Legislation Published July 2026

87 statutory instruments were made in July 2026, with aviation safety and environmental regulation forming the largest categories of new legislation. Significant changes include the Digital Waste Tracking (England) Regulations 2026, which introduces a mandatory electronic system for monitoring controlled waste and new financial penalties for non-compliance. The Employment Tribunal (Extension of Time Limits) Regulations 2026 increases the period for making workplace claims from three to six months. Additionally, the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 sets a 6% interest rate cap on Plan 2 and Plan 3 student loans for the upcoming academic year.

Most significant this month: The Employment Tribunal (Extension of Time Limits) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026

Summary

  • 14th Jul 26 Prohibited unmanned aircraft from flying below 1,100 feet within a specific area of Cardiff on 16 July 2026. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Established an emergency restricted flight zone below 3,000 feet around Dovestones Reservoir. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Revoked the emergency flight restrictions at Dovestones Reservoir, Manchester, with immediate effect. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Established the formulas for calculating UK CBAM rates and defined the verification procedures for importers to claim relief for carbon prices paid abroad. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Established a temporary restricted flight zone below 3,000 feet around Dovestones Reservoir due to a local emergency. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Established a framework for HMRC to use electronic communications by default for specified tax matters and mandated the provision of digital contact details by service users. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Set the commencement dates and transitional registration rules for the mandatory HMRC registration of tax advisers. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Designated the Northern Ireland Events Company and the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery as public authorities subject to equality duties. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Established mandatory notification procedures and data requirements for venues and events covered by the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Established administrative procedures, registration requirements, and record-keeping standards for the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism starting January 2027. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Restricted flight activities below 5,600 feet near Saltby for an aerobatic competition in mid-2026. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Restricted unmanned aircraft flights below 1,500 feet in a specified area of Rotherham due to an emergency. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Increased the annual immigration health surcharge rates for visa applicants and their dependents. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Empowered environmental regulators in England to impose civil penalties and administrative sanctions as alternatives to criminal prosecution for environmental offenses. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Restricted the flight of unmanned aircraft in specified Bedford airspace during July 18–19, 2026, to ensure public safety during a large event. View
  • 14th Jul 26 Restricted the flight of unmanned aircraft in the vicinity of Charlbury during the 2026 Wilderness Festival for public safety and security. View
  • 13th Jul 26 Adjusted the licensing hour extensions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to account for match delays and postponements. View
  • 13th Jul 26 Reconstituted the Ramsey Internal Drainage Board by reducing its elected membership from nine to five. View
  • 13th Jul 26 Updated various childcare regulations to ban dangerous dog breeds from premises, broadened harm notification requirements, and adopted the July 2026 EYFS statutory frameworks. View
  • 13th Jul 26 Established the administrative requirements and removal procedures for the National Crime Agency's barred and advisory lists. View
  • 13th Jul 26 Amended biodiversity gain hierarchies for non-major developments and introduced new exemptions for small-scale and temporary projects while revoking the self-build exemption. View
  • 13th Jul 26 Determined that the regulatory frameworks for central counterparties in several overseas jurisdictions are equivalent to United Kingdom standards to facilitate cross-border clearing services. View
  • 13th Jul 26 Established the procedures for maintaining, publishing, and removing names from the Ministry of Defence Police barred and advisory lists. View
  • 13th Jul 26 Established the administrative framework and transparency requirements for the British Transport Police Authority to maintain records of dismissed or investigated personnel. View
  • 13th Jul 26 Prohibited unmanned aircraft flights below 1,600 feet near Hillsborough Park, Sheffield, during a three-day period in July 2026. View
  • 13th Jul 26 Restricted the flight of unmanned aircraft below 1,400 feet at Crystal Palace Park during specified dates in 2026 for public safety. View
