The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has published a new Risk Outlook report outlining current and potential future developments in artificial intelligence (AI), the opportunities and risks it presents and what law firms can do to help assess if and how they might be affected. Opportunities for firms include using AI to complete administrative tasks more efficiently so that time can be freed up for complex tasks, and the possibility for automation to reduce costs. However, among the risks firms should consider are problems of accuracy and bias, breaches of client confidentiality, and the issue of accountability.

The Cabinet Office has published Procurement Policy Note 026: The Social Value Model (PPN 026), introducing a new Social Value Model for central government procurement under the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023). PPN 026 defines social value for central government contracts as ‘taking account of how a supplier will work for our communities to provide good British jobs, skills and opportunities in every postcode’. It applies to central government departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, and covers contracts procured under PA 2023 with a total value of £1 million or more, (excluding contracts where the primary purpose is overseas delivery, such as for embassies). In-scope organisations should apply the new model for covered procurements commenced on or after 1 January 2027. For procurements commenced under PA 2023 before that date, organisations are encouraged to transition to the new model, although the previous version may be used for ongoing procurements where adopting the new model would require disproportionate resources or invalidate previous market engagement activities. Further supporting guidance, including guidance on framework contracts, is expected in autumn 2026.

The Home Office has laid a new Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC 1333, together with an Explanatory Memorandum (EM). In addition to replacing Part 9 of the Rules with a new Part Suitability, the Statement immediately adds Botswana to the Visa National List, increases the English-language requirement in certain work routes, reduces the duration of stay in the Graduate route to 18 months (for non-PhD students who apply after 1 January 2027), expands the High Potential Individual route, and makes various other changes. Changes detailed in the EM are set out below. Implementation is on various dates: 14 October 2025, for the Botswana visa national changes, 4 November 2025 for the High Potential Individual changes, 11 November and 25 November for the majority of changes, and 8 January for the English languages changes in work routes.

On 9 December 2025, the Home Office laid Statement of Changes HC 1491, introducing minor amendments to the Immigration Rules with effect from 9 December 2025, 30 December 2025, and 1 January 2026, alongside an Explanatory Memorandum. The headline change is the introduction of a visit visa requirement for nationals of Nauru, driven by concerns over the country’s newly launched Citizenship by Investment programme. The Statement also closes the Service Providers from Switzerland (SPS) route, aligns EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) cancellation powers on assisting fraud, expands access to the EUSS travel permit, and makes a series of minor technical amendments across family, adoption and statelessness provisions (including corrections following the recent introduction of Part Suitability).

The Home Office has issued a new Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 733 today (12 March 2025), together with an Explanatory Memorandum. The Statement comes into force variously on 15.00 GMT on 12 March 2025, 2 April 2025, 9 April 2025, 29 May 2025, 4 August 2025 and 5 August 2025. The Statement immediately introduces a visa requirement for Trinidad and Tobago national visitors (with transitional provisions), makes various changes to Skilled Worker (including new restrictions on hiring of new care workers and senior care workers from overseas), the Ukraine Schemes, the EU Settlement Scheme, and other matters. Changes as described in the Explanatory Memorandum are set out below.

The Home Office has issued a new Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 334 today (26 November 2024). The Statement adds Colombia to the visa national list (with a 28 day transition period, for those with a prior confirmed booking), removes Colombia from the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) national list, opens the new 18-month grant Ukraine Permission Extension scheme from 4 February 2025, fully closes the Ukraine Extension Scheme, ends the use of permission to travel (PTT) letters, and amends the Long Residence rules so that any time spent in the Ukraine Schemes, including the new UPE, will not count towards the 10-year qualifying period for Long Residence. In addition, the Statement also includes a raft of minor drafting and presentational changes.

The Home Office has laid a new Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, HC 584, before Parliament on 3 September 2026, together with an Explanatory Memorandum (EM). Most of the changes take effect on 8 October 2026, with the changes to Appendix T2 Minister of Religion and Appendix Temporary Work–Religious Worker taking effect on 29 October 2026, the annual uplift to the student maintenance requirement taking effect on 30 November 2026, and the removal of the biometric residence permit as proof of identity under the EU Settlement Scheme taking effect on 9 December 2026. The most significant changes are: allowing Skilled Worker visa holders recognised as victims of modern slavery to work for any employer, important changes to fee waiver and biometric enrolment matters, facilitating the UK’s return to the Erasmus+ programme from 2027 across the Visitor, Student and Government Authorised Exchange routes, extending Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse to adult dependent children following a Northern Ireland High Court ruling, a significant Part Suitability amendment, and removing the five-year continuous residence requirement for dependent children on the Hong Kong BN(O) route. The substantive changes are summarised below.

On 5 March 2026 the Government laid Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 1691 before Parliament, accompanied by an Explanatory Memorandum (EM). The measures span significant changes to protection leave, a temporary ‘visa brake’ on certain Student and Skilled Worker applications, the imposition of a visa requirement on Nicaragua and St Lucia, extension of the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, changes to the EU Settlement Scheme, English language uplifts to level B2  for settlement from 26 March 2027, and a range of route-specific and technical amendments. Certain of these changes had been previously announced.

The Supreme Court has published the Supreme Court Practice Directions, November 2024.

The new Supreme Court Rules 2024 have been made and laid before Parliament by the President of the Supreme Court in exercise of the powers conferred by section 45 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005. These rules will come into force on 2 December 2024. They replace the Supreme Court Rules of 2009 and govern the practice and procedure to be followed in the Supreme Court. The rules were developed after a consultation process that included feedback from various legal bodies and the public. They aim to reflect the current ways of working of the Supreme Court, including the introduction of a new digital case management system known as the portal.

The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) has published a factsheet to help scheme members understand the key issues which arise when a pension has been overpaid. The factsheet is designed to be factual, neutral, and enable disputes to be resolved at the earliest possible stage. TPO encourages schemes to share this information with a member either when informing them of an overpayment or when a member challenges an attempt to reclaim an overpayment.

Construction analysis: The Technology and Construction Solicitors’ Association (TeCSA) is updating its Adjudication Service, Rules and nomination process. The changes will take effect on 21 March 2018.