Marc White

On 26 September 2026, the government announced 'Your First Home', a new equity loan scheme that will let first-time buyers purchase an eligible new-build property in England with a deposit of just 2.5% of the purchase price. The government would provide an initial interest-free equity loan representing 20% of the price, leaving the buyer to arrange a mortgage for the remaining 77.5%.

Full details, including the interest-free period, income and price caps, and the launch date, are due to be confirmed at the Budget on 28 October 2026.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 creates two interconnected equality mechanisms that University HR teams and executive and governance boards will need to understand and engage with.

The Office for Students (OfS) has confirmed changes to the conditions of registration applying to further education colleges offering higher education in England. The changes remove certain OfS requirements where colleges are already subject to Department for Education oversight, including requirements relating to access and participation, financial viability and sustainability and governance. They have applied since 9 July 2026.

If you are the landlord of a building that includes both residential and commercial premises, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 (LTA 1987) may apply to you, even if you regard the property primarily as a commercial premises.

The Right of First Refusal (ROFR) under the LTA 1987 is often thought of as applying only to residential properties, but it also affects mixed use premises across a wide range of sectors. Landlords of buildings such as GP surgeries, offices, retail premises, educational facilities, or hospitality venues that contain residential flats should be aware of their obligations, as failure to comply can carry significant legal and financial consequences.

Auctions can offer speed and opportunity, but the winning bid may commit you to much more than the purchase price.

Buying residential property at auction can be an effective way to secure a home or investment, often within a much shorter timeframe than a conventional purchase. However, the legal commitment can arise immediately, leaving little opportunity to investigate problems or renegotiate afterwards. This article explains how auction purchases work, the main risks and the steps you can take to bid with confidence.

The Government is proposing to replace the Lifetime ISA (LISA) with a new First Time Buyer ISA (FTB ISA), to help people save for their first home. The consultation closed on 18 August 2026, but the new product is not yet available and no launch date has been confirmed.

For now, the LISA remains available under its existing rules. Current LISA holders can keep their accounts and continue contributing to them. Under the proposals, the FTB ISA would have no upper age limit or withdrawal charge. The contribution limit, Government bonus and property price cap have not yet been confirmed.

The Government’s schools white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, and the SEND consultation, Putting Children and Young People First, set out a major proposed restructuring of the schools and SEND system in England.

Employers will soon be required to give workers a written statement explaining their right to join a trade union. The Government has now confirmed what the statement must contain and how it must be provided. It expects the duty to come into force between December 2026 and January 2027, rather than in October 2026 as previously indicated.