  • 10th Jul 26 Established emergency restricted airspace over Haytor, Devon, prohibiting flight below 3,500 feet without police authorization. View
  • 10th Jul 26 Revoked the emergency flight restrictions in the Swansea area with immediate effect on July 10, 2026. View
  • 10th Jul 26 Prohibited unmanned aircraft from flying below 1,300 feet within a specific radius in Swansea due to an emergency. View
  • 10th Jul 26 Designated Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and Oracle as critical third parties to the UK financial system. View
  • 10th Jul 26 Established temporary restricted airspace for unmanned aircraft near Lytham St Annes to ensure public safety during a major sporting event. View
  • 10th Jul 26 Established temporary restricted airspace near Old Buckenham Aerodrome for the duration of the 2026 Airshow. View
  • 10th Jul 26 Activated specific sections of the Sentencing Act 2026 concerning community requirements, license conditions, domestic abuse findings, and unpaid work credits. View
  • 9th Jul 26 Brought into force revised statutory guidance regarding the detention of vulnerable persons under the Immigration Act 2014. View
  • 9th Jul 26 Amended the 2010 Chambers Order to allocate jurisdiction over certain business tenancy and telecommunications infrastructure disputes to the Property and Lands Chambers. View
  • 9th Jul 26 Restricted the flight of unmanned aircraft near Murrayfield Stadium during specific windows in July 2026 to ensure public safety. View
  • 9th Jul 26 Updated the statutory reference date for calculating the cumulative value of local authority contract and land disposals from 2006 to 2025. View
  • 9th Jul 26 Extended the time limit for bringing employment contract claims in England and Wales from three to six months. View
  • 9th Jul 26 Extended the time limit for presenting various employment tribunal complaints from three months to six months, effective for incidents occurring on or after 1 October 2026. View
  • 9th Jul 26 Increased the hourly fee rates for specialist and non-specialist officers involved in the environmental regulation of offshore oil and gas activities. View
  • 8th Jul 26 Amended the Value Added Tax Regulations 1995 to increase capital expenditure thresholds for property and remove computer equipment from the Capital Goods Scheme. View
  • 8th Jul 26 Activated legal timeframes for the First-tier Tribunal to determine specific immigration and deportation appeals within 24 weeks. View
  • 7th Jul 26 Authorized the Environment Agency and Natural England to issue civil penalties and enforcement notices for environmental regulatory breaches in England. View
  • 7th Jul 26 Amended the 2019 Russia sanctions regulations to clarify prohibitions on financial institutions processing payments for or benefiting designated persons. View
  • 7th Jul 26 Exempted two specific commissions from statutory equality and good relations duties in Northern Ireland. View
  • 7th Jul 26 Restricted the flight of unmanned aircraft near Builth Wells, Powys, between 20 July and 23 July 2026. View
  • 7th Jul 26 Prohibited unauthorized flight below 4,000 feet within a 3 nautical mile radius of RAF Odiham on 31 July 2026 during scheduled aerial displays. View
  • 7th Jul 26 Restricted the flight of unmanned aircraft near Lowther, Cumbria, during a public festival in late July and early August 2026. View
  • 7th Jul 26 Established the legal definitions and minimum requirements for live and alternative broadcasting coverage of nationally significant sporting events. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Transferred the Northern School of Art from the further education sector to the higher education sector by reconstituting it as a higher education corporation. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Amended the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006 to introduce new income disregards for working-age claimants in temporary or specified accommodation. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Established the mandatory information and procedural requirements for trade union workplace access requests and employer response notices starting October 2026. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Amended the 2013 Regulations to permit non-first-class postal service and revised the deemed delivery dates for documents served by charging authorities. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Amended driving licence regulations to extend the validity of Ukrainian driving permits for residents in Great Britain under specific immigration schemes. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Amended ecodesign rules to recognize newer EU sustainability frameworks and corrected errors in the 2026 household tumble dryer regulations. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Capped student loan interest rates for Plan 2 and Plan 3 loans at 6% for the 2026/27 academic year in England and Wales. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Specified three alternative names for previously proscribed organisations to ensure they are subject to the same legal restrictions as the names listed in the Terrorism Act 2000. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Restricted the flight of unmanned aircraft in the vicinity of Bute Park, Cardiff, on 4 July 2026 for public safety during a large gathering. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Activated the remaining provisions of Part 4 of the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 relating to marketing restrictions and enforcement, effective 7 January 2027. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Authorized temporary speed limits, contraflow operations, and nightly closures on the M48 Severn Bridge Crossing for maintenance works starting in July 2026. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Prohibited the flight of unmanned aircraft below 500 feet in a specified area of Brighton during a music festival on 16 July 2026. View
