The UK safety laws changing in 2026
The rules around building and site safety are shifting this year - a new regulator, a new levy, and the countdown to Martyn's Law. Here is what is actually changing, in plain English, and what it means for the people running sites.
A new, standalone Building Safety Regulator
From 27 January 2026, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) moved out of the HSE to become its own independent body, taking over all the building-safety functions under the Building Safety Act 2022. The HSE supports the handover through to December 2026, and existing Gateway 2 and Gateway 3 applications transfer across to the new regulator.
The change came out of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, and the intent is simple: clearer, dedicated oversight of higher-risk buildings. In practice it means more scrutiny, and a regulator whose whole job is building safety.
The Building Safety Levy
From 1 October 2026, a new Building Safety Levy applies to new residential development in England, subject to thresholds and exemptions. It is designed to help fund the removal of unsafe cladding. If you develop homes, it is a new cost to build into your numbers - worth checking the current thresholds against your pipeline.
Martyn's Law - coming, so prepare now
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, better known as Martyn's Law, received Royal Assent in April 2025 and is expected to come into force in Spring 2027. Statutory guidance was published in April 2026. It will require qualifying premises and events to be ready for a terrorist attack - broadly a standard tier for places with a capacity of 200 or more, and an enhanced tier for 800 or more.
You do not have to comply yet. But two years passes quickly, and the sensible move is to start the preparedness work now rather than scrambling in 2027. If you run venues, events or public-facing sites, check whether you are in scope early.
What to do now
- Work out which of these changes actually apply to you - not all will.
- Check the current official guidance for the detail (things move - see the links below).
- Make sure your safety and compliance work is recorded, not just done - the record is what a regulator asks for.
- If Martyn's Law is likely to catch you, begin the preparedness work early.
Where to get the detail
This is a general overview, not legal advice - always check the current guidance for the detail that applies to your premises:
Underneath the detail, the message for site teams is consistent: capture your compliance as you go, so the evidence is there when someone asks. That is exactly what Avelio Pro is built to do - turning the safety work you already carry out into a timestamped, defensible record, with a dedicated Martyn's Law module for venues in scope.
Keep your compliance evidence in one place
Avelio Pro captures inductions, permits, mustering, incidents and audits as a timestamped record - ready to produce when a regulator, client or insurer asks.
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