The UK is set for a significant legislative overhaul in 2026, with the Labour government greenlighting a raft of 14 new laws that will touch nearly every aspect of daily life. From the contents of your bins to your summer holiday plans and your rights at work, households across the nation are poised for substantial changes.
Travel and Border Changes
British travellers will encounter two major new systems when visiting Europe. Firstly, the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) will be fully implemented across 29 Schengen countries by April 2026. This will require UK passport holders to register biometric data at borders, potentially leading to longer queues.
Secondly, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is expected to launch in late 2026. This visa-waiver scheme will require holidaymakers to apply online and pay a fee of around £17 before travelling, with authorisation valid for three years.
Meanwhile, the UK will enforce its own Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme from 25 February 2026. Visitors from 85 visa-exempt countries, including the US and Canada, will need this digital permission to enter the UK.
Health, Consumer and Employment Reforms
In a bid to tackle childhood obesity, a ban on junk food TV adverts before 9pm will come into force, alongside a total ban on paid-for online adverts for such products. Similarly, new laws will prohibit retailers from selling high-caffeine energy drinks to children, a move backed by health experts aiming to improve concentration and reduce anxiety among young people.
Workers will see several key changes. The National Minimum Wage, including the National Living Wage, will rise from April 2026, following recommendations from the Low Pay Commission. The new Employment Rights Act introduces day-one rights for paternity leave, extends unpaid parental leave, and provides new statutory bereavement leave. However, tax relief for homeworking expenses claimed directly from the government will be abolished from 6 April 2026, though employers can still reimburse costs.
Housing, Justice and Environmental Rules
Renters in England will gain stronger protections under the new Renters' Rights Act, effective from 1 May 2026, which will provide enhanced security for 11 million tenants. Awaab's Law, which mandates social landlords fix damp and mould within strict timeframes, will be extended in 2026 to cover other hazards like excess cold, fire risks, and electrical dangers.
The justice system will undergo landmark sentencing reforms designed to prevent prisons from running out of space, keeping dangerous offenders off the streets. In a crackdown on fraud, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will gain powers to recover overpayments directly from bank accounts, aiming to save taxpayers £1.5 billion by 2030.
Finally, households will face new recycling rules requiring up to four separate bins for residual waste, food and garden waste, paper and card, and plastic, metal and glass. The government states this 'simpler recycling' approach will end the postcode lottery in collections.
This comprehensive legislative package marks one of the most extensive shifts in UK regulation in recent years, with the Labour government pushing forward changes delayed or proposed under previous administrations. The cumulative effect will be a noticeable transformation in the rules governing work, home, travel, and consumer life from 2026 onwards.