  • 6th Jul 26 Established mandatory content and documentation requirements for formal notices issued to landowners before authorized persons enter property for infrastructure planning purposes. View
  • 3rd Jul 26 Amended the fee structure for criminal legal aid advocates by increasing preparation fee rates and lowering eligibility thresholds for wasted preparation claims. View
  • 3rd Jul 26 Postponed the commencement of specific procurement publication rules from October 2026 to May 2027. View
  • 3rd Jul 26 Amended existing licensing extensions to permit alcohol sales during specific late-night and early-morning FIFA World Cup matches in July 2026. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Corrected typographical and factual errors in the Explanatory Note of the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2026. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Revoked the Pensions Regulator's Code of Practice for collective defined contribution schemes effective July 31, 2026. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Amended the 2014 Order to update and clarify which regulatory functions of the FCA and PRA are eligible for investigation under the statutory Complaints Scheme. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Revoked emergency flight restrictions in the vicinity of Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar, effective July 2, 2026. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Appointed 31 July 2026 as the commencement date for the Pensions Regulator's Code of Practice on Collective Defined Contribution schemes and revoked the corresponding 2022 Order. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Established a mandatory digital system for tracking controlled waste in England, introduced a £26 annual operator fee, and granted the Environment Agency powers to issue civil penalties for non-compliance. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Designated 24th June 2026 as the date ending the access preparation period for the coastal path between Bawdsey and Aldeburgh. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Increased the central service fee for Clean Air Zone payments from £2 to £4 and extended the fee liability period until 2031. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Activated legal provisions clarifying the boundary between traditional civil procedure and new online court rules in England and Wales. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Restricted the flight of unmanned aircraft in designated Coventry airspace during 4 and 5 July 2026 to ensure public safety during large events. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Restricted the operation of unmanned aircraft in the vicinity of Knebworth during July 2026. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Restricted flying in the vicinity of RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire, during public air displays scheduled for July 2026. View
  • 2nd Jul 26 Commenced provisions of the Communications Act 2003 and Media Act 2024 relating to the categorization and broadcasting of listed national events while establishing saving provisions for existing contracts. View
  • 1st Jul 26 Amended reporting procedures for pleasure craft to permit electronic arrival notifications and clarify flag-signaling requirements. View
  • 1st Jul 26 Expanded eligibility for free school lunches to pupils in maintained nursery schools in England whose parents receive Universal Credit. View
  • 1st Jul 26 Expanded the categories of Court Martial sentences eligible for leniency reviews and adjusted procedural deadlines for the Attorney General. View
  • 1st Jul 26 Designated eleven specific government-issued bonds as gilt-edged securities to exempt them from capital gains and corporation tax. View
  • 1st Jul 26 Shortened the time periods and standardized the notice requirements for the retention and disposal of motor vehicles seized by police authorities. View
  • 1st Jul 26 Specified independent remuneration panels and amended regional authority constitutions to permit allowances for members with special responsibilities. View
  • 1st Jul 26 Restricted flight below 2,500 feet within 2 nautical miles of Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar, except for aircraft directed by police. View
  • 1st Jul 26 Established an emergency restricted flight zone up to 3,000 feet above mean sea level near Chipping Ongar, Essex. View
  • 1st Jul 26 Activated legal requirements for football clubs regarding the protection of home grounds, heritage markers, and regulatory notification duties as of July 2026. View

