Major new legal guidelines in 2026 from bin change to journey – how you may be affected
A raft of new laws will come into effect in 2026 – with new regulations on bins, travel and a string of new employment rights and protections for tenants on the horizon
A raft of new laws will come into effect in 2026 – with bins, travel and employment regulations all set to be impacted.
Millions of households will have new bins to accommodate food waste collections with new recycling rules taking effect. Meanwhile a clampdown on unscrupulous landlords and rogue employers will impact people across the UK.
Here we look at some of the big changes on the horizon this year.
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End of no-fault evictions
On May 1, the Government’s Renters’ Rights Bill will come into effect. The long-promised legislation will deliver some big changes for tenants, with an end to no-fault evictions among them.
This will mean that landlords in the private rented sector will not be able to evict tenants without a valid reason. It follows years of calls for the law change.
Minimum wage to go up
In April the minimum wage will rise again.
The National Living Wage – the minimum wage rate for all workers aged 21 and over – will go up by 4.1 per cent to £12.71 per hour. The minimum wage for people aged between 18 and 20 will increase to £10.85.
And the rate for 16 and 17 year olds will increase to £8.00. The government has announced the rate increase will deliver “a real-terms pay rise for low-paid workers”.
No more fixed rental contracts
Another law change coming in under the Renters’ Rights Act on May 1 will be an end to fixed contracts.
This means all tenancies in the private rented sector will roll on from month to month or week to week, depending on the arrangement in place, with no end date. This will give renters more flexibility.
Tenants will be able to end agreements with two months’ notice.
More bins on the way
From March 31, new ‘Simpler Recycling’ regulations mean every household will need four separate bins. The changes won’t impact everyone, as some areas may already be meeting the new requirements.
The new rules mean food and garden waste, paper and card, all other dry recyclable materials (such as glass, metal and plastic) and non-recyclable residual waste will be collected separately.
Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave
In April, paternity leave will become a ‘day one’ right. This will allow an employee to give notice of leave from the first day. Currently someone must have worked for their employer for 26 weeks.
Ordinary parental leave will also become a day one right. Currently a worker must have worked for their employer for 1 year to be eligible.
On top of this, the restriction on taking paternity leave after shared parental leave will be removed.
Sick pay boost for workers
In April statutory sick pay (SSP) will be paid from the first day of illness, instead of the fourth day. And the Employment Rights Act, which comes into force in phases, will also see the lower earnings limit removed.
Currently workers must earn a minimum amount to be eligible for statutory sick pay.
Clampdown on ticket touts
New laws will make it illegal to resell tickets for events like concerts and football matches above their face value. Legislation set to come into effect in 2026 will mean tickets can only be sold for their face value plus unavoidable fees.
Service charges on resale platforms are set to be capped, and there will be a legal duty to comply. Sellers will also be blocked from selling more tickets than they were originally entitled to.
This means that if fans were limited to buying four tickets each, only four can be resold.
Stricter rules on flying drones
From 1 January, anyone who wants to fly drones or model aircraft weighing 100g or more must first do a theory test.
They need to complete the Civil Aviation Authority (CCA) test to get a Flyer ID, which was previously only needed for heavier drones. It is estimated that up to 500,000 people could be impacted.
CAA spokesman Jonathan Nicholson said: “We want people to enjoy their drones but it’s vital that they have checked the new rules and know how and where to operate their drone safely before they fly.”
New £17 fee to travel to Europe
Expect some changes if you travel to Europe in 2026.
The new Entry Exit System (EES) means non-EU citizens – which includes us – have to register at the EU border by scanning their passport, providing fingerprints and photograph. This new system started its six-month phased roll-out in October, so different ports will be implementing the new rules up until April 2026.
There will also be a new fee, expected at the end of the year. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will cost 20 euros, about £17, for any adult under the age of 70. Once paid, registration will be valid for up to three years.
Junk food TV ad ban
A prohibition on junk food advertising will take effect from January.
The ban will stop high fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) food and drink from appearing on television between 5.30am and 9pm, and online at any time. Outdoor advertising – including billboards, buses, bus shelters, train stations, shopping centres and taxis – remains exempt from the ban.
‘Fire and rehire’ outlawed
Another change taking effect in October is an end to ‘fire and rehire’.
The Employment Rights Act will see the exploitative practice of dismissing someone then rehiring them on worse terms and conditions outlawed. This will become an automatically unfair dismissal in most cases.
Tax relief for working from home to end
From April 6, people who work from home will no longer be able to claim tax relief for their additional expenses.
Currently some employees can claim a deduction on their income tax for the extra household costs – such as increased bills and business phone calls.
This is based on actual expenditure, with proof, or at a fixed rate of £6 per week without needing receipts. In her Budget, Rachel Reeves announced this tax relief would cease.
