These Regulations, enacted in April 2026, significantly amend the Contracts for Difference (CfD) legislative framework—specifically the Allocation, General, and Standard Terms Regulations 2014—to introduce new flexibilities concerning Sustainable Industry Rewards (SIR).

Key changes involve allowing the Secretary of State to define specific budget allocations (minima, maxima, and flexible pools) for SIR applications, changing the time limits for certain allocation processes, defining what constitutes met or unmet pre-award financial minimum standards, and establishing procedures for updating sustainable industry reward statements after contract notifications.

This Order establishes a Mayoral development corporation for a designated area in East Birmingham, formally named the Birmingham East Mayoral Development Corporation.

Starting 11 May 2026, the Corporation functions as a statutory body under the West Midlands Combined Authority, tasked with urban development within the geographic boundaries defined by the associated official map.

The Order applies to the Secretary of State, the West Midlands Combined Authority, and any persons or entities operating within the specified development area.

These Regulations amend the Local Government (Structural Changes) (Finance) Regulations 2008 to clarify how new successor councils in England must implement higher council tax rates on periodically occupied dwellings.

They direct that when a new council is formed from multiple predecessor authorities, any new decision to charge higher council tax in an area where it was not previously charged is treated as a 'first determination.' This triggers a legal requirement under the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for the council to make that decision at least one year before the start of the financial year in which the higher rate takes effect.

These Regulations amend the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022 to expand the scope of eligible renewable heating technologies and extend the duration of the program.

They introduce air-to-air heat pumps as eligible plant for residential properties, remove the mandatory requirement for a valid energy performance certificate, and extend the scheme's operational timeline until 2030.

The regulations apply to heat pump and biomass boiler installers and property owners in England and Wales, overseen by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

These regulations establish joint and several liability for National Insurance contributions (NICs) within labour supply chains involving umbrella companies.

They direct that recruitment agencies or end-clients must pay unpaid Class 1 NICs if the umbrella company employing a worker fails to do so.

The rules apply to 'relevant parties'—typically the agency closest to the client in the contractual chain—and include provisions to prevent avoidance through 'purported' umbrella companies or fraudulent documentation.

The regulations affect recruitment businesses, umbrella companies, and various clients across the United Kingdom who engage workers via intermediaries.

This Order amends the Renewables Obligation Order 2015 to change the inflation index used for adjusting the buy-out price and the mutualisation cap for electricity suppliers in England and Wales.

It replaces the Retail Prices Index (RPI) with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for all obligation periods starting on or after 1 April 2026.

These changes apply to all licensed electricity suppliers who must either produce Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) or make cash buy-out payments to the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (Ofgem).

These Regulations increase the lump sum compensation amounts payable to individuals suffering from certain dust-related diseases, such as pneumoconiosis and diffuse mesothelioma, or to their dependants.

They apply to cases in England, Wales, and Scotland where a person first meets the entitlement conditions on or after 1 April 2026.

The instrument raises specific statutory payment limits and replaces the payment tables in the 1988 Regulations to reflect a 3.8% increase across all categories of age and disability percentage.

These Regulations bring into force the second tranche of provisions from the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 starting on 1st April 2026, specifically activating sections establishing new powers for investigating and recovering losses from fraud against public authorities outside of tax and social security, introducing criminal offences and administrative penalties for non-benefit payment fraud, and extending relevant Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 powers to authorized investigators.