The Licensing Act 2003 (FIFA World Cup Licensing Hours) (Amendment) Order 2026

This Order amends existing licensing regulations in England and Wales to extend the permitted hours for the sale of alcohol and provision of regulated entertainment during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

It modifies the Licensing Act 2003 (FIFA World Cup Licensing Hours) Order 2026 to add a seven-hour extension starting at 10 p.m. on 5th July 2026 for a round of 16 match held at 1 a.m. the following day.

Additionally, it adjusts the commencement time for the extension related to the tournament final on 19th July 2026 to 10 p.m. instead of 11 p.m., contingent on the England national team's participation.

These changes apply to licensed premises and qualifying clubs regulated under the Licensing Act 2003.

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Correction Slip

Published: Thu 2nd Jul 26

This document issues formal corrections to the Explanatory Note of the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2026.

It modifies specific terminology related to group structures, corrects a technical reference to an international energy management standard, and replaces the statement regarding the impact assessment with updated contact information and a revised assessment status.

These corrections apply to the administrative and explanatory context of the primary regulations rather than altering the statutory instruments themselves.

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The Pensions Act 2004 (Code of Practice) (Revocation) Order 2026

This Order revokes the Pensions Regulator’s Code of Practice regarding the authorisation and supervision of collective defined contribution schemes.

It exercises powers granted to the Secretary of State under the Pensions Act 2004 and applies to the regulatory framework governing occupational pension schemes in England, Wales, and Scotland.

The revocation precedes the issuance of a revised code intended to incorporate legislative extensions for unconnected multiple employer schemes.

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The Financial Services Act 2012 (Relevant Functions in relation to Complaints Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2026

Published: Thu 2nd Jul 26

This Order modifies the list of regulatory functions of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) that are subject to the statutory Complaints Scheme.

It mandates that certain functions under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 and the Securitisation Regulations 2024 fall within the scope of independent investigation for maladministration, while specifically excluding legislative actions such as making technical standards and issuing general guidance.

The Order applies to the UK's financial regulators and ensures certain administrative duties are subject to oversight by the independent complaints commissioner.

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The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar) (Emergency) (Revocation) Regulations 2026

Published: Thu 2nd Jul 26

The Secretary of State for Transport revokes the emergency flight restrictions previously established for the Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar area.

The regulations remove the prohibitions on aircraft operations in that vicinity because the underlying emergency has passed and the restrictions are no longer deemed necessary for the public interest.

The order applies to all pilots and aircraft operators who were previously subject to the constraints of the Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Mill Lane, Chipping Ongar) (Emergency) (No. 2) Regulations 2026.

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The Pensions Act 2004 (Code of Practice) (Authorisation and Supervision of Collective Defined Contribution Schemes) Appointed Day and Revocation Order 2026

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions establishes 31 July 2026 as the date on which the Pensions Regulator’s updated Code of Practice regarding the authorisation and supervision of collective defined contribution (CDC) schemes takes legal effect.

The Order applies to the Pensions Regulator and trustees or managers of CDC schemes in England, Wales, and Scotland.

It further revokes the 2022 Order that brought the previous iteration of the Code into force.

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The Digital Waste Tracking (England) Regulations 2026

These Regulations established an electronic digital waste tracking system in England to monitor the movement and management of controlled waste, including household, industrial, and commercial waste.

They direct operators of permitted facilities to record specified information in the system within two working days of receiving waste and to pay an annual fee of £26 to the designated person, defined as the Secretary of State.

The Environment Agency is authorized to monitor compliance and may impose civil sanctions, such as fixed or variable monetary penalties, or pursue criminal charges for failures to comply with recording, retention, or notification requirements.

The document also provides specific procedures for digitally excluded persons and protocols for system outages.

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The Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (Bawdsey to Aldeburgh) Order 2026

This Order establishes June 24, 2026, as the date on which the access preparation period ends for land designated as coastal margin between Bawdsey and Aldeburgh in Suffolk.

It applies to land identified in five specific reports submitted by Natural England and approved by the Secretary of State under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

By concluding the access preparation period, the Order triggers the legal commencement of public access rights to this stretch of coastal land under the terms of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

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