We have a new Prime Minister.
Andy Burnham walked into Downing Street this morning. For most people, that's politics. For anyone running a business with employees, it's worth paying attention to from a compliance angle.
His background matters
Burnham was Health Secretary. He has pushed consistently for mental health to be treated with the same seriousness as physical health. As Manchester Mayor he was one of the most vocal advocates for public health investment and worker protection in the country. This is not a politician who treats health and safety as a box-ticking exercise.
What to watch as his government takes shape
Occupational health. Burnham is unlikely to let the "health" side of health and safety stay in the background. Mental health at work, long-term ill-health prevention, and wellbeing have all been consistent themes in his public record. If your current H&S framework is focused purely on physical hazards, it is worth a review.
HSE enforcement. The HSE's enforcement resource has been under pressure for years. A Burnham government is more likely to back investment in enforcement than to cut it further. Businesses that have been coasting on compliance are taking on more risk than they probably realise.
Employment Rights Act 2025. More measures land in October 2026. That is not changing. The pace of worker protection legislation is unlikely to slow.
What this means in practice
None of this requires panic. It does require awareness. Knowing what direction regulation is heading is most of the work. If your H&S management system, risk assessments, and occupational health provisions have not been reviewed recently, now is a reasonable time to do it.
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