UK Knowledge Collection | UK regulatory change, the Spring Statement, and boosting growth

The government advanced its ambition to stimulate economic growth with a paper announcing a shake-up of regulation to support growth. The reforms are intended to tackle complexity and lighten the regulatory load on business, reduce uncertainty, and challenge risk aversion to encourage innovation. Our Insight examines what the plan might mean for the regulation of AI, innovative technology, competition, data, planning and environment, financial services, and health and safety.

Also part of the growth push, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill (introduced to Parliament this month) includes proposals aimed at balancing conservation requirements and unblocking development, as the government seeks to build more homes in England. Our Insight looks at how these efforts to reduce delays in the planning system caused by environmental mitigation rules may work for developers in practice.

As well as reporting on these newly announced changes, our Regulatory Outlook looks at what else is on the immediate business compliance horizon, including the CMA's new consumer law enforcement powers, about to come into force next week, under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act and next month's changes for employers to note (such as the new rate for national insurance contributions from 6 April).

Other important developments for UK business this week came in the chancellor's spring statement. The tax measures had two key themes: to close the tax gap and to encourage economic growth. A number of consultations have been launched, including on various proposals to improve tax compliance, revise R&D tax relief advance clearances, and the taxation of investment in major projects.

Recent Insights

How is the UK regulatory landscape set to change?

The government's "New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth" has laid out an action plan for reforms to boost growth, innovation and private sector investment. 
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What might the UK government's Nature Restoration Fund and Environmental Delivery Plans mean for developers?

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes to enable infrastructure builders to meet their environmental obligations faster and at a greater scale. 
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UK Spring Statement 2025: what business tax measures were announced?

In line with the chancellor's pledge to have one major fiscal event each year (the autumn budget), the spring statement focused on welfare and spending cuts, not tax rises, to help stabilise the government's finances. 
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UK recruiters need to take care when helping set a 'going rate' for a job

The CMA, which can apply huge fines for breach of competition law in the UK, has had the freelancer market in its sights. 
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Regulatory Outlook

Our monthly overview of developments covers 19 areas of compliance for UK businesses, including sanctions, digital regulation and artificial intelligence. 
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