Recent Posts
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Rising Materials Costs Deepen Insolvency Risk in UK Construction Sector
The UK construction sector is facing intensifying financial pressure as the latest government data reveals a sustained decline in the...
03/10/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-10-03-12-39-50-940-68dfc41634031c014dd0ff79.jpg)
Irwin Mitchell’s Planning & Environment Blog
Welcome to our monthly blog series from the Planning & Environment team at Irwin Mitchell. Each month, we will be bringing together the...
03/10/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-10-02-08-35-01-337-68de39355264edbf34c9f36b.jpg)
Will labour reintroduce ET fees?
Yesterday, the Guardian newsletter published an exclusive article which said that the government is considering charging claimants a fee...
02/10/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-10-01-11-38-38-406-68dd12bee92e2686b2215b2a.jpg)
Failure to publish background papers leads to quashing of planning permission
The recent ruling of the High Court on R (Wild Justice) v Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority [2025] EWHC 2249 (Admin) (available...
01/10/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-10-01-11-24-38-378-68dd0f76e92e2686b22150af.jpg)
Flood risk PPG update: Sequential test clarified
Just like water, planning regulations and policy rarely stand still, and the September 2025 update to the Planning Practice Guidance on...
01/10/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-29-19-50-18-968-68dae2faf6347a2c4b97f3ea.jpg)
Farley v Paymaster: A Turning Point in UK Data Protection Litigation
The Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Farley v Paymaster (1836) Ltd (t/a Equiniti) [2025] EWCA Civ 1117 (“Farley”) represents...
30/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-29-13-35-56-454-68da8b3cfb65c3eadd963487.jpg)
Employment law: news in brief – September 2025
Rising costs and Employment Rights Bill threaten jobs and growth UK businesses have said they're worried about rising costs and new...
29/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-26-15-18-02-299-68d6aeaae3491559c33800b9.jpg)
Do you need to know if your staff have more than one job?
Earlier this summer, a public sector worker was found guilty of fraud after moonlighting in four separate jobs at multiple councils. By...
29/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-27-10-52-49-043-68d7c20118225a0b7d7e87ec.jpg)
Does menstrual pain amount to a disability?
Over the past few years there have been a number of well publicised cases where tribunals have found that women with severe menopausal...
29/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-24-10-29-50-257-68d3c81ec21ae6833923f973.jpg)
UK Construction Insolvency Rates Remain High in 2025
Despite a modest improvement from 2024, the UK construction sector remains under significant financial pressure in 2025, with insolvency...
24/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-05-13-50-22-632-68baea9e9959200da77ee90b.jpg)
Sexual harassment: how do you fairly decide what happened in a he said/she said scenario?
Last year the law changed and put employers under a positive duty to prevent sexual harassment. Many employers ramped up their policies...
24/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-22-15-32-25-767-68d16c096a21c59000c9f3e2.jpg)
UK government responds to calls for better parental leave policies
A few months ago we explained that the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) had published a report which said that the parental leave...
24/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-03-10-53-02-442-68b81e0e4e1cb2b73bb82ced.jpg)
Helping parents through neonatal challenges: a guide for employers
The introduction of Neonatal Care Leave and Pay from 6 April 2025 marked a significant development in employment law, offering vital...
23/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-23-13-36-35-257-68d2a26309142ae1afffa0ef.jpg)
Trump and the H1-B Visa: The Potential Impact on UK Immigration
On 19 September 2025, US President Donald Trump announced a major change to the application process for skilled foreign workers in the...
23/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-18-14-20-30-067-68cc152e742cd8276bd638db.jpg)
Planning clarity for Green Belt development: takeaways from Mole Valley v Secretary of State & Meloney
A recent case has reaffirmed planning law principles in relation to Green Belt development policy and site deliverability. On 15 August...
