A wave of fresh legislation is on the horizon for 2026, affecting waste management, travel, and employment guidelines. In the upcoming year, households will see the introduction of new bins to facilitate food waste collections and adhere to updated recycling protocols. Additionally, stringent measures targeting unethical landlords and unscrupulous employers will impact individuals nationwide.
Among the significant changes scheduled for this year is the implementation of the Government’s Renters’ Rights Bill on May 1. This long-awaited law will usher in key modifications for tenants, including the elimination of no-fault evictions. Landlords in the private rental sector will now require valid reasons before evicting tenants, a move prompted by years of advocacy for legal reform.
In April, the minimum wage will undergo an increase. The National Living Wage, applicable to workers aged 21 and above, will rise by 4.1% to £12.71 per hour. Similarly, the minimum wage for individuals aged 18-20 will elevate to £10.85, while 16 and 17-year-olds will see their rate climb to £8.00. This adjustment aims to provide low-wage earners with a real-terms pay boost.
Furthermore, under the Renters’ Rights Act, starting May 1, fixed-term contracts will be phased out for all private rental tenancies. Tenants will benefit from more flexible agreements, transitioning to rolling contracts on a monthly or weekly basis without specific end dates. This change grants renters enhanced flexibility, allowing them to terminate agreements with a two-month notice period.
In a bid to streamline waste management practices, new ‘Simpler Recycling’ regulations effective from March 31 will necessitate households to maintain four separate bins. These bins will cater to segregating food and garden waste, paper and card, dry recyclable materials (e.g., glass, metal, plastic), and non-recyclable residual waste. While not all regions will be immediately impacted, the revised guidelines aim to enhance recycling efficiency.
Additionally, commencing April, paternity leave will become an automatic entitlement from day one of employment, eliminating the previous prerequisite of 26 weeks of service. Similarly, ordinary parental leave will also transition to a day one right, abolishing the prior 1-year employment condition. Moreover, restrictions on taking paternity leave subsequent to shared parental leave will be lifted, offering employees greater flexibility.
Effective from April, statutory sick pay (SSP) will be disbursed from the first day of illness rather than the fourth day, under the Employment Rights Act. The phased enforcement of this Act will eliminate the lower earnings limit, ensuring more workers are eligible for statutory sick pay without meeting a minimum income threshold.
In an effort to combat ticket touting, legislation slated for 2026 will restrict the resale of event tickets, such as for concerts and sports matches, above face value. Sellers will be compelled to adhere to selling tickets at face value plus unavoidable fees, with a cap on service charges on resale platforms. Additionally, sellers will be prohibited from reselling more tickets than originally permitted, curbing the practice of bulk ticket sales.
Beginning January 1, individuals seeking to operate drones or model aircraft weighing 100g or more will be required to undergo a theory test. This test, administered by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), will grant a Flyer ID previously mandated only for heavier drones. The new regulation anticipates impacting up to 500,000 drone operators, emphasizing the importance of complying with safety guidelines.
Travelers to Europe in 2026 can expect procedural changes with the introduction of the Entry Exit System (EES). Non-EU citizens, including UK residents, will be obligated to register at EU borders by scanning their passports and providing fingerprints and photographs. The phased rollout of this system, initiated in October, will continue until April 2026, affecting various port entry points.
Moreover, a new fee is anticipated towards the end of the year, with the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) costing 20 euros for adults under 70, granting registration validity for up to three years post-payment.
Beginning in January, a ban on advertising high fat, sugar, or salt (HFSS) food and drinks on television between 5.30am and 9pm, and online at all times, will be enforced. This prohibition excludes outdoor advertising mediums like billboards, buses, and train stations.
Lastly, in October, the exploitative practice of ‘fire and rehire’ will be outlawed under the Employment Rights Act. Dismissing employees and subsequently rehiring them under inferior terms will be classified as an automatically unfair dismissal in most scenarios.
From April 6, individuals working remotely will no longer be eligible to claim tax relief for additional expenses incurred. Previously, employees could seek deductions for increased household costs, but the cessation of this tax relief was announced by Rachel Reeves in the latest Budget.
Overall, these legislative changes aim to enhance various aspects of daily life, from