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ARTICLE · 07 OCTOBER 2026

The Hillsborough Law Bill: Key Duties And Implications

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The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, known as the Hillsborough Bill, is progressing through Parliament with provisions that extend far beyond traditional public bodies. Private sector organisations delivering outsourced public services or supplying critical systems to government may find themselves subject to new statutory duties of candour, criminal liability for failing to cooperate with inquiries, and enhanced scrutiny at inquests. Will your organisation's governance and investigation procedures with

United KingdomGovernment, Public Sector
Nancy Wesby
Nancy Wesby
Charles Arrand
Charles Arrand

A new duty of candour could change how organisations engage with inquests, inquiries and public investigations. Here’s what to watch now.

Background

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill, commonly known as the Hillsborough Bill, has progressed through Parliament and is currently at Second Reading in the House of Lords, following Commons amendments relating to the security and intelligence services. Subject to completing the remaining parliamentary stages, it is expected to receive Royal Assent before the end of the current Parliamentary session.

The Bill responds to longstanding concerns about the conduct of public authorities and officials following major incidents, investigations and public inquiries. Although rooted in the experiences of the Hillsborough families after the 1989 disaster, it has also been shaped by wider concerns about institutional defensiveness and lack of transparency in major public scandals and inquiries, including Grenfell, the Infected Blood Inquiry,

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