Tag: 2026

PRESS RELEASE : Thousands of new magistrates wanted in 2026 as Government launches national recruitment campaign [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 3 January 2026.

Thousands of ordinary people from all walks of life are being called on by the Government today (3 January) to volunteer their time to delivering justice by becoming a magistrate.
- Everyday heroes from all backgrounds wanted to deliver justice in local communities across the country
- Over 2,000 magistrates recruited in the last three years
- Part of Government’s Plan for Change to deliver swifter justice for victims and to protect the public
Over 2,000 extra magistrates have been trained since 2022 and this new, ambitious recruitment drive aims to boost the magistracy by the same number again in just the next financial year.

Magistrates are representative of the communities they serve. Latest figures show that 57% of magistrates are female and 14% come from an ethnic minority background, with London having the highest proportion of magistrates from an ethnic minority background at 31%.

Magistrates play a vital role in delivering justice locally. They are all volunteers and are expected to dedicate a minimum of 13 days a year to sitting on cases, meaning many magistrates can fulfil this crucial role easily alongside full-time employment and caring responsibilities.

Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, said:

Magistrates play a vital role in our court system – hearing thousands of cases across every jurisdiction and delivering justice.

They are everyday heroes – and we need more people of every age and background to volunteer not just to deliver justice but to serve and represent their local communities.

Volunteering to become a magistrate can make a real difference to your life and the lives of others – that’s why I’m calling on the public to apply and play your part.

New research shows that 45 percent of people in England and Wales would consider volunteering in the next 12 months.

The Ministry of Justice has launched a new call for people across England and Wales to volunteer and help deliver swifter justice for victims.

All magistrates are given robust training and an experienced mentor in their first year to develop their skills and legal knowledge.

They are also supported with specialist legal advisors to allow them to deal with a range of cases. The top qualities that the Ministry of Justice and the Judiciary look for in potential candidates are good communication skills, a sense of fairness and the ability to see an argument from different sides. Candidates are being sought to fill positions across all jurisdictions including criminal work, youth cases, as well as certain civil and family proceedings.
January 3, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Black cabs backed with fairer tax system [January 2026]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 2 January 2026.

Today (Friday 2 January) online mini cab firms have been barred from illegitimately using a niche scheme to avoid tax.
- Cabbies and small taxi companies to benefit as online minicab firms stopped from using niche scheme to avoid paying tax.
- Reform announced at Budget ensures everyday cabbies can compete fairly.
- Closure to bring in £700 million a year to help cut waiting lists, cut debt and borrowing, and cut the cost of living.
As announced at the Budget by the Chancellor, private hire vehicle operators in London will no longer be able to use the Tour Operators Margin Scheme – a niche tax scheme designed for tour operators and holiday coach trips – to significantly reduce the VAT they pay on fares.

This means that black cabs will no longer have to compete with online mini cab firms who are misusing this scheme to pay less VAT.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

We’re putting the brakes on the illegitimate use of a niche tax scheme to protect everyday cabbies. We’ll use the £700m a year this raises to deliver the country’s priorities – cutting the cost of living, cutting waiting lists and cutting debt and borrowing.

Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said:

The government’s decision to apply VAT to all private hire journeys is a landmark step for fairness and integrity in our industry. For too long, drivers and small operators paying the full 20% VAT have had to compete with online mini cab firms benefiting from a niche tax scheme.

We welcome this move and commend the government for taking decisive action.

The Tour Operator’s Margin Scheme is a specialist VAT rule designed for genuine travel and holiday businesses, allowing them to pay VAT only on the profit they make on package trips, not the full fare, typically reducing the effective VAT rate to 4%.

First announced by the Chancellor at Budget 2025, today’s measure will prevent the small number of big companies accessing the Tour Operator’s Margin Scheme, as they have been doing.

By supporting fairer competition, the government is protecting around £700 million in revenue, helping deliver the public’s priorities – cutting waiting lists, cutting debt and borrowing, and cutting the cost of living.

Smaller operators outside London, where passengers book directly with drivers, and all black cabs will not be affected by this reform to the Tour Operator’s Margin Scheme.
January 2, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Families to have better access to childhood vaccinations [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 1 January 2026.

A new £2 million pilot will see health visitors reach families facing barriers to vaccines, to ensure more children are protected.
- Government to bring vaccines to doorsteps of families who can’t make it to the doctor
- New pilot will reach families facing barriers like travel costs, language difficulties or vaccine hesitancy
- £2 million pilot aims to close gap in healthcare inequalities
Health visiting teams will offer vaccinations to children, providing a vital safety net for families who might otherwise miss out.

The new pilot targets families who’ve fallen through the cracks – including those not signed up with a GP, struggling with travel costs, childcare juggling, language barriers or other tough circumstances that stop them getting to the doctor.

By offering vaccinations during routine health visits, the pilot removes these obstacles and ensures more children can access life-saving protection.

Health visitors are specialist public health nurses who support families with children under five. They provide advice on healthy child development, feeding, and family health through regular home visits and clinic appointments.

The twelve pilot schemes will roll out from mid-January across five regions of England – London, the Midlands, North East & Yorkshire, North West, and South West – designed to boost uptake and protect children from preventable diseases.

