Mayer Brown (LexBlog United Kingdom)

On 23 April 2024, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA“) published its “Finalised non‑handbook guidance on the Anti‑Greenwashing Rule (FG/24/3)” (the “Guidance“). The FCA has published the Guidance to help in-scope firms understand and comply with the anti-greenwashing rule, which will come into effect on 31 May 2024. Background The anti-greenwashing rule is part of...

This month, the latest instalment of annual increases relating to the minimum wage, the maximum claim amounts awarded in the Employment Tribunal and other statutory rates takes effect. We set out below the main rates and limits that employers should be aware of. 1. Increase in minimum wage The national minimum wage increased from £10.42...

The UK Government launched a Consultation on the introduction of a UK CBAM on 21 March 2024.  The Consultation closes on 13 June 2024.  This follows the announcement, in December 2023, that the UK would implement a UK CBAM similar to the EU CBAM which came into effect on 1 October 2023. In this update,...

New Immigration Rules came into force in the UK on 4 April 2024 which affect employers who sponsor workers under the Skilled worker or Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker routes. Skilled Worker changes Broadly, the main changes are: Transitional arrangements Where an individual is sponsored under a Certificate of Sponsorship (“CoS”) assigned before...

Our latest legal update considers a recent decision from the Scottish Court of Session which makes it clear that employers can settle future claims which are unknown at the time of entering into a settlement agreement, even if the basis for the claims has not yet arisen (Bathgate v Technip Singapore Pte Limited). Find out...

With 2024 now underway, this is the perfect time to check out our Insights publication. In case you missed it, Insights highlights what’s on the horizon for employers this year across a range of jurisdictions, including the UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong and US, and provides a regional snapshot of the key hot topics across...

Most UK climate litigation concerns challenges to the decisions of public authorities on projects with environmental effects or policies being adopted by Government that can have significant impacts on the environment. A series of five recent decisions in the courts – all of which have rejected challenges based on climate grounds – show that the...

On 28 November 2023, Baroness Young of Hornsey introduced the Commercial Organisations and Public Authorities Duty (Human Rights and Environment) Bill (the “Bill”) to the House of Lords.  If passed, the Bill would introduce mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence (“HREDD”) into UK law. The description of “reasonable” HREDD set out in the Bill...

On 28 November 2023, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority published its “Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (“SDR“) and investment labels” policy statement (PS23/16) (the “Policy Statement”). The Policy Statement introduces a set of new rules aimed at tackling greenwashing, including investment product sustainability labels and restrictions on how terms like “ESG”, “green” and “sustainable”...

On 28 November 2023, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA“) published its “Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (“SDR“) and investment labels” policy statement (PS23/16) (the “Policy Statement“). The Policy Statement introduces a set of new rules aimed at tackling greenwashing, including investment product sustainability labels and restrictions on how terms like “ESG”, “green” and “sustain

The Labour Party has announced that, should it win the next general election in 2024, Britain can expect a significant reform to employment law. In her recent speech to TUC Congress, Angela Rayner stated that within the first 100 days of entering office Labour will bring forward an Employment Rights Bill to legislate a “New...

In 2021, at COP 26, the UK Government announced its intention that the UK would become the world’s first net zero aligned financial centre.  It also launched the Transition Plan Task Force (“TPT”) with a view to producing a Gold Standard Disclosure Framework for transition plans. Last week, the TPT published its Disclosure Framework and...

By James Perrott & Firuza Ahmed on October 2, 2023 POSTED IN EMPLOYMENT, FOREIGN WORKERS, IMMIGRATION, MAYER BROWN GLOBAL MOBILITY, UK The UK Home Office has announced that, with effect from 4 October 2023, there will be an increase in application fees for a number of UK immigration and nationality routes.  The headline increases are: Background to the fee increases Since the introduction of visa.

The UK Home Office has announced that, with effect from 4 October 2023, there will be an increase in application fees for a number of UK immigration and nationality routes.  The headline increases are: Background to the fee increases Since the introduction of visa and settlement application fees in the UK in 2003, the cost...

UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has announced a major U-turn on the UK’s “net zero” policies.  This amounts to 3 key policy changes: The changes have met with a mixed response, with some commentators highly critical of Mr Sunak’s U-turn, warning that introducing uncertainty could severely undermine investor confidence in the UK. Separately, research carried...

Today, the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology announced further details on the new transatlantic data flow mechanism for UK-to-US personal data transfers. In particular, the UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology today laid new adequacy regulations before the UK Parliament to give effect to the proposed arrangement. The deal, announced...

The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 (the “Act”) created the Register of Overseas Entities (“ROE”) at Companies House to make it more difficult for bad actors to launder dirty money through property in the UK and to increase transparency around property ownership.  Most overseas entities (“OEs”) with legal or beneficial interests in UK registered...

On 20 July 2023 the long awaited Electronic Trade Documents Act 2023 (the Act) received Royal Assent, and will come into effect in the UK on 20 September 2023. The Act, which is largely based on the UK Law Commission’s draft Bill published in March 2022, sets out the basis upon which trade documents can...

Given the ambitious targets for offshore wind in support of the UK’s net zero ambitions, it is recognised that the existing grid connection infrastructure may be inadequate and that it is likely that provision needs to be made for more co-ordinated grid connections that incorporate the additional capability required to connect future offshore generation projects....

In March 2023, the UK Government published its AI White Paper, setting out its proposals and expectations for the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the United Kingdom. The White Paper discusses the empowerment of regulators and a principles-based approach to aid the use of AI in the United Kingdom. In our latest AI Perspective,...

The UK Government published its AI White Paper on 29 March 2023, setting out its proposals for regulating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the United Kingdom. The White Paper is a continuation of the AI Regulation Policy Paper which introduced the UK Government’s vision for the future “pro-innovation” and “context-specific” AI regulatory regime in the United Kingdom....

On 7 June 2023, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (“ASA“) – the UK’s independent advertising regulator – banned a series of advertisements from a number of large oil and gas companies for including misleading information about their socio-environmental credentials. These landmark rulings, which mark the latest step in the ASA’s fight against greenwashing, are expected...

On 25 April 2023, the UK Government announced the introduction of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (the “Bill”) into Parliament.1 The Bill, which reflects a key government priority of increasing consumer choice and competition, provides for: Far-reaching new consumer protection powers to be conferred on the Competition & Markets Authority (the “CMA”); The introduction of...

April 24, 2023 Hybrid 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm ET Register here. In this session, we will take an in depth at look at greenwashing, regulatory risk, reputational risk and litigation risk in the context of capital markets transactions. In short, an overview of emerging ESG related risks alongside practical tips to help mitigate these risks....

On 30 March 2023, the UK Government published an updated Green Finance Strategy (the “Strategy“). The Strategy, which updates the UK’s 2019 Green Finance Strategy, outlines how “continued UK leadership on green finance will cement the UK’s place at the forefront of this growing global market, and how we will mobilise the investment needed to...

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA“) recently published its Discussion Paper (DP23/1) on ‘Finance for positive sustainable change’ (“DP23/1“) as part of its ongoing effort to promote sustainable finance and align the financial sector with the UK’s environmental, social, and governance (“ESG“) goals. DP23/1 draws on the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures...

As part of Mayer Brown’s Global Diversity Month, we will shortly be hosting an evening Q&A with Anita Asante on 29 March 2023. Anita Asante made 75 appearances for the England & GB football teams. She has played for the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea and won nearly all the UK’s major football competitions. Anita...

The United Kingdom and India have announced a reciprocal Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) that will allow select nationals of each country to live, work, study, and travel in the other for up to twenty-four months. The visa program is open to Indian nationals between 18 and 30 years of age who hold at least a...

The case of Meaker v Cyxtera Technology UK Limited serves as an important reminder to employers of the importance of ensuring that letters of dismissal are appropriately clear and unambiguous. The employer in this case wanted to rely on a letter it had sent to an employee referring to a termination date but which was...

The UK Government has relaunched its efforts to reform the UK’s data protection regime, with the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (No. 2) (the “Bill“) being introduced to Parliament on Wednesday 8 March. The Bill supersedes a previous version that was originally published in July 2022 (see our previous legal update). The Bill provides organisations with greater...