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People who have concerns about how councils manage social housing can now complain to an independent Ombudsman, even if they are not a tenant, under changes brought into force today under the Renters' Rights Act.

The EFRA Committee has today declared it has no confidence in the Chief Executive or Board of South East Water (SEW) to address the company’s multiple and ongoing failures and protect residents from disruption, highlighted by the major recent water outage in Tunbridge Wells.

The Northern Ireland Office has today, Friday 1 May, launched the Community Partnership Fund

Statement given yesterday by Ambassador Archie Young, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on North Korea.

CBI has responded to removal of US Scotch Whisky tariffs.

The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised three charges of attempted murder against a 45-year-old man after two men were stabbed in Golders Green, on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, and another man attacked on the same day in a different location.

UK Explanation of Vote delivered by Ambassador Archie Young, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on South Sudan (30 April 2026).

With the long-awaited Renters' Rights Act launching today, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has issued a statement providing its perspective on what needs to happen to ensure these reforms work for both landlords and tenants.

Blog posted by: Tom Wynne-Morgan, Deputy Director, CustomerFirst, 30 April 2026 – Digital Centre.

May is looking to be a big month for international meetings, with the WTO General Council in Geneva looking to reinstate the e-commerce moratorium, following its lapse after MC14, as well as the UK-EU Reset Talks. You can read techUK’s full analysis of WTO MC14 on our website.

The most historic changes to private renting in England now give 11 million tenants landmark new rights and protections that will transform their experiences.

The Prime Minister yesterday gave remarks at a criminal justice roundtable.

More than 1,000 NHS staff across England have used Martha’s Rule helplines to help identify rapid deterioration of a patient’s condition in the first 18 months of the scheme, new figures show.

UK Chargé d’Affaires, Deputy Ambassador James Ford, yesterday welcomed the OSCE Mission's work to facilitate the resumption of in‑person 1+1 meetings, monitoring of the Security Zone and efforts to advance human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Berlin may give up on FCAS’s flagship pillar but alternatives that will deliver the capability the Luftwaffe needs and fulfil industrial hopes will be difficult to find.

Government’s  first dedicated FGM Summit in a decade brings together government, victim-survivors and third-sector organisations to better protect women and girls. 

Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, yesterday responded to the antisemitic terrorist attack in Golders Green, London.

A meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference took place at Hillsborough Castle on 30 April 2026.

Secretary of State yesterday delivered a speech on NHS urgent and emergency care at Royal College of Emergency Medicine's (RCEM) Annual Conference in Birmingham

Welcome to the latest Market Access Brief insight. This is a new fortnightly insight which focuses on the events, opportunities, trade missions, as well as wider updates that we have within the techUK International programme and from our members and stakeholders.

What the changes coming in from today, Friday 1st May mean for you – including the ban on Section 21 no fault evictions, and new rules on pets and rent increases.

The latest attacks, following months of JNIM raids on Mali’s vital fuel supplies, show the need for negotiation at a regional, national and local level.

UK Senior Military Advisor, Colonel Joby Rimmer says evidence based military analysis shows Russia’s war in Ukraine is unsustainable, with increasingly catastrophic human and fiscal losses delivering only limited military returns, reinforcing the need for facts, not propaganda, in assessing European security (30 April 2026).

An Avon and Somerset Police officer who tasered a teenager on a motorway shortly before he was hit and killed by a car is being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over their use of force. 

Homeless Link responds to latest statutory homelessness statistics and CHAIN rough sleeping data

The FCA has charged Shaun Lawrence for operating as a mortgage broker without authorisation.

Sunshine tops the list, but not everyone loves the heat. As the Bank Holiday approaches, here’s what Brits really think about the weather – and how to stay WeatherReady.

IPPR has responded to the latest exclusion data

Four men have been convicted of a series of serious sexual offences committed against a vulnerable girl in the 1990s in Dewsbury and Ossett, West Yorkshire.

Cllr Amanda Hopgood, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children, Young People and Families Committee, responded to analysis by the NAHT suggesting the new Ofsted inspection framework unfairly penalises schools with deprived populations and high levels of SEND inclusion

Asset managers will find it easier to unlock the benefits of fund tokenisation, following the publication of new guidance by the FCA.

Courts to dish 3-9 point penalties to fly-tippers  

The King's Fund Chief Executive, Sarah Woolnough, reacted to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill achieving Royal Assent

Part of the government's Opportunity Mission to remove barriers to opportunity, the challenge supports the target for 75% of children to be school ready by 2028.

Citizens Advice supports more than 200 people a day with disrepair, ‘no fault’ evictions and rent hikes as new private rental sector laws come into force

We have published our finalised guidance on Storage and Access Technologies (SATs), alongside an update on our online tracking strategy. 

HMICFRS has graded Surrey Police’s performance across eight areas.

