Finance Legislation
Laws governing financial services, banking regulation, insurance, investment, and securities trading.
The Local Government Finance Act 1988 (Prescription of Non-Domestic Rating Multipliers) (England) Regulations 2026
These Regulations, made by the Treasury and effective from 1st April 2026, prescribe the specific non-domestic rating multipliers used to calculate business rates in England for occupied, unoccupied, and centrally rated hereditaments, establishing thresholds based on rateable value (£51,000 and £500,000) to determine whether a small business RHL, standard RHL, high-value, or standard multiplier applies, particularly for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties, while also amending the 2024 Regulations to limit their future applicability.
The Guaranteed Minimum Pensions Increase Order 2026
This Statutory Instrument, The Guaranteed Minimum Pensions Increase Order 2026, legally mandates a 3 per cent annual increase for the portion of Guaranteed Minimum Pensions (GMPs) attributable to earnings factors covering the tax years from 1988-89 through 1996-97, effective from April 6, 2026, based on the Secretary of State's review of price increases showing a 3.8 per cent rise over the preceding 12 months.
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These Regulations amend the 2024 Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations, effective from January 1st, 2026, across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, primarily by introducing new definitions for fibre-based composite materials, refining producer responsibility during corporate mergers and acquisitions, and establishing specific rules and charges for reporting 'closed loop packaging waste' derived from food-grade plastic.
Furthermore, the amendments adjust the scope of exemptions for charities, update various financial charges outlined in Schedule 1, and empower the scheme administrator to appoint Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) to assist in regulatory functions, alongside detailed transitional provisions for reporting historical data related to the new closed-loop category.
The Motor Fuel Price (Open Data) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, made under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, establish a mandatory open data scheme requiring motor fuel traders in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland to register their petrol filling stations and report the selling price of motor fuels to an appointed third-party 'aggregator'.
Motor fuel traders must provide this price information, including any subsequent changes within 30 minutes of occurrence, for public dissemination via an Application Programming Interface (API) and other means.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is responsible for enforcement, with powers to issue compliance notices, conduct investigations, impose financial penalties up to 1% of worldwide turnover, and pursue criminal sanctions for false information or obstruction.
This Order, made by the Treasury, amends the Consumer Composite Investments (Designated Activities) Regulations 2024, establishing temporary exemptions from the financial promotion and scheme promotion restrictions for communications related to Key Information Documents (KIDs) previously governed by the PRIIPs Regulation, effective from April 6, 2026, until December 8, 2027, within the context of the transition to the new Consumer Composite Investments regime.
The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) (Amendment) Order 2025
This Order, made by HM Treasury under the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000, revises the list of designated central government bodies for the purpose of calculating supply estimates and resource accounts for the financial year ending March 31, 2026.
Specifically, it substitutes the entire Schedule of the principal Order (The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025) with an updated list organized by government department, adding, renaming, or removing various public sector bodies.
These Regulations, made by the Treasury using powers granted under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, introduce consequential amendments to primary and secondary UK financial legislation.
The regulations align existing laws, specifically mentioning the Banking Act 2009 and various 2014, 2019, and 2020 secondary legislation, with the broader changes stemming from the revocation of retained EU law concerning prudential regulation, taking effect on January 1st, 2026.
The Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024 (Consequential Amendments) Order 2025
The Secretary of State, exercising powers under the Government of Wales Act 2006, enacted this Order to introduce necessary consequential amendments to existing legislation following the passing of the Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024.
This Order modifies the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 to include infrastructure consent when considering site licences, amends the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 regarding consultation requirements related to government authorisation, and updates the Finance Act 2013 to incorporate infrastructure consent into rules governing the conversion of dwellings for non-residential use, ensuring legal alignment with the new infrastructure consenting process in Wales.