Labour Legislation
Regulations governing employment rights, workplace safety, industrial relations, and employment standards.
The Rules amended the 2013 Tribunal Procedure for the Property Chamber to incorporate jurisdiction under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and adjusted provisions related to costs orders for Housing Act 1988 financial penalty appeals.
These Rules amend the existing 2013 procedural rules governing the Property Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal, primarily to integrate the jurisdiction created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 concerning residential property disputes and new penalties, while also clarifying the scope of the Tribunal’s authority to make costs orders in specific Housing Act 1988 penalty appeals.
The Social Security Contributions (Umbrella Companies) Regulations 2026
Established joint liability for National Insurance payments between umbrella companies, recruitment agencies, and clients to prevent tax avoidance in labour supply chains.
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.
The Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2026
The Warm Home Discount (England and Wales) Regulations 2026 were made to continue the fuel poverty reduction scheme until 2031, defining supplier obligations, rebate mechanisms, and spending requirements for energy efficiency measures.
These Statutory Instruments continue the Warm Home Discount Scheme in England and Wales until March 31, 2031, re-enacting and amending provisions from the 2022 Regulations to combat fuel poverty.
The scheme mandates obligations on energy suppliers, primarily through a core spending obligation requiring the provision of a £150 prescribed rebate to eligible 'core group customers' identified by the Secretary of State, and a non-core spending obligation covering industry initiatives like energy efficiency improvements, advice provision, and debt write-off, all administered and enforced by the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (the Authority).
The Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
Increased the statutory compensation payments for workers with dust-related diseases and their dependants by 3.8% starting April 2026.
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.
The Armed Forces Commissioner (Family Definition, and Consequential and Transitional Provision etc.) Regulations 2026
Defined family eligibility and transferred Service Complaints Ombudsman functions to the new Armed Forces Commissioner.
These Regulations establish the legal definition of 'relevant family members' eligible to interact with the Armed Forces Commissioner and manage the transfer of functions from the Service Complaints Ombudsman to the Commissioner.
Effective 1 April 2026, the instrument replaces references to the Ombudsman with the Commissioner across existing service complaint and labor regulations, including the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000.
It applies to individuals subject to service law in the UK and their defined relatives, ensuring that pending cases and prior decisions are transitioned to the new office.
Increased the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage hourly rates and the daily accommodation offset amount effective from 1 April 2026.
This instrument increases the statutory hourly pay rates for workers across the United Kingdom effective from 1 April 2026.
It raises the National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over, as well as the National Minimum Wage rates for workers aged 18 to 20, workers under 18, and apprentices.
The regulations also adjust the daily limit that an employer can offset against a worker's minimum wage pay when providing living accommodation.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 (Investigatory Powers) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026
The Regulations amended Schedule 4 of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 to replace the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority with the Fair Work Agency as a relevant public authority with specific investigatory powers.
These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the powers granted by the Employment Rights Act 2025, amend the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 to ensure that the Fair Work Agency, which is taking over the functions of the abolished Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), retains the necessary authority to access communications data for enforcement purposes.
The amendment specifically updates the list of relevant public authorities in Schedule 4 of the 2016 Act, substituting the GLAA's designation with that of the Fair Work Agency within the Department for Business and Trade.
The Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (Modification of Section 4A) Order 2026
The Order modified Section 4A of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 to assimilate income tax and social security contribution law related to umbrella companies and deemed employment.
This Statutory Instrument, made by HM Treasury with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, modifies section 4A of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 to align social security contribution rules with recent changes made to income tax legislation by the Finance Act 2026 concerning workers supplied through service companies and umbrella companies.
The Order primarily empowers the Treasury to introduce regulations holding certain persons jointly and severally liable with umbrella companies for contributions, and to treat payments made under deemed employment scenarios with 'purported umbrella companies' as earnings for contributions purposes.