Harry Quilter-Pinner, executive director of IPPR, said:  “It’s becoming harder to ignore the growing weight that extremely wealthy donors appear to carry in British politics, not just in scale, but in proximity to key political decisions.

Babies exposed to high amounts of air pollution in the womb show worse signs of language and motor skills at 18 months than those exposed to lower levels.

Yesterday we published our new Strategic Equality Plan for 2026–2030

The Government has confirmed it will provide a grant for new electric ambulances to replace those destroyed in arson attack.

Biggest crime-fighting shake up in decades as police gain new powers to tackle local crime as the landmark Crime and Policing Bill receives Royal Assent.

An extreme-right wing terrorist was convicted of plotting a terror attack today, after previously admitting to attempting to purchase prohibited gun, 200 rounds of compatible ammunition and several terrorist manuals.  

Alpesh Paleja, Deputy Chief Economist, CBI, responds to latest Bank of England decision on interest rates

Households across the UK are embracing solar power as the government accelerates its clean power mission.

In a major report launched today (30th April), on the impact of organised crime on UK high streets, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) have revealed some of the UK’s main hot spot areas where dodgy high street shops are concentrated.

Primary‑aged children across England want more time for language learning in schools, finds a new British Council survey for the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE) – a Department for Education‑funded, research‑informed programme led by UCL Institute of Education.

Digital exclusion is rising, driven by the cost-of-living crisis and the increasing pace of digital transformation. Access to a suitable device remains one of the key barriers for children, working-age adults and older people affected by this deepening issue.

A misunderstanding of AI – as used in US air strikes against Iran – obscures deeper questions about the pace modern militaries are trading deliberation for speed.

US export controls on chips and hardware alone will not prevent China from further developing advanced AI.

UK Chargé d’Affaires, Deputy Ambassador James Ford condemns Russia’s intensified missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, highlighting the mounting civilian toll and damage to infrastructure. Russia’s actions show a deliberate pattern rather than a temporary surge. The UK reiterates its unyielding resolve in support of Ukraine and its people.

Victims and Courts Bill receives Royal Assent to become law.

Cost-of-living measures become law, including free breakfast clubs, expanded free school meals and limits of branded uniforms.

Shaping the rules for communications to the Moon and beyond.

General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, gives inaugural Lord Fisher Lecture at RUSI.

A knife attack might have been prevented if the perpetrator had received better mental health care, an investigation by England’s Health Ombudsman has found. 

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office recently (28 April 2026) summoned the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Kingdom.

Seven of the UK’s major business groups have written to Kate Dearden, Minister for Employment Rights, setting out concerns over Trade Union proposals in the Employment Rights Act and lack of government engagement with business.

As Children’s Commissioner for England, my goal is to make sure every child grows up safe, happy, healthy, and with the best possible chances in life.

Secondary school pupils with high prior attainment in maths make slower progress when placed in mixed-attainment maths classes, a new study from UCL and the Education Endowment Foundation finds.

Transforming the Royal Navy by embracing the rapid technological advances of our age (29 April 2026).

An update on the government's vision for ending the feudal leasehold system (29 April 2026).

Houthi attacks on shipping are read as an instrument of geopolitical pressure. That reading is incomplete. The attacks have a second, less visible effect – and it is economic.

Statement given recently (28 April 2026) by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

The stalemate over government formation is affecting the semi-autonomous region’s ability to deal with the fallout of the Iran war – and eroding its autonomy.

In a keynote speech at the Cumbria Business Dinner (Thursday 30 April), new CBI Chair, Cressida Hogg, will warn that the widening gap between businesses’ needs and the current skills system is stifling UK growth. She will say: "right now, this system is failing too many businesses. And in doing so, it is failing too many young people."

Thousands more therapists, psychiatrists and mental health nurses are working in health service.

Total income from farming is the official measure of the profit (output minus costs) of the agricultural industry in Scotland. Initial estimates for 2025 predict record high total income from farming around £1.5 billion.

Being out of work and education between ages 16 and 24 has long-term consequences for people’s employment, finances, physical and mental health in midlife, according to new UCL research.

The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall MP, spoke at RUSI, giving a landmark address on the future of artificial intelligence, tech sovereignty and Britain’s place in the world.

The Timms Review is today announcing a wider programme of evidence-gathering and public engagement, giving disabled people, Disabled People’s Organisations, carers, practitioners, clinicians, researchers and other experts more ways to share evidence and experience.  

Hospital extensions, community diagnostic centres (CDCs) and emergency care departments are among billions of pounds of healthcare building projects completed through collaboration between Government

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has welcomed the Tobacco and Vapes Act receiving Royal Assent, marking a landmark moment in protecting public health across the United Kingdom. The Act represents one of the most significant pieces of public health legislation in a generation, and CTSI has played a central and sustained role in supporting its development from the outset.

Angela McGowan, CBI Northern Ireland Director responds to Smart Electricity Meters Design Plan

Flexible grants of £5,000–£15,000 are now available through the next phase of Reach Fundto help charities and social enterprises get investment‑ready and unlock their next stage of growth.

