WIREDGOV

Free talks with charities and organisations supporting women's mental health on Wednesday 6 May will raise awareness and provide an open, safe space for conversations around maternal mental health.

Joint Declaration on a Strategic Partnership between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Armenia.

NHS commissioned services should operate fairly, transparently and with clear clinical rationale, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has said following an investigation which found that an NHS body denied women, but not men, NHS funding for sterilisation.  

Report assesses impact of the conflict in the Middle East on fuel prices and margins until the end of March 2026.

Minister of State at the Home Office, Dan Jarvis MP, Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist of the Metropolitan Police and radio presenter Nick Ferrari addressed a conference at RUSI about the theft of vehicles by organised criminal gangs.

Farmers failed to properly store slurry in three separate cases, two of which led to pollution incidents.

National Threat Level increased to SEVERE following Golders Green attack and increasing threat of Islamist and Extreme Right Wing terrorism in the UK.

For many professionals, business development is about building relationships and supporting partners. But for Jaymie Littlemore-Smith, an Account Manager at NCFE, combining those relationships with data-driven insight has helped unlock new opportunities to support both colleagues and customers.

There are no immediate supply issues, but government is preparing now to give families long-term certainty and avoid unnecessary disruption.

A report on the feasibility of potential options for improved collection and management of end-of-life gear, based on information gathered from an industry engagement project.

Government Commercial Agency (GCA) is an enhanced executive agency that will come into operation from 1 April 2026.

At ESPO, we aim to make public sector procurement as simple as possible for our customers. Our procurement frameworks ensure a quick and compliant route to sourcing products and services that meet the ever-changing needs of our customers.

Israel and the US’s targeting of Iran’s supply chain routes are starting to have a discernible impact on Russia’s long-term infrastructure plans.

Government funding to tackle antisemitism and support Jewish communities.

Tens of thousands of patients could benefit from a ‘rapid’ new immunotherapy jab on the NHS for over a dozen different cancers, which can be given in just 60 seconds.

The UK has announced a raft of new sanctions to curb production of Russian drones and the nefarious networks that are exploiting vulnerable migrants from across the globe to support Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.

Welcome to Building the Smarter State Week 2026! This week will feature blogs from techUK members in the run up to our Building the Smarter State conference on Wednesday 13 May.

GAD helped the Ministry of Justice understand how climate change could affect its services, finances and estate, supporting better long-term planning.

The UK military and Gulf partners will be better protected against drone attacks following the successful testing of new British-built Skyhammer interceptor missiles and launchers in Jordan.

Hundreds of UK business leaders will travel to the US later this month as part of the largest ever UK trade mission to the country, building on the success of the State Visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen.

An assessment of the current and potential future recycling capacity in Scotland, able to deal with the known and likely volumes of end-of-life gear produced annually from the fishing and aquaculture sectors.

Stephen Parkinson, Director of Public Prosecutions, reacted to the recent antisemitic incidents

A former Met Police officer is due to appear in court next week charged with multiple fraud and corruption-related offences, following an investigation directed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

A 37-year-old man has been sentenced to 23 years after being convicted of multiple sexual abuse offences involving seven children.

Dame Vera Baird KC, Chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), has welcomed the appointment to the organisation of six more Commissioners, announced recently [1 May 2026 – Appointment of Commissioners of the Criminal Cases Review Commission – GOV.UK].

Germany is ready to rearm, but faces many political challenges to achieve strategic leadership.

A prison tutor has been sentenced for misconduct in public office after entering an inappropriate relationship with a prisoner at HMP Erlestoke in Wiltshire.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has informed a Merseyside Police officer they are under criminal investigation following a collision on the M53 that left a man in a critical condition.

The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) has responded to a report by MPs laying bare South East Water’s failures around the handling of disruption to thousands of customers’ water supply in Tunbridge Wells.

Britain already levies more as a share of GDP in wealth and wealth-related taxes than any other OECD country, making the case for a new wealth tax weaker here than anywhere else in the developed world, according to a new paper from the Institute of Economic Affairs.

Suffolk Constabulary’s approach to the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, also known as Clare’s Law, is inadequate, the police inspectorate has said.

On 29 April 2026, the English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill received Royal Assent. This means that it has passed all stages of its parliamentary progress, through the House of Commons and House of Lords and has become law, as the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act.

1st May 2026 marks the day Phase 1 of the Renters’ Rights Act comes into force. 

Dr Maya Singer Hobbs, senior research fellow at IPPR, responded to the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act 

The final total of voters registered for the Scottish Parliament election is 4,320,981 – a record number for a Scottish Parliament election.  

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has begun an investigation into the death of a man who fell from a river bridge in Chippenham, Wiltshire, following police contact.

The final UKRI applicant-led funding opportunities are now open following a temporary pause to enable the move to an ‘always open’ funding approach.

The Work Foundation at Lancaster University responded to the Sickness absence in the UK labour market figures for 2025 released by the Office for National Statistics. Asli Atay, Senior Policy Advisor, the Work Foundation at Lancaster University commented:

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.