Legislative Changes March 2026

ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION CHANGES

These Regulations make amendments to the legislation which gives effect to the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (the UK ETS). This includes provisions enabling incumbent installations to have their 2020, or 2020 and 2021, scheme year(s) data excluded from the calculation of their historical activity level (HAL) for the 2027/2030 allocation period. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations exempt electricity used in electrolysis to produce hydrogen from Climate Change Levy (CCL). It also exempts natural gas used partly as a source of carbon dioxide to produce sodium bicarbonate from soda ash. It does this by amending Parts A and B of Schedule 1 to the Climate Change Levy (Fuel Use and Recycling Processes) Regulations 2005 (the principal Regulations) so that their supply for use in the processes described are classified as non-fuel uses. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations amend the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022 (the 2022 Order), which imposes a home-heating cost reduction obligation on licensed gas and electricity suppliers (energy suppliers) that exceed domestic customer and gas or electricity supply thresholds (known as the ECO4 scheme or ECO4). This instrument changes a requirement that a measure must meet to be a qualifying action under ECO4. The requirement now specifies which grants from public funds may not fund measures. This instrument also corrects drafting errors in the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment, Savings and Transitional Provisions) Order 2025 (the 2025 Order). Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations set out updated eco-design and energy labelling requirements for household tumble dryers in Great Britain. This instrument will set new minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for household tumble dryers to phase out the least efficient models and drive uptake of efficient technologies. It will introduce resource efficiency requirements, including the mandatory availability of spare parts for at least 10 years and the provision of repair documentation to support product longevity and maintainability. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations revoke and replace the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 as amended. These Regulations set out plan-making procedural requirements to take account of the changes made by the Act to the plan-making provisions in Part 2 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (PCPA 2004), and of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 with regard to the neighbourhood planning provisions. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations set out plan-making procedural requirements to take account of the changes made by the Act to the plan-making provisions in Part 2 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (PCPA 2004), and of Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 with regard to the neighbourhood planning provisions. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations amend the Town and Country (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 (the 2015 Order). This Order amends article 18(5) of the 2015 Order. Article 18(5) currently provides that where a local planning authority is required by or under article 18 (including by directions under article 18(4)) or 20 to consult a person or body (‘consultee’) before granting planning permission, the local planning authority must give notice of the application to the consultee and must not determine the application until 21 days (unless the development is public service infrastructure development, in which case 18 days) has elapsed or all consultees have responded (or given notice that they do not intend to respond).  Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations make amendments to the Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022 (the 2022 Order), which imposes a home-heating cost reduction obligation on licensed gas and electricity suppliers that exceed domestic customer and gas or electricity supply thresholds (known as the ECO4 scheme or ECO4), by extending the date by which obligated energy suppliers must meet their ECO4 Annual Bill Savings (ABS) and sub-obligations, and the remediation of non-compliant installations by nine months, from 31 March 2026 to 31 December 2026. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations make amendments to the Marine Licensing (Exempted Activities) (Scottish Inshore Region) Order 2011 (the Exempted Activities Order) relating to the licensing of fish farm deposits providing clarity on the application of the Exempted Activities Order, reducing duplication in the overall consenting process. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations amend the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulation 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) and the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 (the 2025 Regulations), and additionally amend three other instruments as a consequence of provision made in the 2025 Regulations (the Special Waste Regulations 1996; the Environmental Protection (Disposal of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and other Dangerous Substances) (Scotland) Regulations 2000; and the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2015. The primary purpose of the Regulations is to identify SEPA as the responsible authority for the regulation of fish farm discharges between 3-12 nautical miles, to ensure the activity is appropriately regulated in the most efficient manner possible. Under the current consenting framework, responsibility for the regulation of fish farm environmental discharges differs between 0-3 nautical miles and 3-12 nautical miles. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations amends Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (the 1981 Act) and Schedule 2 to the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (the 2017 Regulations). Article 2 inserts the Eurasian Beaver into Part 1A (native animals) of Schedule 9 to the 1981 Act and omits the Eurasian Beaver from Part 1B (animals no longer normally present) of that Schedule. Article 3 inserts the Eurasian Beaver into Schedule 2 to the 2017 Regulations, which lists European Protected Species of animals. Article 4 revokes the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Variation of Schedule 9) (Wales) Order 2015, which inserted the Eurasian Beaver into Part 1B of Schedule 9 to the 1981 Act. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

HEALTH & SAFETY LEGISLATION CHANGES

These Regulations amend the Traffic Signs Regulations 2016 and the Traffic Signs General Directions 2016, together titled the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (the 2016 Instrument). The amendments apply only in relation to Wales. The 2016 Instrument sets out, among other things, the signs required for Zebra crossings and makes provision for the movement of pedestrians and vehicles at and around Zebra crossings. The purpose of this Instrument is to make amendments to the 2016 Instrument so that, in specified circumstances in Wales, some of the requirements for Zebra crossings set out in the 2016 Instrument will not apply. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply

These Regulations revoke and replace the Merchant Shipping (International Safety Management (ISM) Code) Regulations 2014. This instrument requires passenger and cargo ships in scope to comply with the International Safety Management Code (ISM Code), originally adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1993, ensuring that the United Kingdom’s obligations under Chapter IX of the International Convention for the Safety of Lives at Sea (SOLAS) continue to be implemented in domestic law. Find out more about these Regulations and how they affect you by subscribing to We Comply