Local authority round-up 9 January 2026
9th January, 2026
Our Local Authority round up provides brief summaries of topical information on a weekly basis, to keep you aware of the changes and updates relevant to you.
Housing
Taxpayer cash protected as crackdown on rogue landlords expands
Hundreds of thousands of people will benefit from an expansion of a trial to tackle poor housing and protect taxpayers’ cash from rogue landlords.
The scheme, which was successfully trialled in three council areas, protects public money by stopping it being wasted on unsafe housing through Rent Repayment Orders. Around 400,000 households receiving support will be better protected from rogue landlords due to this scheme.
Legal Orders will stop landlords who operate properties without the correct licence, ignore improvement notices, or leave their house in unliveable conditions. The scheme will also give councils the necessary powers to streamline access to Universal Credit data which is crucial for completing Rent Repayment Order applications.
The outcome of this scheme will allow local authorities to recover up to 24 months of rent, (double the previous limit) from landlords who do not abide by the rules due to the Renters’ Rights Act.
For more information, please click here.
Health & Social Care
Landmark junk food ad ban to protect Children’s health
In a bid to tackle child obesity, children will now be protected from exposure to junk food ads under new regulations.
From the 5th January 2026, adverts for less healthy food and drinks will be banned on television before 9pm and online at all times. This action is expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year, reducing the number of children living with obesity by 20,000 and deliver around £2 billion in health benefits over time.
Evidence shows advertising influences what and when children eat, shaping their preferences from a young age, thus increasing the risk of obesity and related illness. The ban targets the media children use the most, at the times they use it.
At the start of primary school, 22.1% of children in England are living with overweight or obesity and this rises to 35.8% by the time they leave. Tooth decay is also the leading case of hospital admissions for young children (typically ages 5-9) in the UK.
For more information, please click here.
New changes to NHS dentistry will allow patients to access urgent care easier
Patients across England will be able to access urgent dental appointments more easily thanks to a major overhaul of NHS dentistry. By prioritising patients with the greatest needs, the changes, which will be in place from April 2026, will make sure the NHS dentistry budget (estimated at around £4 billion) delivers value for money for taxpayers by diverting funds into better and more effective treatments for those who need them the most.
With these changes, patients can secure single comprehensive packages of treatments with a dentist over a long period of time, tailored to their needs and includes oral health advice. For dentists, they will be incentivised to deliver under this new standardised payment package – this will support thousands of patients to receive better care on the NHS.
For more information, please click here.
Upcoming events
Subsidy control masterclass series
Subsidy control is one of the first considerations in public funded initiatives – but it can also be a significant cause of uncertainty and delay. This course will cut through those concerns by equipping attendees with the expertise to spot potential issues and to manage these within the law, noting recent case law and guidance. It will cover the basics, working up to a level of detail that will be useful to the most experienced practitioners.
This masterclass series is presented by Ward Hadaway Partner Alexander Rose – recognised as a national expert in this area of law – with the following dates remaining across our offices:
- Leeds: Wednesday 14 January 2026, 1pm – 3pm
- Manchester: Thursday 22 January 2026, 1pm – 3pm
- Birmingham: Wednesday 4 February 2026, 9.30am – 11.30am
Book your place at any of these sessions here.
Legal Services Forum: Hillsborough Law
On 16 September 2025, the Government laid before Parliament the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, commonly known as Hillsborough Law. The Bill introduces a duty of candour and assistance on public authorities and officials in relation to their involvement with public inquiries and inquests.
It ensures that families of victims in state-related deaths are able to access non-means-tested legal assistance and advocacy at inquests and inquiries where public authorities are interested persons. If enacted in full, the Bill is likely to have a significant impact on public inquiries and a large number of inquests.
We are pleased to invite Austin Welch, Counsel from Lincoln House Chambers to talk us through the main features of the Bill and its implications.
This webinar will take place on Thursday 29 January, 10:00–11:00am.
Register here to confirm your place and submit any questions for discussion in advance.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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