Every new law, in plain English.
Plain-language analysis of what Parliament actually passed. Every Act and Statutory Instrument, fetched and explained.
Policy activity heatmap
Where laws have concentrated over the last 12 months. Darker cells mean more laws.
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Oct
2026
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Sept
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Aug
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Jul
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Jun
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May
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Apr
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Mar
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Feb
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2025
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| Justice | 23 | 77 | 38 | 131 | 75 | 28 | 36 | 43 | 9 | 6 | 53 | 35 |
| Economy | 9 | 33 | 68 | 34 | 7 | 16 | 27 | 4 | 24 | 24 | ||
| Transport | 9 | 55 | 38 | 72 | 43 | 17 | 28 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 10 |
| Local Government | 13 | 28 | 16 | 44 | 23 | 13 | 23 | 24 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 15 |
| Finance | 5 | 12 | 28 | 26 | 6 | 9 | 25 | 3 | 19 | 11 | ||
| Environment | 5 | 16 | 32 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 10 |
Latest UK Legislation
Summary
- 20th Oct 26 Restricted the use of unmanned aircraft near Aberfan during the 60th anniversary memorial event on 21 October 2026. View Culture and Sport Justice Transport
- 20th Oct 26 Established statutory timelines, conditions for access refusal, and financial penalties for trade union workplace access requests. View Economy Justice Labour Trade
- 20th Oct 26 Prohibited employers from subjecting workers to detriments for taking industrial action and enabled tribunal award adjustments for related claims. View Justice Labour Trade
- 20th Oct 26 Established temporary restricted airspace across various English and Welsh counties on 21 October 2026 to facilitate a specific helicopter flight. View Defence Transport
- 19th Oct 26 Established an emergency no-fly zone for drones below 2,000 feet near Drymen, Stirling, effective 16 October 2026. View Justice Transport
- 19th Oct 26 Commenced provisions of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 relating to marine licensing fees and monitoring charges. View Devolution Environment Infrastructure Local Government
- 19th Oct 26 Activated a new statutory Code of Practice governing how trade unions access and communicate with workers at their places of employment. View Economy Labour Trade
- 18th Oct 26 Corrected a typographical error in regulation 31(2) of the Social Security (Further Methods of Recovery) Regulations 2026 to ensure accurate statutory cross-referencing. View Benefits and Welfare Justice
- 16th Oct 26 Designated the Clerk and Deputy Clerks of the Sexual Offences Court as non-ministerial office holders within the Scottish Administration. View Devolution Justice Local Government
- 16th Oct 26 Updated Upper Tribunal procedures by setting deadlines for Online Safety Act appeals and revising service requirements for immigration judicial reviews. View Immigration Justice Technology
- 16th Oct 26 Reallocated the sale proceeds of a former teacher's house in Hathern to support local religious education and diocesan school infrastructure. View Culture and Sport Education Local Government
- 16th Oct 26 Activated specific criminal justice provisions concerning illegal pornography, child abduction, and abortion-related pardons. View Civil Liberties Justice
- 15th Oct 26 Updated the Nursery Milk Scheme definitions and eligibility criteria to align with contemporary childcare legislation in England and Wales. View Benefits and Welfare Education Health and Social Care Local Government
- 15th Oct 26 Modernised the Port of Tyne's governance structure, consolidated statutory harbour powers, and updated the Authority's regulatory and financial framework. View Economy Environment Finance Infrastructure Justice Local Government Transport
- 15th Oct 26 Added employee loans and living accommodation to the list of benefits that employers can tax directly through the PAYE system. View Economy Finance Labour
- 15th Oct 26 Revoked the emergency flight restrictions over Yorkshire Wildlife Park with immediate effect. View Environment Local Government Transport
- 15th Oct 26 Extended UK human rights and international humanitarian law sanctions to specific British overseas territories and established local enforcement frameworks. View Civil Liberties Economy Finance Foreign Policy Justice
- 14th Oct 26 Shortened the required vacancy period for empty home management orders and removed specific administrative requirements for council applications. View Housing Justice Local Government
- 13th Oct 26 Commenced the first phase of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 and corrected typographical errors in the original drafting. View Civil Liberties Justice
- 13th Oct 26 Activated specific sections of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 and corrected typographical errors in footnotes regarding the Armed Forces Act 2006. View Civil Liberties Justice Local Government Armed Forces and Veterans
- 13th Oct 26 Established a consolidated UK sanctions regime for human rights and international humanitarian law violations, replacing the 2020 regulations. View Economy Finance Foreign Policy Immigration Justice
- 12th Oct 26 Added the continuity of telecommunications supply as a public interest ground for government intervention in UK business mergers. View Economy Infrastructure Justice Technology Trade
- 12th Oct 26 Prohibited unmanned aircraft from flying below 2,000 feet within a one-nautical-mile radius of Yorkshire Wildlife Park due to an emergency. View Culture and Sport Environment Justice Transport
- 11th Oct 26 Activated specific sections of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 and issued a correction regarding the Act's territorial application. View Education Health and Social Care Housing Local Government
- 11th Oct 26 Corrected the explanatory text regarding data sharing for free school meal eligibility in England. View Benefits and Welfare Education Local Government
- 11th Oct 26 Activated further provisions of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 and corrected the scope of its explanatory documentation. View Education Local Government
- 9th Oct 26 Amended social security regulations to exclude Church of England abuse redress payments from income and capital assessments for means-tested benefits. View Benefits and Welfare Economy Justice
- 9th Oct 26 Updated the procedural rules and terminology for military service complaints and restricted certain appeal-related decisions from the grievance process. View Defence Justice Armed Forces and Veterans
- 9th Oct 26 Activated new service complaint procedures and technical terminology changes within the Armed Forces on 3 November 2026. View Defence Justice Armed Forces and Veterans
- 8th Oct 26 Introduced benefit disregards for the Irish Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme and increased fraud-related recovery rates for State Pension Credit. View Benefits and Welfare Devolution Finance Justice Local Government
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Aberfan, Merthyr Tydfil) Regulations 2026
Restricted the use of unmanned aircraft near Aberfan during the 60th anniversary memorial event on 21 October 2026.
