The Government will legislate to require the largest businesses operating in the UK to identify, assess and address the risk of human rights abuses and labour exploitation in their operations and supply chains. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds set out the plans in a written statement to Parliament on 4 November.

Who would be covered

The regime would apply across the UK for services and in Great Britain for goods. It would cover UK businesses with global turnover above £350 million and non-UK businesses with UK-generated turnover above the same threshold, aligned with the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Government said it would also include powers to remove goods made with forced labour from the market.

Why ministers say change is needed

Mr Reynolds said a review had found the current framework for preventing forced labour fragmented and overly reliant on voluntary action and reporting, leaving the UK out of step with G7 partners and other major trading economies. The Government said it would work with stakeholders on the detail and introduce the measures as soon as parliamentary time allows. No legislation has yet been introduced, so no start date applies.

Campaigners welcome step, raise gaps

The Corporate Justice Coalition welcomed the announcement as a major step after years of campaigning, but criticised the omission of the environment from the framework and the £350 million threshold, which it noted sits far above the £36 million threshold in the Modern Slavery Act. Friends of the Earth and Anti-Slavery International made similar points, urging a law that also covers environmental harm and gives victims access to justice.

Sources: Corporate Justice Coalition, UK announces new mandatory human rights due diligence law, 4 November 2026; Labour Home, Jonathan Reynolds announces forced-labour checks for Britain's biggest businesses, 4 November 2026; Labour Behind the Label, One step closer to corporate responsibility, 4 November 2026.