The government has announced the abolition of Ofwat in the biggest water sector overhaul since privatisation. A new single regulator will be established, combining water functions from Ofwat, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Drinking Water Inspectorate to tackle water pollution and protect consumers from excessive bill increases. Currently, four separate regulators oversee the water industry, creating a complex system with contradictory priorities. The government claims this fragmented approach has allowed water companies to mismanage customer funds while paying substantial dividends and bonuses. The reforms aim to align all water regulation under one authority, with consultation planned for autumn and a new Water Reform Bill to follow.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the UK REACH Agency, has launched a six-month public consultation on restricting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting foams, based on its Annex 15 scientific analysis. Stakeholders – including industry users and trade associations – are invited to provide evidence-based feedback by 18 February 2026. Responses will inform recommendations to UK, Scottish, and Welsh Governments on potential legal restrictions. This consultation is particularly relevant as firefighting foams are a major source of PFAS environmental release. Full details and supporting documents are available from HSE.

The Environment Agency (EA) raised an issue about the level of fines set for very large organisations (VLO) – the term considered to be applicable to organisations that have a turnover that very greatly exceeds £50m. The EA submitted that the wording regarding the setting of fines for a VLO were not sufficiently detailed or clear and that changes were required to ensure that the fines which were set are proportionate and are consistent for organisations in that bracket. The submission ultimately led to an update to the section relating to VLOs in the Sentencing Guidelines, which was published on 1 June 2025. The wording seeks to provide more clarity with additional wording encouraging the courts to move outside the range set for large organisations in order to achieve proportionality. The new wording also states: "particular regard should be had to making the fine proportionate to the means of the organisation, sufficiently large to constitute appropriate punishment depending on the seriousness of the offence, and sufficient to bring home to the management and shareholders the need to comply with health and safety legislation." It is considered that the update will lead to more significant fines being imposed on VLOs.

The responses to the EA submission collated by the Sentencing Council can be seen below.

The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) latest inspection campaign revealed significant failings in workplace hearing protection, with three-quarters of noisy workplaces lacking essential knowledge on maintaining hearing protection equipment. Inspections found that one in four workplaces had noise levels requiring mandatory hearing protection, yet more than 75% of employees did not know how to store, check, or report faults with their equipment, and nearly two-thirds had not received guidance on the importance of continuous use. The report found that training deficiencies were particularly evident, with 80% of employees given no instruction on proper wearing techniques or compatibility with other protective gear, and 95% of employers had not checked whether workers could still hear vital warning signals. In response, HSE is promoting the CUFF checking system (Condition, Use, Fit the ear, and Fit for purpose) to help employers assess the effectiveness of hearing protection, with HSE specialists providing practical guidance through industry events and webinars.