Resources

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Webinar | The duty to make reasonable adjustments as both an employer and a qualification body | 7 October 2026

Many professional bodies are in the unique position of being both employers and qualification bodies under the Equality Act 2010. This means that they need to comply with the duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled individuals both as employers of their own staff and as qualification bodies conferring professional qualifications. In this webinar, we …
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Climate clauses in real estate: why they matter more than ever

Across the property industry, climate and ESG ambitions should no longer be considered as optional. Inefficient, high-carbon buildings are becoming harder to let, insure and finance; there is increasing investor pressure, and organisations are publicly committing to doing better. Real estate is particularly exposed to the risks of climate change. Leases, funding agreements and construction …
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Mandatory MFA for all SMS users: what sponsors need to know now

Update: The Home Office released a step by step guide to sponsors on Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on 28 August 2026 which you can find here. The Home Office is introducing mandatory Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all Sponsorship Management System (SMS) users. MFA adds a one-time passcode (OTP) step to the existing username and password login. …
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Subscription regime set for January 2027

On 09 August, the Prime Minister announced a series of ‘everyday fixes’ to alleviate household costs in the UK. One of these was a commitment to end subscription traps as soon as possible. Last year, we ran several webinars on a new subscription regime introduced by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024 (‘DMCC’) …
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Webinar | Charity closures: a practical and supportive conversation for leaders | 8 October 2026

Charity Commission figures show planned closures (“voluntary removals” from the register) rose by 36% last year, a sign of the turbulent waters charities are navigating: strained business models, waning volunteers, rising costs and more. Yet many leaders tell Bates Wells they don’t feel equipped for the anticipation, planning or delivery of closure. Some arrive at …
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Webinar | Branding and trade marks: ask us anything! | 8 October 2026

We’ve found our webinars tend to go better when we don’t decide in advance what everyone wants to hear about. So, for this session, we’re dispensing with the carefully crafted agenda and handing control over to you. Whether you’re grappling with a tricky trade mark issue, planning a rebrand, trying to stay on top of …
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Competition law for awarding organisations: practical risk management for confident collaboration

Awarding organisations (AOs) operate in competitive markets. As well as considering their own conduct with other AOs, they can also bring competitors together for legitimate purposes, for example, sharing best practice, promoting assessment consistency, consulting on regulatory changes, or discussing operational challenges. Whenever competitors meet, competition law is engaged. The risk isn’t theoretical. The Competition …
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Faith-based charities and regulatory engagement: prevention and response

The regulatory landscape Regulatory action by the Charity Commission is increasing. There were 18% more regulatory concern cases, 25% more statutory inquiries and just under 60% more inquiry powers used in the Commission’s most recent financial period than its previous one. Common themes for the Commission opening investigations are governance failures, safeguarding issues, conflicts of …
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Hiding in plain sight – paying the price of forever chemicals in fashion

“Nearly every American now has PFAS in their blood.” That stark finding, highlighted by journalist Alden Wicker, captures the scale of a problem that has quietly woven itself into the UK’s modern life – and into the clothes we wear every day. What are PFAS? Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often dubbed “forever chemicals”, are …
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Sponsor compliance: hot topics and trends from the first half of 2026

Employer and sponsor immigration compliance is becoming more interventionist. The Home Office has strengthened sponsor guidance, lowered the practical threshold for action and is using more data matching, remote checks and targeted information requests. For sponsors, compliance should be treated as an ongoing governance risk, not revisited haphazardly. The key trend is a move from …
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OfS revises freedom of speech guidance following Sussex v OfS

On 5 August 2026, the Office for Students (OfS) has published revised regulatory guidance on freedom of speech and the incoming complaints scheme for higher education providers (HEPs). Influenced by de facto legislative changes since the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 was enacted, and the judgment in Sussex v OfS, the guidance now …
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UK right to work regime expands on 1 October 2026: what businesses should do now

From 1 October 2026, the Right to Work (RtW) regime expands beyond traditional employment to include worker contracts, individual sub‑contractors, and online matching services. This critical shift means civil penalties of up to £60,000 per illegal worker may extend beyond the direct employer and, in some circumstances, up the supply chain. To reduce this risk, …
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