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People and Workplace round-up | 15 October

Welcome to our round-up of people and workplace updates, hand-picked to help HR teams stay informed about legislative developments. Catch up on: Keep Britain Working: Government update on the new workplace health system On 23 September 2026, the government published Sir Charlie Mayfield’s update on the post-review work of Keep Britain Working. HR leaders should …
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Probation periods are changing: 10 things employers should do now

Effective use of probationary periods has always been important, but until now, if employers got the decision wrong, there was generally up to two years to determine an employee’s suitability for a role before the employee acquired unfair dismissal rights. From 1 January 2027, however, that position will change significantly, with unfair dismissal protection available …
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Is your organisation ready for the imminent re-introduction of employer liability for third-party harassment?

The Employment Rights Act 2025 provision on third-party harassment comes into force on 30 October 2026, making employers liable if a third party harasses an employee at work unless they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent it. This has the potential to be an onerous responsibility for employers. A third party is anyone an …
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Textiles made of agricultural waste, sustainable supply chains and the needed changes in the fashion industry: in conversation with Sarah Angold, 29acacia

Oliver Scutt recently sat down with Sarah Angold, co-founder of 29acacia, to discuss her determination to transform the fashion industry by producing textiles from agricultural banana waste. The idea was born when her business partner Varun, whose experience in agricultural waste management in India meant he was seeing in real time the large-scale waste streams …
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Purpose & Impact: your round-up | October

Welcome to your round-up: a monthly selection of news hand-picked to help keep you up to date, for businesses, investors and others working to create positive impact. Jump to: Corporate purpose B Corps Social enterprise Climate & biodiversity Impact investing Corporate purpose Bates Wells’ Louise Harman and Oliver Scutt will be at Blue Earth Summit …
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Charity Legacy Conference 2026: maximising and protecting legacy income

With charity income under increasing pressure, legacy income is a consistently reliable source, helping charities maintain stability through these challenging times. We recently hosted our annual Charity Legacy Conference for legacy professionals, this year focusing on how to maximise and protect legacy income. Here are some of the key legal and practical takeaways from the …
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Briefing for Charities & Social Enterprises | 13 October

Our weekly round up of news and updates from across the sector. To help you navigate this week’s content, the links below will take you straight to content by topic. Charity Commission The Charity Commission says it has made further updates to its guidance Sales, leases, transfers or mortgages: what trustees need to know about …
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Spotlight 2026: the annual Bates Wells charity conference | 3 November 2026

Our annual charity sector conference brings together representatives from across civil society to discuss big picture questions and make connections. This year we will be exploring the theme of ‘Charities and Change’. Check out the full agenda below, our speaker line-up and how to sign up. Gain insights from sector leaders In the face of …
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Briefing for Charities & Social Enterprises | 6 October

Our weekly roundup of news and updates from across the sector. To help you navigate this week’s content, the links below will take you straight to content by topic. Charity Commission The Charity Commission has published its 2025-2026 report on whistleblowing disclosures. The Commission has seen an increase in whistleblowing disclosures. It has also found …
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US administration causes considerable uncertainty for intended parents

At the end of June, the US Supreme Court ruled that Donald Trump’s first Executive Order attempting to end birthright citizenship was unconstitutional. Less than six weeks later, he had issued two further Executive Orders. One of these seeks to effectively prevent birthright citizenship for children whose parents “engage in a commercial transaction with a …
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Court of Appeal provides helpful reminder on the interplay between family and immigration proceedings

Background The case Jakir Ahmed v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] EWCA Civ 509 involved a father who had applied for a Family Court Order permitting contact with his British daughter, shortly before applying for permission to stay in the UK on the basis of that relationship. Success in such an application …
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What powers can the Independent Football Regulator use against Manchester City?

An independent commission has ruled that Manchester City is guilty of a swathe of breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, as well as a raft of non-cooperation charges. Most notably, the commission found that sponsorship arrangements represented “sham” contracts disguising owner investment which artificially inflated the club’s sponsorship income by hundreds of millions of …
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