While the scheme isn’t designed to replace your GP – families should continue to get vaccinated at their local surgery first – it supports families with children who’d otherwise slip through the net.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

Every parent deserves the chance to protect their child from preventable diseases, but some families have a lot going on and that can mean they miss out.

Health visitors are already trusted faces in communities across the country. By allowing them to offer vaccinations, we’re using the relationships and expertise that already exist to reach families who need support most.

Fixing the NHS means tackling health inequalities head-on. By meeting families where they are, we’re not just boosting vaccination rates – we’re building a health service that works for everyone.

The year-long trial will be evaluated before rolling it out across the country from 2027.

Health visitors on the pilot will get extra training to tackle tricky conversations with worried parents – including those who have doubts about vaccination – and to give vaccinations safely.

Struggling families will be identified by the NHS using GP records, health visitor notes and local databases.

The pilots form part of the commitment to ramp up vaccination programmes, with over 18 million flu vaccines delivered this autumn – hundreds of thousands more compared to this time last year – and over 60,000 more NHS staff also getting their jab.

The government is also investing in better digital services to help families track their child’s health and vaccinations. Through the new NHS App, parents will be able to monitor their children’s health using My Children – a 21st century digital alternative to the Red Book.

The pilot builds on the government’s commitment to Family Hubs and Start for Life programmes, which provide vital support for families during pregnancy and the early years of a child’s life, including health visiting services and parenting support.

From 2 January 2026, children will receive the new MMRV vaccine, protecting against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox in one vaccine. This replaces the current MMR vaccine, and offers protection against chickenpox for the first time while making vaccination simpler for families.

The government’s ‘Stay Strong. Get Vaccinated’ campaign also runs throughout the year to promote confidence in vaccination.
January 1, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Business investment boosted with new tax relief taking effect today [January 2026]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 1 January 2026.

Businesses to receive boost to investment as a new first-year allowance takes effect today (Thursday 1 January), as the government continues its drive to make Britain the best place to do business.
- Businesses to benefit from new 40% first-year allowance that supports investment and growth – effective from today, 1 January 2026
- New relief allows businesses to save tax on new plant and machinery in first year
- Supports UK’s position as one of the most generous and competitive capital allowances regimes in the world
First announced by the Chancellor at Budget 2025, the government is continuing to offer greater upfront tax reliefs for businesses with a new 40% permanent first-year allowance for main-rate plant and machinery.

This new relief follows calls from businesses to expand full expensing to more assets and businesses, and will mean businesses can deduct much of the cost of their investment in the year they make that investment, cutting their tax bill.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

Saving tax for businesses that are investing is key to building the confidence needed to boost growth. We are building on the UK’s capital allowance regime – one of the most generous in the world – alongside capping Corporation Tax and enabling more scale ups to attract investment to help create a tax system that supports growth.

This will be available for assets bought for leasing and for unincorporated businesses, which do not benefit from full expensing, while preserving the current incentives to invest.

Full expensing allows companies to claim 100% capital allowances on qualifying main rate plant and machinery investments, such as warehouses or construction equipment, which means a company can deduct the entire cost of its investment from its taxable profits in year one, so that for every pound invested its taxes are cut by up to 25p.

The UK has one of the most generous and competitive capital allowances regimes in the world and is top of the rankings of OECD countries for plant and machinery capital allowances.

In line with the commitments made in the 2024 Corporate Tax Roadmap, the government has maintained the parts of the UK Corporate Tax offer that are most important for attracting new investment. This includes capping Corporation Tax at 25% for the rest of this Parliament, the lowest in the G7, and the generous full expensing offer.

Further information
- To ensure this new relief is introduced in a fiscally sound way, at Budget the Chancellor also announced a reduction in the main rate writing-down allowance (WDA) from 18% to 14% from April this year.
January 1, 2026
Keir Starmer – 2026 New Year’s Message

The Prime Minister’s New Year’s Message for 2026 released on 31 December 2025.

Things have been tough in Britain for a while.

For many, life is still harder than it should be.

You long for a bit more money in your pockets, a meal out, a holiday.

The chance to make a special family moment extra special.

In 2026, the choices we’ve made will mean more people will begin to feel positive change in your bills, your communities and your health service.

But even more people will feel once again a sense of hope, a belief that things can and will get better, feel that the promise of renewal can become a reality, and my government will make it that reality.

More police on the streets by March.

Energy bills down and the number of new health hubs up in April.

More funding for local communities.

And with that change, decline will be reversed.

That opportunity for you and pride in your community can be restored.

I share the frustration about the pace of change.

The challenges we face were decades in the making, and renewal is not an overnight job, but putting our country back on a stable footing will become our strength.

Strength that means we can support you with the cost of living.

Rail fares, prescription charges, fuel duty.

All frozen.

£150 cut from your energy bills.

A boost once again to the National Minimum Wage. A major cut to the cost of childcare.

We are getting Britain back on track.

By staying the course, we will defeat the decline and division offered by others.

For all the times that have been tough, I hope the festive period has brought good moments.

Precious time with your family.

A chance to celebrate what’s most important to you. I wish you more of those moments next year.

When things start to feel easier.

When politics shows it can help again.

When Britain turns the corner with our future now in our control, the real Britain will shine through more strongly.

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2026