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The Crime and Policing Act 2026 (the "CPA") received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. Among its wide-ranging provisions, the CPA contains a measure of significant consequence for all businesses with a connection to the UK: the extension of the reformed identification doctrine to all criminal offences.

RICS' new service charge residential management code came into effect on 7 April 2026. It provides, amongst other things, guidance for landlords and managing agents on key provisions in the Building Safety Act 2022.

In this issue, we look at whether UK fire and rehire reforms could affect outsourcing. We also discuss consumer-facing outsourcings, the impact of the Middle East crisis, cloud switching, the expansion of unfair dismissal rights, new EU rules affecting financial services outsourcings and UK rules affecting premises and event management outsourcings.

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry 

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has just published a consultation paper (Consultation Paper 26/14: Changes to the information flows for UK equity IPOs) on removing rules which require a mandatory waiting period between the publication of an IPO prospectus or registration document, and the release of pre-deal investment research by syndicate bank analysts.

Now is the time to prepare and submit annual returns in respect of any employee share plan or management incentive arrangement you had in place during the 2025/26 tax year.