On 29 January 2026, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) announced the publication of its public consultation response outlining proposed changes to its enforcement processes. According to OFSI Director Giles Thomson, the revised enforcement framework is intended to support… Read More »New and Updated Enforcement Framework: What OFSI’s Latest Announcement Means
From 1 February 2026, Companies House will introduce a new fee structure across a wide range of services. According to the official announcement, these updates are part of an annual review designed to ensure fees accurately reflect the cost of… Read More »Companies House Fees Are Changing from 1 February 2026
The conveyancing sector is in uproar following UK Finance’s decision to introduce new access requirements—and a forthcoming fee—for its updated Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook platform. The move has triggered strong criticism from solicitors, conveyancers, and professional bodies, many of whom argue… Read More »UK Finance Faces Backlash Over Changes to the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
A recent case reported by Legal Futures highlights the serious professional consequences that can follow when solicitors cut corners on identity verification. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has struck off a head of commercial property who certified clients’ ID documents… Read More »Solicitor Struck Off for Certifying Documents He Never Saw
On 4 December 2025, the European Commission announced an update to its list of high-risk third countries under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) framework. This update, effective 29 January 2026, aligns with recent decisions by the Financial Action… Read More »EU Updates High-Risk Third Countries List
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has unexpectedly withdrawn its proposed changes to complaints handling rules, which were aimed at improving transparency and accessibility for clients. The move comes after the Legal Services Board (LSB) indicated it was not ready to… Read More »SRA Withdraws Proposed Complaints Handling Rule Changes
From 9:00 am (UK time) on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, the UK government will consolidate its sanctions lists into a single authoritative source: the UK Sanctions List (UKSL). This marks the retirement of the OFSI Consolidated List of Asset Freeze… Read More »FCDO Single UK Sanctions List effective from 28 January 2026
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has raised serious concerns about the government’s proposals to overhaul anti-money laundering (AML) supervision in the legal sector. The warning comes as plans emerge for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to take on AML regulation… Read More »Law Firms Warned of AML ‘Double Jeopardy’ Risk Under New Regulatory Plans
Historically, HRTCs were defined by the European Union. Following Brexit, the UK adopted its own list under Schedule 3ZA of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (MLR 2017). This changed on 22 January 2024, when the definition was updated to align… Read More »Updated SRA Guidance on High-Risk Third Countries
A small but significant pair of amendments have been introduced to strengthen the UK’s anti-money laundering framework. These changes were implemented via Schedule 2 of the ECCTA 2023 (Consequential, Incidental and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2025 and are now live here.… Read More »Important changes to the Money Laundering Regulations 2017 – effective 18 November 2025