These Regulations prohibit the flight of unmanned aircraft, commonly known as drones, within a specified radius of Aberfan, Merthyr Tydfil, on 21 October 2026.
The restriction applies to all unmanned aircraft flying below 2,600 feet above mean sea level within a 1.5 nautical mile radius of the memorial event, unless specifically permitted by the South Wales Police. The Department for Transport issued these rules to manage airspace safety and security during the 60th anniversary commemorations of the Aberfan disaster.
Established statutory timelines, conditions for access refusal, and financial penalties for trade union workplace access requests.
These Regulations establish the procedural framework and substantive rules governing the right of trade union officials to access workplaces in England, Wales, and Scotland.
They direct the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) to determine access disputes, prescribe strict timeframes for employer responses and negotiations, and mandate the refusal of access in specific circumstances such as national security or for employers with fewer than 21 workers.
The instrument applies to qualifying trade unions, employers, and any third parties whose cooperation is required for workplace access, while also introducing a tiered financial penalty regime for non-compliance with access orders.
Prohibited employers from subjecting workers to detriments for taking industrial action and enabled tribunal award adjustments for related claims.
These Regulations establish legal protections for workers against being subjected to any form of detriment by their employers for participating in protected industrial action.
The instrument implements powers under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 to define the scope of prohibited employer actions and integrates these protections into the existing framework for employment tribunal awards.
It applies to workers in England, Wales, and Scotland, while explicitly preserving the common law right of employers to deduct pay for time spent on strike.
Established temporary restricted airspace across various English and Welsh counties on 21 October 2026 to facilitate a specific helicopter flight.
These Regulations prohibit aircraft from flying below specified altitudes—ranging from 2,500 to 4,000 feet above mean sea level—within designated areas across southern England and parts of Wales on 21 October 2026.
The restrictions apply in ten time-bound phases to accommodate a specific helicopter flight, covering regions including Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and several Welsh counties.
The rules apply to all civilian aircraft except those operated by emergency services, the King's Helicopter Flight, or those flying with explicit permission from designated air traffic control units.
Established an emergency no-fly zone for drones below 2,000 feet near Drymen, Stirling, effective 16 October 2026.
These Regulations prohibit the flight of unmanned aircraft below 2,000 feet above mean sea level within a specified one-nautical-mile radius of Drymen, Stirling.
The restriction applies to all unmanned aircraft operators, except those flying under the direction of Police Scotland.
The measure took effect immediately at 9:30 p.m. on 16 October 2026 to facilitate the management of an ongoing emergency.
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Commencement No. 12) Regulations 2026
Commenced provisions of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 relating to marine licensing fees and monitoring charges.
These Regulations bring section 232 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 into force, granting the Secretary of State and Scottish Ministers powers to charge fees for marine licensing activities.
The provisions apply to the monitoring, variation, and transfer of marine licences under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
Subsections (1) to (8) become effective immediately following the making of the regulations, while subsection (9), which revokes the 2014 Marine Management Organisation fee order, takes effect in January 2027.
Activated a new statutory Code of Practice governing how trade unions access and communicate with workers at their places of employment.
This Order establishes the effective date for the statutory Code of Practice regarding trade union access to workplaces in England, Wales, and Scotland.
It directs that the guidance, which assists trade unions and employers in managing union entry to work sites and communication with staff, officially commences on 30 October 2026.
The Order applies to employers, trade unions, and workers across the private, public, and voluntary sectors, giving legal weight to the guidance issued by the Secretary of State under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Correction to Social Security Debt Recovery Procedures
Corrected a typographical error in regulation 31(2) of the Social Security (Further Methods of Recovery) Regulations 2026 to ensure accurate statutory cross-referencing.
This document issues a formal correction to the Social Security (Further Methods of Recovery) Regulations 2026.
It amends a specific cross-reference within the provisions governing the recovery of social security debts, changing a citation in regulation 31(2) from a specific subparagraph to a broader paragraph.
The correction applies to the Department for Work and Pensions and relevant authorities responsible for administering social security benefits and debt collection.