Purpose
This update summarises key legal developments issued between 1st and 28th February 2026. It highlights changes affecting Quality, Environment, Information Security and Health & Safety, helping organisations prepare for new and emerging compliance duties.
Download the full update
Upcoming legislation
These legal texts are published but come into force after February 2026. Early planning is recommended.
Pension Protection Fund and Occupational Pension Schemes (Levy Ceiling) Order 2026
Effective: 14 March–1 April 2026
Sets the levy ceiling for the 2026/27 period. All eligible DB schemes must update levy forecasts and confirm submitted data is accurate.
EA – Decarbonisation readiness for permit applications
Effective for applications: 28 February 2026
New applicants for combustionplant environmental permits must include a Decarbonisation Readiness Report. Requirements cover hydrogen conversion and carboncapture feasibility.
Packaging: Recycling obligations and disposal-cost fees (Defra/EA)
Effective: 2026 compliance year
Clarifies how producers must calculate recycling obligations and pay wastedisposal fees. Large producers must budget for full net-cost recovery.
Packaging waste: 2026 reprocessor/exporter accreditation
Effective: January 2026
Reprocessors and exporters seeking PRN/PERN accreditation must meet strengthened evidence, traceability and qualitycontrol requirements.
Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) Order 2026
Effective: 18 March 2026
Updates ECO4 and GBIS technical standards, scoring rules and evidence requirements.
Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2026
Effective: 26 March 2026
Expands Scotland’s unified authorisation framework, strengthening reporting, monitoring and enforcement expectations.
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 – Commencement No. 6
Effective: 5 & 19 February 2026
Activates further DUAA provisions including Trusted Data Environment oversight and algorithmic transparency.
Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) (Amendment) Order 2026
Effective: April 2026 (expected)
Updates the list of countries receiving reciprocal UK copyright and performerrights protection.
Building Act 1984 / Building Safety Act 2022 (Wales) – Commencement Amendments
Effective: Mid2026 (expected)
Activates additional Welsh buildingsafety duties relating to competence, goldenthread information and higherrisk residential buildings.
Significant amendments
Decarbonisation readiness requirements (England)
Replaces Carbon Capture Readiness and makes Decarbonisation Readiness Reports mandatory for new or refurbished combustion powerplant applications.
EPR for packaging – Recycling obligations, wastedisposal fees and data rules
Strengthens reporting, modulated fees, and recyclability expectations. Small producers remain exempt from disposal-cost fees.
PRN/PERN accreditation – Higher evidence and oversight standards
Reprocessors and exporters must maintain traceable audit trails, contamination controls and UKequivalent standards for overseas recycling.
ECO4 and GBIS – Updated technical and monitoring rules
Ofgem will only approve measures meeting 2026 standards. PAS 2035:2025 assessments and expanded evidence are now required.
DUAA Commencement No. 6
Activates new TDE accreditation, governance requirements and transitional models for legacy datasharing agreements.
Copyright and performancerights updates
Revised country list affects licensing terms, territorial rights definitions and royaltydistribution practices.
Cyber Security and Resilience (NIS) Bill
Expands duties to essential and important entities, including MSPs and cloud providers. Strengthens incident reporting, supplychain assurance and regulator powers.
Welsh buildingsafety commencement amendments
Strengthens dutyholder expectations, competence standards and informationmanagement requirements.
Building Regulations (Minimum Standards) Bill
Proposes statutory minimum standards for fire safety, energy efficiency, ventilation and material performance, with enhanced enforcement powers.
Guidance
Government guidance – Fire safety: Solar PV on roofs
Sets expectations for safe design, installation and maintenance of rooftop PV systems. Highlights DC cabling controls, firerisk assessment requirements, access for firefighters and integration with Building Regulations and the Fire Safety Order.
DBT – Business notifications of unsafe and noncompliant products
Updated: 13 February 2026
Revised OPSS guidance clarifies mandatory notification duties for unsafe or noncompliant products. Applies to manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers and online sellers. Notifications must be made via the Product Safety Database.
NPWD/EA – Extended producer responsibility for packaging: Version 8 technical interpretations
Published: 25 February 2026
Updates UKwide regulatory interpretations for pEPR, including packaging definitions, producer roles, threshold rules, crossborder arrangements and dataquality expectations.
