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] The UK is at risk of losing its status as a major manufacturing center after a sharp rise in energy prices that has forced about 40% of businesses to cut back investment. The Guardian
• [New] The Planning Inspectorate is expanding its digital Appeal a Planning Decision service to include enforcement appeals, marking a significant shift in how planning disputes will be handled in England. UKAuthority
• [New] While UK businesses recognise the potential of artificial intelligence, adoption remains modest and uneven, with only 16% currently using AI technologies. UKAuthority
• [New] Virgin Media O2 is deploying AI monitoring tools across its mobile network to predict and prevent issues, demonstrating how telecommunications operators are scaling artificial intelligence to improve service reliability and operational efficiency across the UK. Bizclik Media Ltd
• [New] Travel tip: Dual nationals should check passport validity well before departure and consider renewing UK passports to avoid unnecessary travel disruption. Travel And Tour World
• [New] As more than half of British travelers prepare holidays abroad in 2026, experts are urging anyone planning trips to Paris, Barcelona, Rome or beyond to understand a sweeping set of travel rule changes that will affect everything from border checks to passport requirements. Travel And Tour World
• [New] UK's Operational Resilience Policy: UK regulators have outlined measures ensuring firms and the broader financial ecosystem can absorb shocks and adapt to disruptions, minimizing impact on consumers and economic stability. FinExtra
• [New] Britain and its European allies will be better defended as they group together to develop new air defence weapons to protect European skies. GOV.UK
• [New] The UK must close a 12-percentage-point gap by 2030, requiring an additional £75 billion in accelerated investment this decade, while cumulative low-carbon spending needs will reach £ 1.5-2.1 trillion through 2060. WoodMac.Site.Features.Shared.ViewModels.Metadata.Publis
• [New] The United Kingdom has reached crunch time on climate commitments, with nearly all 2030 energy transition targets now out of reach despite cutting emissions in half since 1990. WoodMac.Site.Features.Shared.ViewModels.Metadata.Publis
• [New] The UK economy is forecast to grow by 1.4% in 2026. BDC Magazine
• [New] A government-backed initiative known as DeliveryCo will build new UK payments infrastructure by 2030. CPA | The Credit Protection Association
• [New] Money markets are now pricing in two Bank of England rate cuts in 2026, with a March reduction increasingly anticipated. CPA | The Credit Protection Association
• [New] The war in Ukraine, the perceived Russian threat, U.S. retrenchment, and ambiguity in relations with China are accelerating Britain's European recalibration. Progress Center For Policies
• [New] Insider threats pose a rising risk to the UK engineering industry, fuelled by a powerful combination of workforce challenges and digital attack surfaces. The Engineer
• [New] UK engineering faces rising insider risk from AI, shadow tools and data manipulation. The Engineer
• [New] The UK will deploy a carrier strike group of warships to the Arctic in 2026. SKY
• [New] Nation-state threat actors exploit end-of-support (EOS) edge devices - including, but not limited to, load balancers, firewalls, routers, and virtual private network (VPN) gateways - to gain network access, maintain presence, and compromise sensitive data. / UK Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA
• [New] The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued a formal call for evidence regarding AI oversight, signalling that broad adoption and increased regulatory scrutiny are expected. / UK Healthcare Today
• [New] Last year, the UK government conducted the world's largest AI trial in healthcare, demonstrating how AI tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot could free up hundreds of thousands of NHS staff hours every month, cut operational costs and help raise the standard of patient care. Healthcare Today
• [New] A narrow vote leaves UK interest rates steady at 3.75%, but policymakers and economists signal that inflation relief and economic pressures could bring multiple rate cuts later this year. Grand Pinnacle Tribune
• [New] The National Cyber Security Centre has issued a fresh alert warning that Russian-aligned hacktivist groups continue to target UK organizations, particularly in local government, with disruptive cyber attacks. UKAuthority
• [New] The UK government has unveiled a landmark National Cancer Plan, setting an ambitious target for 75% of cancer patients diagnosed from 2035 to be cancer-free or living well after five years. UKAuthority

Last updated: 24 February 2026