Santander Cycles and the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition launch a new photography competition celebrating London's urban nature

The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) was yesterday [Thursday 30 April] held at Hillsborough Castle

The Environment Agency has blocked access to land in rural Northumberland following reports of illegal dumping and burning of waste.  

The previously un-named graves of two officers who gave their lives during World War One have been identified in Belgium. Captain (Capt) Gordon Cuthbert of Sunbury, Middlesex, and Lieutenant (Lt) Leslie Harvey, originally from Windsor, both served with 1/8 Battalion Duke of Cambridge’s Own, Middlesex Regiment and both died near Ypres on 25 April 1915

Act follows on from the English Devolution White Paper, which set out government agenda for devolution.

As part of our Digital Justice portfolio and our ongoing work to explore the role of technology in strengthening outcomes across all stages of the Criminal Justice System (CJS), the Justice and Emergency Services programme is pleased to be hosting our Digital Justice Impact Day for 2026.

Firms across the private sector expect activity to fall in the next three months (weighted balance of -25%), according to the CBI’s latest Growth Indicator. Notably, expectations are at their weakest since December 2025, and the latest data extends a period of negative predictions for growth that began in late 2024.

The next generation will be smoke-free as Tobacco and Vapes Bill is granted Royal Assent.

An Official Statistics publication for Scotland.

Environment Agency and Natural England act on 30,000 tonnes of illegal waste at Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Leicestershire.

Over 20 million workers are set to get more from every pound they save towards retirement thanks to the passing into law of historic pensions legislation today, Wednesday 29 April 2026.

The EFRA and Environmental Audit committees have endorsed the Government’s chosen candidate to become the next Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP).

An Official Statistics in Development publication for Scotland

Human error blamed as enough water to fill 300,000 baths taken without Environment Agency licence

Major wargame exercise brings together leading defence companies to test supply chain resilience under wartime pressure.

We’ve recommended a new treatment called rozanolixizumab for some adults living with generalised myasthenia gravis (gMG) whose symptoms are not controlled by existing treatments.

Government-commissioned independent review launches call for evidence as part wider government commitment to strengthen social cohesion and tackle prejudice.

Hospital patients at every NHS trust across England can now check their referrals and appointments through the NHS App, making it easier for millions of people to manage their care in one place.

Lance Corporal William Voice MM was born in Horsham, Sussex in 1886. Lance Corporal Lionel Weller Sandell – known to his family as Solly, was born in Worthing, Sussex in 1899. Both men were buried after the was in graves marked simply Known to God.

On Thursday 16th April 2026 the Government published its response to the consultation on the Supported Accommodation (Regulatory Oversight) Act that took place last year.

The FCA is reviewing whether Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) help consumers understand borrowing costs and is seeking views on whether it should change how these are communicated in credit advertising.

The Attorney General's Office is relaunching the Public Legal Education (PLE) Committee.

techUK's Technology & Innovation programme is excited to announce that we are now seeking contributions for our annual focus week, which is taking place from 15-19 June. 

The King and Queen will undertake a State Visit to the United States from 27th to 30th April to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and celebrate the close ties between the two nations, before The King makes his first visit as Sovereign to Bermuda from 1st to 2nd May.

The APCC’s Joint Leads for Victims, Clare Moody and Matthew Scott responds to the findings of the fifth annual report from the national Domestic Homicide Project

What does success look like for Day Services? Alleviating crises? Meeting someone’s basic needs? Ending rough sleeping and homelessness? Connecting people to effective support? Encouraging people to thrive? 

Dame Julia Unwin's first speech given yesterday as Chair of the Charity Commission at the Civil Society Trustee Exchange in London.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service doesn’t effectively gather and record site-specific risk information (SSRI) to protect firefighters and the public, the fire inspectorate has said.

MPs have urged the Government to clearly set out what success will look like as it advances a new approach to delivering international aid.

ICO have yesterday published final guidance on the 'charitable purposes soft opt-in' provision, helping charities to understand and apply the new rules.  

Find out how the Digital Services team approached the design of the new catalogue and how users play a vital role in shaping our services.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Liz Kendall, yesterday delivered a speech at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on Tuesday 28 April 2026.

This publication reports on the number of short-term lets in operation in Scotland as well as other data relating to short-term lets. 

Training tackles harmful assumptions about disability and ensures staff make practical, meaningful adjustments for the people they serve.

Statement given recently (27 April 2026) by Letisha Lunin, UK Spokesperson and Counsellor, at the UN Committee on Information General Debate.

Blog posted by: Lucy Leonard, HMRC Onboarding Team Lead, GDS, 28 April 2026 – GOV.UK One Login.

International pressure on flag registries has pushed part of Russia’s shadow fleet directly under Russian registration, potentially exposing news limits of sanctions enforcement.