United Kingdom: Government, Public Sector

Mounting geopolitical tensions and heightened security concerns have highlighted the need for greater scale, resilience and autonomy in Europe’s defence sector. This has prompted a fundamental policy shift.

The UK Government has introduced a new grant scheme to reimburse visa fees for scale-ups in Clean Energy, Life Sciences, and Digital and Technologies sectors, offering up to £25,000 annually to help these high-growth companies attract international talent. Alongside this financial support, fast-track sponsor licence processing and a bespoke concierge service have been launched to strengthen the UK's position as a destination for innovative businesses and global talent.

The UK Government's Defence Investment Plan commits £298 billion over four years and introduces fundamental reforms to defence procurement, including segmented acquisition models, new commercial pathways, and a 'buy British by default' approach. With significant emphasis on attracting private capital through new investment mechanisms and advisory groups, the Plan creates substantial opportunities across nuclear programmes, critical infrastructure, SME participation, and advanced technologies for organi

The International Court of Justice has ruled that ILO Convention No. 87 contains a right to strike, settling a decades-long dispute between employers and workers' representatives.

The House of Lords Committee has launched a consultation to gather perspectives on the implementation and effectiveness of the Online Safety Act. Stakeholders are invited to submit their views on how the legislation is functioning in practice and what improvements might be needed. This inquiry represents a critical opportunity to shape the future direction of online safety regulation in the UK.

The Court of Appeal has issued its first judgment on personal welfare deputyship applications, clarifying when deputies should be appointed for adults lacking capacity to make welfare decisions. This landmark ruling examines the balance between collaborative decision-making and the practical benefits of formal deputyship, establishing key factors that courts must consider when determining whether appointment would enhance decision-making effectiveness.

The UK Government's Defence Investment Plan commits £298 billion over four years and introduces fundamental reforms to defence procurement, including segmented acquisition models, new commercial pathways, and a 'buy British by default' approach. With significant emphasis on attracting private capital through new investment mechanisms and advisory groups, the Plan creates substantial opportunities across nuclear programmes, critical infrastructure, SME participation, and advanced technologies for organi

The UK government's National Security and Investment Act continues to evolve in its implementation and enforcement, raising important questions about regulatory scope, transaction timing, and compliance obligations.

The UK government's 2025/26 annual report reveals significant shifts in the National Security and Investment Act's operation, with notification volumes climbing 15.8% while intervention rates drop to historic lows. Despite longer review timelines and increased scrutiny of certain investor origins, 98.9% of transactions proceeded without government intervention, raising questions about the regime's scope and effectiveness.

The UK Government has introduced new public procurement rules that double the weighting of social value criteria to 20% for contracts over £5 million, with trade union access and representation now explicitly factored into bid evaluations. This development creates a commercial incentive for employers to engage with unions, working in tandem with the Employment Rights Act 2025's new workplace access regime. Employers bidding for government contracts must now consider union relations not just as a compli

The Cabinet Office has published Procurement Policy Note 026, introducing a revised Social Value Model that fundamentally redefines how central government procurement evaluates social value - shifting from broad environmental and community concepts to a laser focus on creating good British jobs, skills development, and opportunities for people facing employment barriers.

Ofgem published its Curate consultation on 29 July 2026. It proposes two significant reforms for in-scope data centres seeking a grid connection in Great Britain...