Government strengthens regulators’ duty to support business growth

The government has announced a major shake-up in how UK regulators operate, aiming to make them more accountable and more focused on supporting business growth.
Beginning last week, regulators have a stronger growth duty, meaning they’ll be expected to balance their oversight role with helping businesses invest, innovate and expand. The change is designed to ensure regulation remains proportionate and doesn’t hold back economic activity.
A new public dashboard of regulator performance will also be launched. The new GOV.UK site, which will be updated quarterly, will bring together performance data into one place and allow for direct feedback to the government.
Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle explained that the aim is to strip back unnecessary rules and pointless paperwork while keeping essential protections in place. He described the stronger growth duty and new transparency measures as part of the government’s wider “Plan for Change” to boost investment and job creation.
For business owners, will these changes mean a more responsive and balanced regulatory environment that’s clearer about helping your business grow? Let’s see.

“Owners of dodgy shops that are evading tax: we are coming for you,” said Dan Tomlinson, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, as he announced that HMRC will make 30,000 high-street ‘interventions’ in the coming year as part of an initiative to tackle tax fraud and illegal activity.

The announcement of mandatory payrolling for Benefits In Kind was originally expected to start in April 2027, but following industry pressure, it will now be introduced in two phases.





