What should your employment law reform priorities be?
Acas provides advice and resources for employers Acas’s Julie Dennis has set out how HR teams should approach the Employment Rights Act 2025, one of the most significant changes to UK employment law in recent years, which became law on 18 December 2025 and is being phased in through 2026–2027. Several changes are already […]
Mental Health: A Key Reason for Sickness Absence
Acas provide suggestions for managing absences A recent YouGov survey commissioned by Acas shows that almost one in three employers are finding that stress, anxiety, depression or other mental health problems are a reason that staff give for sickness absence. The top reason for sickness is minor illnesses, such as coughs, colds and the flu. […]
Health and Safety Campaign for Home Workers
HSE reminds employers of their responsibilities The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a campaign to remind employers that they have the same legal duties for home workers as office-based staff. According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), over a third of workers in Great Britain now work remotely […]
Employment Rights Act
What is changing first? A new website has been launched by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) offering practical guidance and support on the changes that the Employment Rights Act will introduce and what they can do to get ready. The website provides details of upcoming changes, including several that come into force from […]
Could a Fiscal “Traffic Light System” Help Your Business Cut Through Uncertainty?
How to bring more structure to decision making A leading think tank has criticised the fiscal rules that the Chancellor uses to determine the government’s tax and spending plans. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has suggested that reducing complex finances to a pass‑or‑fail number misses the bigger picture. The Treasury, on the other hand, […]
New FCA Rules for Buy Now Pay Later
Regulation will commence in July 2026 Unregulated Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) agreements will fall under full FCA regulation from 15 July 2026. For the first time, BNPL lenders will need to meet the same expectations as other consumer-credit providers. With almost 11 million UK adults using BNPL in 2024, according to an FCA survey, […]
Spring Forecast 2026
What does the OBR’s latest forecast mean for you? During a week dominated by news of the Middle East conflict, on 3 March 2026, Chancellor Rachel Reeves presented the Spring Forecast to Parliament. The Chancellor told MPs she had “restored economic stability” as she presented the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR’s) economic forecasts. The Chancellor […]
Agentic AI: Is It the Future of Shopping?
Agentic AI: Is It the Future of Shopping? ICO weighs in on privacy concerns The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published a new report on the ways agentic artificial intelligence (AI) could soon be used as digital personal assistants or shopping agents. The development of AI means that, perhaps within the next five years, it […]
Backtrack on Digital ID Requirements
Backtrack on Digital ID Requirements Digital right to work checks will be mandatory, ID optional It appears that the government has backtracked on plans to require workers to register with its new digital ID programme to prove their right to work in the UK. While right-to-work checks will still be carried out digitally by […]
NCSC Launches Free Cyber Action Toolkit – Copy
Chancellor Increases Agricultural and Business Property Relief Allowance to £2.5 Million Surprise amendment to IHT proposals The government has announced a major change to the agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) reforms that will take effect from 6 April 2026. The full 100% relief from inheritance tax will now apply to the […]