In Conversation With Jason Jones (Podcast)

The UK Government is implementing sweeping reforms to late payment laws that will fundamentally change how businesses manage supplier payments. These changes include substantial fines for persistent late payers, mandatory statutory interest rates, and a prohibition on payment terms exceeding 60 days. With enforcement powers granted to the Small Business Commissioner and a new binding adjudication system...

What employment and immigration law changes are coming in 2026 and 2027? From new unfair dismissal rights and extended tribunal time limits to enhanced harassment protections and trade union access requirements, this comprehensive guide maps out the key legislative reforms affecting UK employers and workers over the next two years.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faces the formidable challenge of delivering his first Budget amid economic headwinds, geopolitical instability, and a wave of ambitious government promises. With GDP growth forecast at just 1.1%, inflation at 3.4%, and public sector net borrowing exceeding £115 billion, can he balance fiscal responsibility with pledges to avoid raising Income Tax, National Insurance, or VAT while funding increased defence spending and social care reforms?

HMRC has launched a consultation on simplifying treaty relief from withholding tax on interest payments made overseas, addressing longstanding administrative challenges in the current system. The consultation explores potential reforms including a self-assessment approach that would eliminate the need for prior HMRC direction, fundamentally changing how UK borrowers and overseas lenders navigate cross-border financing arrangements.

The Competition and Markets Authority has wielded its new consumer enforcement powers for over a year, imposing millions in fines and redress orders while deploying AI monitoring and advisory letters to target businesses across multiple sectors. From misleading pricing to unfair contract terms, the CMA's expanding enforcement strategy reveals critical compliance risks that consumer-facing businesses can no longer afford to ignore.

Recent court decisions reveal evolving judicial approaches to split trials in securities litigation under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, particularly regarding when reliance issues should be heard. While the Boohoo case suggested a more defendant-friendly approach, the subsequent Entain judgment signals a return to splits favoring claimants, with significant implications for litigation strategy and cost management.

The UK's Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme (ESOS) Phase 4 is approaching, with organisations needing to assess their compliance obligations by 31 December 2026. With the Environment Agency taking an increasingly robust enforcement approach and imposing civil penalties on over 160 businesses for Phase 3 non-compliance, understanding the scope thresholds and preparing early is crucial, particularly for complex corporate groups and alternative asset managers navigating intricate fund structures.

The UK government has published extensive consultations and policy papers on major reforms to defined contribution pension schemes, including new requirements for default retirement income solutions, value-for-money assessments, and minimum scale thresholds. These changes, stemming from the Pension Schemes Act 2026, will fundamentally reshape how DC schemes operate and support members through retirement.

The UK government has introduced draft legislation enabling defined benefit pension schemes to release surplus funds directly to members from April 2027, while HMRC updates to VAT guidance create uncertainty around input tax recovery for scheme administration costs. Meanwhile, new inheritance tax information-sharing requirements take effect, and the Pensions Regulator sets out its five-year strategic priorities focused on innovation, value for money, and supporting UK economic growth.

The UK government plans to fundamentally reshape how British companies are taxed on their overseas operations by making the foreign permanent establishment exemption mandatory from 2027, with oil and gas companies facing an accelerated implementation timeline. This policy shift eliminates the current flexibility that allows UK businesses to offset foreign branch losses against domestic profits, raising critical questions about international competitiveness and investment strategy.