18/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-17-08-43-10-710-68ca749ee2196ba89bc7313b.jpg)
Planning permission quashed after failure to publish Section 106 agreement
The courts are increasingly scrutinising failures to publish draft Section 106 agreements prior to the grant of planning permission,...
17/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-15-13-36-19-212-68c81653be6067eb53640ef2.jpg)
The pharmaceutical sector’s difficult week
Last week proved to be a politically turbulent week, and, whilst it wasn’t the biggest story of the week, the pharmaceutical sector was...
15/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-12-18-25-03-257-68c4657f884942393d088fde.jpg)
Strengthening UK–Middle East Connections
I’m only a couple of months into my role as Head of Irwin Mitchell’s Middle East Desk, but the opportunities ahead in this dynamic and...
12/09/25
Equity of Exoneration and Joint Liability: Insights from Armstrong & Anor v Harrow [2025] EWHC 1790 (Ch)
On 18 July 2025, ICC Judge Mullen handed down judgment in Armstrong & Anor v Harrow [2025] EWHC 1790 (Ch) denying Mrs Harrow’s claim for...
11/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-10-09-42-59-272-68c14823997156abd1da347b.jpg)
Bridging the Gap: The Silent Risk in Skilled Worker Transitional Rules
The Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, which came into force on 22 July 2025, introduced sweeping reforms to the Skilled...
10/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-10-08-17-21-801-68c13411d03d6571ccca05bf.jpg)
Breaking down the debate: 5-Year vs 10-Year ILR qualifying period
On Monday, MPs debated the Government’s recent proposal to extend the qualifying period for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) from five...
10/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-08-08-34-01-042-68be94f9f3086aa57f7390cb.jpg)
Education news in brief – September 2025
Disadvantaged pupils do much better in schools with higher levels of poverty A new report from the Institute for Government suggests that...
08/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-05-13-39-28-309-68bae810533096d1b3871727.jpg)
Single-sex spaces: campaign group set their sights on schools' guidance
The campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS) has lodged an application in the Scottish Court of Session to quash government guidance that...
05/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-04-09-48-51-882-68b960831d680d7ad1a417ff.jpg)
When is it lawful to isolate a student?
In this case summary, we consider the decision of EBB & Others v Gorse Academies Trust [2025] EWHC 1983 (Admin) and its implication on...
05/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-02-09-00-58-458-68b6b24a91125d59ef012c12.jpg)
The pros and cons of installing solar panels in schools and colleges
Last year the DfE published guidance to help schools access the funding they need to plan for and decarbonise their buildings. It has set...
04/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-08-28-14-43-16-699-68b06b04c67a089ccfe83884.jpg)
Why clear contracts and proper processes matter: lessons from a nursery worker's employment tribunal claim
Contracts, policies and procedures regulate the relationship between employee and employer, but what happens when they are not clearly...
04/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-03-17-39-38-461-68b87d5acf1c0534b833e078.jpg)
A Frolic Too Far? The Balance between Adjudicator Discretion and Party Consultation in the Context of Natural Justice
As construction specialists drawn from diverse disciplines, adjudicators are well equipped to analyse party submissions and determine...
03/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-03-15-04-50-086-68b85912cf1c0534b8337e7e.jpg)
Investments Turned Foul.....? What Can You Do?
A group of ex-Premier League footballers have been in the press recently talking about failed investments and the tax burden they are...
03/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-02-10-01-50-372-68b6c08ea631091b7967260d.jpg)
Irwin Mitchell’s Planning & Environment Blog
Welcome to our monthly blog series from the Planning & Environment team at Irwin Mitchell. Each month, we will be bringing together the...
02/09/25/Passle/55fad6bcb00e7e097cd579a6/SearchServiceImages/2025-09-02-09-44-20-576-68b6bc7491125d59ef014395.jpg)
Procedural Unfairness in the removal of a Permitted Development Right: Singhal UK Limited v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government & Another
The recent Planning Court judgment of Singhal UK Ltd v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Anor...
02/09/25