Health and safety | UK Regulatory Outlook June 2026

SIA updates on Martyn's Law preparations ahead of spring 2027 commencement 

The Security Industry Authority has published updated guidance on its regulatory role under the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act (Martyn's Law), which is expected to come into force in spring 2027. The Act establishes a two-tier regime based on expected capacity, with all requirements subject to the concept of reasonable practicability. 

The SIA is recruiting regional inspection teams across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, has completed its first pilot inspections and is building a digital notification portal expected to be ready for testing from early 2027. The SIA's consultation on its draft Section 12 statutory guidance, which sets out how it will exercise its investigatory and enforcement powers, closed on 12 June 2026. 

Premises and events cannot formally notify the SIA until the law comes into force, but organisations are encouraged to begin identifying whether they are in scope and to familiarise themselves with the Home Office's statutory guidance in the meantime. 

ASA confirms continued focus on protecting children from online advertising harms 

The Advertising Standards Authority has published a blog post setting out how it intends to maintain its focus on protecting children from advertising-related harms online as the government develops its proposals to restrict social media services for under-16s. The ASA will continue to work with platforms, advertisers and influencers to ensure advertising is clearly identified and that children can recognise when content is promotional. It will also maintain its focus on reducing children's exposure to age-restricted advertising, including for alcohol, gambling and high fat, salt and sugar products, through technology-led research and collaboration with platforms. 

The ASA also addressed the growing use of AI-generated content in advertising, confirming that while there is no blanket requirement to disclose AI use, disclosure may be required where an omission could mislead consumers. As children's online behaviours evolve in response to the government's proposed restrictions, the ASA has confirmed it will remain alert to where children are spending time online and will apply and enforce the Advertising Codes accordingly. 

Advertisers, particularly those in sectors subject to age-restriction rules, should ensure they are familiar with the ASA's existing guidance on AI-generated content and monitor developments as the government's proposals take shape. 

See the digital regulation section for more on online safety, age assurance and the UK Online Safety Act, and the advertising and marketing section. 

HSE to develop first joint industry guidance on collaborative robotics in the workplace 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced a project, launched at London Tech Week on 10 June 2026, to develop the first ever joint HSE and industry guidance on the safe use of collaborative robots (cobots) working alongside humans. HSE will partner with Automate UK and the Manufacturing Technology Centre, with support from the Regulatory Innovation Office, to deliver regulatory clarity for businesses deploying cobot technology. 

The first stage, launching this summer, will focus on how cobots can safely work alongside humans, combining industry good practice with HSE regulatory expertise. HSE has acknowledged that a widespread fear of non-compliance is currently limiting adoption of cobot technology, despite there being no barrier to its use in existing health and safety law. The guidance is intended to address that uncertainty and give businesses greater confidence to innovate safely. 

Those operating in, or considering entering, the collaborative robotics space should monitor the development of the guidance as it progresses and engage with the consultation process where possible. 

HSE confirms asbestos control limit will remain unchanged following review 

The HSE has concluded its review of Great Britain's asbestos control limit, confirming that it will remain at 0.1 fibres per millilitre measured as a four-hour time-weighted average. The review was undertaken in response to the EU's decision to reduce its own occupational exposure limit for asbestos and the 2022 Work and Pensions Committee report on HSE's approach to asbestos management. 

It concluded that there is no clear evidence that lowering the control limit would reduce current or future exposures or improve health outcomes. The review noted that most asbestos work is already designed to minimise exposure to well below the existing limit through effective control measures, and that accurate measurement at lower exposure levels presents practical difficulties. The HSE also highlighted that lowering the limit would bring most asbestos-related work into the scope of licensable activity, imposing significant costs on businesses without a corresponding reduction in exposure risk. The review found that training, competence, site discipline and regulatory enforcement have greater influence on reducing exposure risks than changing numerical limits. 

The HSE will continue to monitor emerging evidence and international developments, including the EU's planned review in 2029. Dutyholders should note that the existing regulatory framework, which requires exposures to be reduced as low as reasonably practicable, remains in force and that compliance with effective control measures in practice continues to be HSE's focus.