Legislation Published April 2026
UK legislation and statutory instruments introduced in April 2026.
Summary
- 1st Apr 26 Enacted provisions expanding police powers regarding protests, public order offenses, and stop and search; concurrently made procedural changes affecting certain aspects of sentencing and the courts. View
- 1st Apr 26 The Order amended the Financial Promotion Order 2005, modifying regulations governing the promotion of financial services and investments within the UK. View
- 1st Apr 26 Two statutory instruments officially brought specific sections of the Mental Health Act 2025 into force on April 6th, 2026, covering human rights application to private providers and mandating a review of notification procedures for young inpatients in England. View
- 1st Apr 26 Corrected three instances of 'The Secretary' to read 'The Secretary of State' within Regulation 63A of the inserted provisions of The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026. View
Part 7 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 focuses on consolidating and expanding various police powers, particularly in areas concerning protests, public order, stop and search, and related procedural matters within the criminal justice system, ultimately aiming to improve operational effectiveness for law enforcement and public safety measures.
This statutory instrument, The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) (Amendment) Order 2024, formally amends the existing Financial Promotion Order 2005 by introducing specific changes to how financial promotions are regulated under the primary Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 framework, likely updating exemptions or conditions related to certain types of communication.
The Mental Health Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2026
These Regulations officially bring Sections 51 and 52 of the Mental Health Act 2025 into legal force starting April 6th, 2026.
Section 51 extends the Human Rights Act 1998 compatibility requirements to mental health services provided by private care providers across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, while Section 52 places a specific duty on the Secretary of State to review and report on the regulations concerning notification to the Care Quality Commission when individuals under eighteen are admitted as inpatients for mental health treatment, applicable only to England.
Correction Slip
This Statutory Instrument correction notice rectifies typographical errors within The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026 No. 6), specifically replacing instances of the abbreviated term 'The Secretary' with the full statutory title 'The Secretary of State' in subsections (2), (4), and (6) of the newly inserted regulation 63A concerning transitional provisions.