UK employers are legally required to implement certain workplace policies and strongly advised to adopt others. This article outlines the core policies every business should have in place, from health and safety to diversity, data protection and hybrid working, helping your organisation stay compliant, reduce risk, and foster a fair and productive work environment.

Key workplace policies every UK employer should have – from mandatory compliance to DEI, data, hybrid working and beyond.

A clear guide to the essential workplace policies UK businesses need to support compliance, reduce risk and promote fairness, inclusion and consistency in the modern workplace.

Essential workplace policies for UK businesses

Private companies in the UK face strict legal duties, from Companies House filings to tax and employment law. This guide outlines key compliance obligations for directors, including annual reporting, statutory registers and GDPR – plus how to avoid the penalties of non-compliance and build a resilient, sale-ready business.

Essential compliance duties and deadlines for UK private companies – and how to meet them with confidence.

Directors of UK private companies face a range of legal duties. This article outlines your key compliance risks – and how to stay ahead of them.

Compliance and reporting obligations for private companies

The UK’s Companies House is undergoing a major transformation under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. Armed with new powers to query, reject and penalise suspicious filings, the agency is cracking down on fraud and misuse of company structures. This marks a shift from passive registrar to active gatekeeper of corporate integrity.

Companies House takes on new enforcement powers to combat economic crime under the ECCTA transformation agenda.

New enforcement powers under ECCTA are helping Companies House tackle fraud, reject suspicious filings, and enhance the reliability of UK corporate information.

UK government releases second ECCTA progress report

Preparing your business for sale means more than setting a price. This article outlines the legal, financial and operational steps required to make your business sale-ready. From employee contracts to IP registration, it explains how strategic preparation can prevent delays, maximise valuation and help you navigate the sale process with confidence and clarity.

How to prepare your business for sale – from contracts and compliance to financials, IP and due diligence.

A comprehensive guide to preparing your business for sale – covering contracts, compliance, IP, finances and packaging to reduce risk and increase deal value.

Preparing your business for sale

Transition plans are strategic disclosures that show how companies will meet climate goals like net zero. A new legal opinion finds that publishing such plans doesn’t increase legal liability – and may reduce existing risk. The UK government is now consulting on mandatory requirements to strengthen corporate climate accountability.

A legal opinion confirms transition plan disclosure is vital for climate action, without creating new legal risks for businesses.

Disclosing a credible transition plan can reduce legal risk, attract investment and support compliance. A new legal opinion clarifies that liability fears are overstated.

New legal opinion says transition plan disclosure is a climate and market imperative

The legal profession is rapidly adopting AI, but two High Court rulings reveal the dangers of uncritical reliance. Fake citations generated by AI tools led to regulatory referrals, with judges warning of severe sanctions. AI can aid legal work, but only when lawyers retain control, judgement and oversight.

AI tools promise efficiency in legal work, but recent court cases expose serious risks of unverified or over-reliant use.

AI tools must be used responsibly. Lawyers face professional and reputational consequences for failing to verify outputs or delegating critical tasks to machines.

Risks and pitfalls of using AI in the legal profession

When selling or buying a business, the structure matters. A share sale transfers ownership of the company itself, including all its liabilities and contracts, while an asset sale allows buyers to acquire only selected assets. Each route has distinct legal, tax and commercial implications, making early legal advice essential for a smooth transaction.

Understand the key differences between share and asset sales when buying or selling a business in the UK.

Share and asset sales involve fundamentally different approaches to ownership, liability and taxation. This article outlines how each structure works and how to choose the right one.

What’s the difference between a share sale and an asset sale?

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 introduces sweeping reforms to the UK’s data laws, aimied at simplifing digital administration, empowering consumers and boosting innovation. With implications for healthcare, digital ID, marketing and AI governance, the Act signals a decisive step towards modernising the UK’s data economy.

New UK data law promises streamlined services, smarter regulation and £10 billion in economic gains over the next decade.

The DUA Act modernises UK data law to cut red tape, expand digital rights and support innovation, while reinforcing compliance obligations and preserving EU data adequacy post-Brexit.

The Data (Use and Access) Bill 2025 receives Royal Assent 

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act introduces major changes for UK companies, including mandatory identity verification, a new corporate fraud offence, and stricter filing rules. These reforms aim to improve transparency, reduce economic crime and increase trust in the UK’s corporate register.

Key changes under the ECCTA 2023 and how UK businesses can prepare for new identity, fraud and filing requirements.

The ECCTA introduces major reforms to improve corporate transparency and reduce economic crime, including mandatory ID verification, stricter filing rules, and a new corporate offence of failing to prevent fraud.

Upcoming changes to the ECCTA for businesses

Many legal mistakes made by new businesses are entirely avoidable. This article outlines the 10 most common pitfalls – from informal agreements and share issues to hiring errors and IP neglect – and explains how to avoid them. Getting these fundamentals right early on can prevent costly disputes and protect your business as it grows.

Protect your business early with expert guidance that helps you avoid any legal missteps.

New businesses often make avoidable legal missteps. Learn how to steer clear of common pitfalls and lay a stronger foundation for growth and protection.

The 10 most common legal mistakes new businesses make

Selling your company through a share sale involves planning, valuation, legal documentation and tax structuring. This article outlines each step – from appointing advisers and negotiating heads of terms to due diligence, SPA drafting and post-sale obligations – helping business owners prepare for a smoother, more confident sale process.

Ready to sell? Here’s the expert insight to guide you through every move.

Business owners can better prepare for a successful share sale with guidance on planning, legal steps, negotiation and what to expect after the deal closes.

What to expect when selling your company

Quantum computing is fast becoming one of the most pressing cybersecurity concerns for businesses. With growing global investment and warnings from UK intelligence agencies, the risk of a cryptographic breach is no longer theoretical. We help you understand how quantum breakthroughs could threaten encrypted data and why proactive awareness is essential for long-term business resilience. 

Quantum computing could break encryption within years. Is your business prepared?

The countdown to Q-Day is accelerating, and UK authorities are urging businesses to take the threat of quantum decryption seriously before it reshapes the cybersecurity landscape.

Why businesses should begin preparing for quantum computing threats now

People

Careers

Corporate

Commercial

Employment

News & Insights

Blog

News

Videos

Who we are

Environment & Sustainability

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

WONDER Foundation

Get legal updates and practical guidance straight to your inbox.

You’ve successfully signed up to the Linnear Legal mailing list

Home

Resources

Registered in England &amp; Wales at 73 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ
<a href="tel:+442081596000">Tel: +44 (0)20 8159 6000</a>
Company Nr: 15894546
ICO Registration Nr:  ZB842887
VAT Registration Nr: 484 5226 73
Linnear Legal is an unregulated legal services provider, meaning the firm itself is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). However, the solicitors employed by the firm are individually regulated by the SRA. Please see our Terms and Conditions for further information on our regulatory status, complaints procedure and insurance arrangements.