14.05.2026 - HMRC’s £175m AI Deal Signals New Era in Britain’s Fight Against Fraud
The UK government is making one of its biggest bets yet on artificial intelligence, after HM Revenue & Customs agreed a £175 million long-term partnership with British technology company Quantexa to modernise tax enforcement and fraud detection systems.
The decade-long agreement represents more than just another public sector technology contract. It reflects a wider shift inside government toward data-driven decision-making, as officials face increasing pressure to reduce financial losses, improve efficiency, and modernise ageing systems.
Under the arrangement, Quantexa will help HMRC connect ...
14.05.2026 - Student visa holder can sit as the member of the Scottish Parliament
In an unprecedented intersection between immigration law and the Scottish Parliament, a foreign-national Student visa holder has been returned as a member of the Scottish Parliament in the May 2026 Scottish Parliamentary election.
Q Manivannan, an Indian citizen, has been formally declared as a member of the Scottish Parliament for the Edinburgh and Lothians East region, as one of the Scottish Green Party’s regional list members.
Manivannan is reported to hold an imminently expiring Student visa linked to their PhD at the University of St Andrews. On completion of their PhD, they will be able ...
13.05.2026 - Immigration legislation re-announced in King’s Speech
It was the King’s Speech this morning, which sets out the government’s legislative agenda for the next year. The speech itself just covers the headlines. In the case of immigration legislation, this was all we got:
Legislation will be introduced to increase confidence in the security of the immigration and asylum systems.
But the government also released a more detailed briefing afterwards which does give us a bit more detail.
There are three sections to the briefing.
Asylum system
The legislation will ‘introduce a new asylum model based on contribution, integration, and respect for UK laws...
13.05.2026 - King’s Speech 2026: What the Tax Agenda Could Mean for the UK
The 2026 King’s Speech was presented as a roadmap for growth, investment and national renewal. Ministers spoke confidently about modernising Britain, rebuilding public services and stimulating economic recovery through infrastructure, housing and business reform.
Yet behind the optimistic language lies a much bigger question — how will all of this be funded?
While the government carefully avoided announcing major headline tax rises, the speech strongly suggested that Britain may be entering a new era of tighter tax enforcement, expanding digital oversight and growing pressure on businesses, la...
24.04.2026 - The adequate maintenance and accommodation requirement
Several immigration routes require applicants to show that they can be adequately maintained and accommodated in the UK without recourse to public funds. This is a separate financial test from the minimum income requirement that applies to most spouse and partner visa applications. It applies to certain family applications under Appendix FM, but also to other routes including the UK ancestry visa.
Unlike the minimum income threshold, adequate maintenance has no fixed threshold. It is a fact-specific test that depends on the size of the family and their housing costs. Although the require...
15.04.2026 - Changes to sponsor right to work checks
On 6 March 2026, the Home Office updated its guidance for sponsors to include new duties around right to work checks. The changes appeared to extend the duty to conduct right to work checks beyond sponsored workers, potentially capturing anyone ‘engaged’ by the sponsor. ‘Engaged’ was not defined.
A further change on 8 April has clarified this to mean ‘direct’ engagement, but confusion remains. The guidance now contradicts itself in places and the grounds for revocation have been expanded in a way that means sponsors could be penalised even where they have done everything right.
What ch...
01.04.2026 - FCA’s new cryptoasset regime
We are pleased to share our latest bulletin on the FCA’s new cryptoasset regime.
The bulletin highlights the key dates every cryptoasset firm & enthusiast should now be working towards, including:
- July 2026 – the FCA’s Pre-Application Support Service (PASS) opens;
- 30 September 2026 – the FSMA authorisation application window opens;
- 28 February 2027 – the application window closes, with firms applying in time benefiting from the “saving provision”; and
- 25 October 2027 – the new FSMA cryptoasset regime comes into force.
A key point for firms is that there will be no grandfather...
20.03.2026 - Renters’ Rights Act
We wanted to share our latest bulletin on the Renters’ Rights Act, which outlines the key proposed changes and what they are likely to mean in practice for landlords, letting agents and tenants.
The reforms are expected to have a significant impact on the residential lettings market, so we hope this provides a helpful summary of the main points and the issues to start preparing for.
Please find the bulletin.
If you would like to discuss how the changes may affect you or your portfolio, please do get in touch.
12.03.2026 - New sponsor compliance duties
The Home Office updated its sponsor guidance on 6 March 2026.
Duty to keep evidence on the provision of worker rights and welfare information
Has been updated to require sponsors to retain evidence that they have told their sponsored employees or workers about their employment rights in the UK:
You must have human resources systems or processes in place which demonstrate that you provide this information to any employees or workers you sponsor. You must retain this evidence for any workers you sponsor.
The record could be copies of any written information you have provided to your w...
05.03.2026 - Home Office released a highly significant new statement of changes to the Immigration Rules
The Home Office has today released a highly significant new statement of changes to the Immigration Rules, the first of the year. The changes cover a range of areas, including visa restrictions, the duration of refugee protection, procedures for failed asylum seekers, alongside updates to English language requirements for settlement. Extending Ukraine Permission Extension leave by a further 24 months.
The changes take effect on various dates, from 3pm 5 March 2026 through to 26 March 2027.
The new paragraph 339QAA, which introduces the 30-month permission to stay for most refugees and those gr...
