Overview
- From February 25, visa‑exempt visitors from 85 countries must hold a £16 Electronic Travel Authorisation to travel to the UK, with British and Irish nationals exempt.
- From March 31, all English councils must run ‘Simpler Recycling’ with four separate household collections, with plastic film and bags added in 2027.
- The Department for Work and Pensions will implement new powers in 2026 to recover welfare debts directly from bank accounts and access bank data to tackle fraud, with projected savings of about £1.5bn by 2029/30.
- From April, worker changes begin under the Employment Rights Act as statutory sick pay starts on day one with the lower earnings limit removed, new day‑one parental entitlements take effect, and the National Living Wage rises to £12.71 for ages 21 and over.
- From May 1, renters in England gain protections including a ban on Section 21 ‘no‑fault’ evictions, rolling tenancies, limits on rent increases to once a year, and curbs on bidding wars and large upfront payments.