities, and courts in England and Wales