The Critical Third Parties (Designation) Regulations 2026 designates four specific technology service providers as 'critical third parties' under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

It applies to Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL, Google Cloud EMEA Limited, Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, and Oracle Corporation UK Limited.

By designating these entities, the Treasury subjects them to a regulatory framework intended to manage risks to the stability of the UK financial system stemming from the services they provide to financial institutions.

These Regulations increase the hourly rates used to calculate fees for environmental regulatory activities performed by the Secretary of State in Relation to the offshore oil and gas industry.

The instrument amends the rate for specialist officers from £210 to £256 and for non-specialist officers from £114 to £130 across several statutory frameworks, including those governing habitat conservation, offshore safety, and environmental impact assessments.

These changes apply to operators and entities subject to UK offshore licensing and environmental compliance monitoring in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

The Value Added Tax (Amendment) Regulations 2026 modify the Capital Goods Scheme by amending the Value Added Tax Regulations 1995.

These regulations remove computer equipment from the list of capital items subject to input tax adjustments and increase the minimum expenditure threshold for land, buildings, and civil engineering works from £250,000 to £600,000.

These changes apply to VAT-registered owners of capital items in the United Kingdom, specifically those incurring capital expenditure on or after July 29, 2026.

These Regulations amend the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations 2009 to cap the interest rates for Plan 2 and Plan 3 student loans at 6% for a twelve-month period.

The order applies to student loan borrowers and repayment administrators in England and Wales, specifically targeting the interest calculations for undergraduate and postgraduate income-contingent loans.

The Secretary of State for Education and the Welsh Ministers exercise these powers to ensure that if the standard interest rate calculations exceed 6% between September 2026 and August 2027, the lower capped rate applies.

This statutory instrument amends the remuneration framework for legal advocates performing criminal legal aid work in the Crown Court of England and Wales.

It adjusts the Advocates' Graduated Fee Scheme by lowering the eligibility threshold for wasted preparation fees and increasing both the rate and scope of additional preparation fees.

These changes apply to legal services authorized through representation determinations made on or after July 28, 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.

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.

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.