Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation News and Sanctions Updates
UK, France back Hormuz navigation security plan with Oman
Amid heightened concern over shipping access in the Strait of Hormuz, the UK and France say restoring safe passage for vessels of all nations is a matter of global importance. Oman has agreed to ...
UK Certification Officer annual report shows lower reported union membership, rise in member complaints
The UK trade union regulator has laid its 2025/26 annual report before Parliament, outlining changes in union membership data, finances and complaints handling during the reporting period. The ...
UK-led GCAP programme awards £4.6 billion fighter jet design contract
Britain, Japan and Italy are moving the Global Combat Air Programme into its next design phase with a multibillion-pound contract signed today. The agreement supports development of a ...
UK criminal legal aid fees to increase under AGFS changes from July 2026
Changes to criminal legal aid payments are being brought forward ahead of a wider reform package for advocates handling Crown Court cases. The measures apply to representation orders dated on or ...
Glasgow director banned over hidden raw tobacco imports
A Glasgow company director is being barred from running companies after authorities linked his business to a shipment of raw tobacco concealed inside furniture. The eight-year ban follows a border ...
UK reaffirms security support for Lebanon after deputy adviser visit
Lebanon is drawing renewed diplomatic backing as it works with international partners on security arrangements and state authority across its territory. A two-day visit by UK Deputy National ...
UK programme expands employer drive to keep workers in jobs despite ill-health
A UK effort to reduce workforce exits linked to poor health reaches a new milestone as nearly 200 workplaces sign up as "Vanguards". The programme is part of a broader push to address long-term ...
UK planning reforms cut infrastructure approval times and developer costs
Britain is accelerating approval rules for major infrastructure projects as the government seeks faster delivery of energy, water and transport investments. The changes are due to take effect ...
Anglian Water agreement unlocks nearly 19,000 homes in eastern England
Housing delivery in eastern England is moving forward after the government resolved wastewater capacity concerns that had held up major developments. The breakthrough brings 18,771 homes in East ...
NHS pilots aim to speed access to new medicines across the UK
The UK is moving to shorten the time between regulatory clearance and patient access to new therapies through a set of NHS pilot programmes. The measures are due to start testing as early as ...
UK expands Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier access for farmers and land managers
The UK government is widening access to a key environmental funding scheme, allowing more farmers and land managers to seek support for nature restoration alongside food production. The change ...
UK expands farm support schemes to back regenerative agriculture
The UK government is widening support for nature-friendly farming as it pushes a long-term strategy linking productivity, resilience and environmental outcomes. At the Groundswell Festival 2026, ...
UK opens anti-dumping probe into U.S. LLD polyethylene imports
Britain’s trade remedies system is widening scrutiny of petrochemical imports with a new case focused on linear low-density polyethylene from the U.S. The product is widely used across ...
HMRC expands app use as digital tax services accelerate in UK
HM Revenue and Customs is pushing ahead with its digital overhaul after millions of taxpayers used its app to check pay and manage tax matters more frequently over the past year. The department ...
UK maintains biodiesel import duties on Indonesia shipments
The UK is keeping existing trade protections on Indonesian biodiesel imports after completing a transition review of measures inherited from the EU. The decision leaves duties of 8% to 18% in ...
UK backs Gulf security measures as Iran attacks threaten shipping in Strait of Hormuz
Rising security risks in the Gulf are sharpening concerns over maritime trade and regional stability after attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and commercial transit routes. The UK says the ...
UK Defence Innovation opens space technology funding competition for defence projects
The UK is expanding its search for dual-use space technologies as defence and security needs in orbit grow. A new competition backed by the UK Space Agency and the Defence Science and Technology ...
UK pledges fresh funding for OSCE Ukraine support programme
Amid heightened geopolitical tensions across the OSCE region, the UK is announcing additional backing for the organisation's conflict prevention work and its support efforts for Ukraine. The move ...
MHRA pushes regulatory overhaul to speed UK life sciences innovation
As the UK weighs how to stay competitive in advanced medicine and health technology, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is arguing that regulation should actively support ...
England fisheries scheme promotes new funding applications from small operators
Three months after reopening, England's Fisheries and Seafood Scheme is still seeking applications from fishers, seafood businesses and coastal communities for new grant funding. More than £1 ...
UK government outlines state reform plan to lift public sector efficiency
The UK government is setting out a broad overhaul of how the state operates as it pushes to improve delivery, accountability and economic growth. The agenda centers on cutting bureaucracy in ...
