Global Scans · UK · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Achieving Brexit will dominate the UK's agenda up to and beyond 2020 with uncertainty rife until clear decisions are made on the form of Great Britain's future relationship with the EU and the rest of the world.

• [New] We will see further Consumer Duty reviews and rule simplification programmes in the UK alongside similar plans in the EU, as regulators look to reduce compliance burdens on firms and free up resources for growth agendas. Baker McKenzie
• [New] We expect national enforcement to continue apace in 2026 and expect more clarity on the potential reforms to the treatment of non-competes in the UK. JD Supra
• [New] Although the UK Competition and Markets Authority was quick to initiate investigations into activity in AI industries, the UK government has set out a pro-growth agenda that we expect will lead the CMA to rely on enforcement from other jurisdictions absent UK-specific concerns. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Professional Corporati
• [New] The FCA and the Bank of England rely on existing regulatory frameworks to supervise firms' use of AI, an approach MPs said creates uncertainty for businesses and increases risks to consumers and to the integrity of the financial system. / UK Insurance Business
• [New] AI could add tens of billions of pounds to the financial and professional services sector by 2030, as well as transforming services for consumers. / UK FinExtra
• [New] 85% of US leaders felt prepared for AI threats, compared with 44% of leaders in the UK. Insurance Business
• [New] UK inflation will take a big step down in January. BBC News
• [New] We think the UK will see the biggest fall in headline inflation of any G7 country in 2026. BBC News
• [New] The UK government has an ambitious target to source at least 95% of Great Britain's electricity from clean power sources by 2030. Positive News
• [New] Stronger inspection powers, including the new regulator able to conduct 'no notice' inspections will help prevent the kind of disruption that has affected communities across South East England in recent weeks. William Reed - Rethink Events
• [New] As the world marks International Day of Education, the UK faces a stark reality: without urgent action to train the next generation of medicine makers, its ambitions to remain a global life sciences powerhouse could falter. The Manufacturer
• [New] Medicines for weight management must meet rigorous standards of safety, quality and effectiveness before they could be authorised for use in the UK. The Guardian
• [New] The UK and Scottish governments' Project Willow report identified Celtic Renewables' technology as one of the viable alternative pathways that could successfully be deployed within the Grangemouth industrial cluster. Chemistry World
• [New] The UK will auction 3-year gilts. investing.com
• [New] Faced with a gap in reliable and low-emission power supply in the early 2030s, the UK could extend by 20 years the life of the Sizewell B nuclear power station, the only nuclear plant in the country whose life can be extended for decades. EconCurrent's Substack
• [New] The new UK Social Investment Fund will invest in areas facing housing and transport shortages and in communities needing town-centre renewal, new education and health facilities, and low-carbon or digital infrastructure to support the UK's net zero transition. GOV.UK
• [New] In 2026, bolstered by interest rate reductions, falling inflation and a healthy private sector balance sheet, UK growth could benefit from a boost in the wake of the Eurozone's recovery, which is further supported by ongoing efforts to strengthen ties with the EU. economic-research.bnpparibas.com
• [New] The UK is committed to the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War - hitting 2.6% of GDP from 2027. GOV.UK
• [New] A vast swath of the US - sweeping east from the Southern Rockies to the Mid-Atlantic and New England - is on alert for winter-storm conditions that could last days, disrupting travel and threatening blackouts. Insurance Journal
• [New] In the UK, the recent Employment Rights Act will broaden protection against unfair dismissal by reducing the qualifying period from two years to six months and removing the existing caps on compensation. Baker McKenzie
• [New] Soil health innovation more broadly will accelerate, particularly as Europe and the UK show increased openness toward gene editing in plants. agtechnavigator.com

Last updated: 27 January 2026