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The King's Speech 2026: What It Means for SME Businesses | Lawyerly

David Silvey — Wed, 13 May 2026 13:35:40 GMT

The King's Speech landed today, and if you run a small or growing business, there is more in it for you than you might expect. Buried beneath the ceremony and constitutional fanfare are three changes that speak directly to issues clients raise with us regularly - getting paid on time, cutting through regulatory red tape, and trading with mainland Europe. There are a few other measures worth flagging too.

Here's what you need to know.

Five Event Contract Mistakes That Cost Your Business | Lawyerlink

patricia@lawyerlink.co (Patricia Stelmach) — Tue, 05 May 2026 10:54:51 GMT

Event company contracts age badly. Most were written for a much smaller business and have just been patched together since; a clause from a venue agreement, a paragraph added after a client objected once, a deposit structure that hasn't been touched in a few years. They work fine until something goes wrong. Then someone actually reads them, and the silences start costing money.

Companies House Changes in 2026: What SMEs Need to Know About Identity Checks & Filing

David Silvey — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:38:06 GMT

For many owners, Companies House feels like a background obligation. You file what needs to be filed, pay the fee, and return your attention to running the business. For years, that approach has generally been sufficient, but from 2026, it will no longer be.

AI & data protection in 2026: A practical guide to the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 for SMEs

patricia@lawyerlink.co (Patricia Stelmach) — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:36:54 GMT

Most business owners and key decision-makers I speak to are in the same position: AI tools are already in use across the business (marketing, customer service, HR, analytics, and finance), but governance hasn’t kept pace. That's understandable. Businesses move fast, but regulation moves more slowly. And yet, in 2026, the direction of travel is clear: data protection is becoming more operational (especially around complaints and access requests), and AI governance is moving from “nice to have” to “expected”.

The 2026 Employer Checklist: Navigating The Employment Rights Act 2025

Ashrelle Parker-Belgrave — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:36:22 GMT

When founders are asked what truly keeps them awake at night, the answer is rarely “legal change”. More often, it is people: finding and retaining the right talent, managing absence, addressing conflict before it escalates, maintaining morale, and building a culture that customers can sense from their very first interaction with the business.

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: What SMEs need to do before 6 April 2026

James Conning — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:35:39 GMT

Many regulatory changes apply only to specific sectors. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD ITSA) is different as it applies directly to founders who operate as sole traders, landlords, or both.

Consumer law in 2026: Trust, transparency and no surprises customer journeys

Ashrelle Parker-Belgrave — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:34:33 GMT

Consumer protection law is set to feature prominently on the regulatory agenda this year. In the UK, elements of the new subscription contracts regime introduced by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA) are expected to come into force. At the same time, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is likely to begin testing its expanded enforcement powers under the Act, particularly in relation to unfair commercial practices.

5 Legal priorities UK SMEs should have on their radar for 2026

David Silvey — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:33:22 GMT

If you run a small or growing business, it is easy to assume that regulatory change is something that happens only in large corporates, regulated sectors, or organisations with compliance teams and board sub-committees. But that is not the case in 2026, and SMEs are encouraged to take note.

Why your growing business needs fractional general counsel

Dr Jackie Nagtegaal — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 08:26:40 GMT

The world of work no longer moves in straight lines. Expertise has become fluid, shared, flexible, and on demand. Over the past decade, a quiet revolution has taken hold: the rise of fractional services.

The hidden cost of DIY law: When Google isn’t a substitute for a legal partner

Willem van der Merwe — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 10:39:42 GMT

Running a small or medium-sized business in the UK isn’t for the faint-hearted. Every decision, from hiring your first employee to signing your next supplier contract, comes with both opportunity and risk. And when it comes to legal matters, many owners turn to “do-it-yourself” fixes such as DIY legal contracts, free legal templates, YouTube tutorials, or AI legal contracts.