Modern slavery | UK Regulatory Outlook March 2026

Businesses should be continuing to prepare for the significant regulatory changes covered in previous editions.  

In particular, suppliers to the NHS should be taking steps now to ensure they are ready for the new NHS procurement regulations targeting modern slavery in supply chains, which come into force on 17 May 2026 and will require in-scope public bodies to conduct modern slavery risk assessments and take proportionate steps to address identified risks across all procurement activities regardless of value.  

Meanwhile, UK businesses that place products on the EU market should be well advanced in their preparations for the EU Forced Labour Regulation, which prohibits products made with forced labour from being sold in the EU and comes into full effect on 14 December 2027. With the European Commission due to issue implementation guidelines and establish a public database of forced labour risks by 14 June 2026, this year represents a critical window for ensuring compliance ahead of the deadline.