In the King’s Speech on 13 May 2026, a total of 37 bills were announced, outlining the focus of Government for the next parliamentary session.

On 31 March 2026, the new Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs (the Inquiry) commenced its work. It was formally set up as required by the Inquiries Act 2005 on 13 April 2026.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill received Royal Assent on 29 April to become the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026.

The UK subsidy control regime came into force in January 2023, enabling public authorities to give subsidies that are tailored to their local needs and drive economic growth.

An integral part of the Government’s plans under the devolution agenda has been to give local leaders and communities the tools they need to deliver growth for their areas and raise living standards by utilising elected Mayors to help build trust.

Following the December update, Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in England has now entered a decisive implementation phase.

The implementation of most changes to data protection law caused by the Data Use and Access Act 2025 (DUAA) have now come into force, with the last change – the need for a data protection complaints regime – coming into effect in June 2026.

The Chancellor delivered her Spring Statement 2026 on 3rd March 2026. The Chancellor did not announce any major tax or spending measures in the Spring Statement but did provide an update on her plans for the UK economy.

​The Schools White Paper sets out the Government’s long-term plan to reform the education system so that high standards and inclusion are better delivered.

On 12 February, Government launched its consultation on the new spatial development strategies (SDS) areas. The consultation will run until 26 March 2026 and seeks views on a series of proposed geographies over which SDSs would be prepared.

As part of our Judicial Review Mini-series, we have prepared the following ‘Top Tips’ to help you navigate Judicial Review litigation. The aim is to provide a quick point of reference to give you prompts to help deal with such a complex area of law.

If you’re a local government or public sector employer, the new Employment Rights Act 2025 is going to keep your legal and HR teams very busy.