In 'A good regulation guide: How to reform the UK’s regulatory landscape', we show how regulatory reform can boost competitiveness and support long-term economic growth
The UK has a strong legacy of world-class regulation, having led global best practice through the 1980s and 1990s. However, today's regulatory framework is struggling to keep pace with the evolving economic landscape. Despite several reform efforts, it remains suboptimal and continues to slow down the growth the UK needs.
Recent government initiatives, such as the New Approach to Ensure Regulators and Regulation Support Growth policy paper, signal renewed ambition. But to stay competitive and attract investment and innovation, the UK must ensure its regulatory landscape is agile and responsive to economic change.
Our guide, A good regulations guide: How to reform the UK's regulatory landscape, is intended to provide the government with practical tools to transform its commitment to regulatory reform into tangible, impactful action. It offers business-led solutions to long-standing regulatory challenges and aims to spark a new era of collaboration and co-design between policymakers, regulators, and industry.
Developed in collaboration with over 110 corporate members and 62 trade associations through the CBI Regulatory Reform Taskforce, the guide captures real-world business insight across sectors. It is also informed by engagement with government departments and UK regulators.
This extensive consultation has identified three core priorities the government must address to strengthen the UK's regulatory framework:
- Provide clear accountability and support for regulators to embrace risk in regulation
- Revise and enhance strategic dialogue among government, regulators, and the regulated to address poor regulatory outcomes
- Tackle chronic skill shortages and capacity challenges in regulatory bodies
The regulatory landscape needs structural and thematic reform to ensure it is fit for purpose
Despite persistent challenges facing the UK regulatory regime, meaningful reform is within reach. By building on existing strengths, the UK can reshape regulation to better support consumers and businesses. The priority now is to consolidate best practices, reduce inefficiencies, and remove barriers to growth and investment.
A more strategic, outcomes-focused approach - guided by the four core principles below - can lay the groundwork for targeted reforms that deliver real-world impact:
- Outcomes-focused, principles-led regulation
- Integrate standards with smarter, complementary regulation
- Establish a robust, data-driven baseline for informed decision making
- Regulation must be holistically integrated into the UK's industrial strategy
Help drive change
The Good regulation guide is central to the CBI's ongoing advocacy for businesses operating in heavily regulated sectors, and explores our full set of recommendations. Use it to discover how your business can help shape smarter, more strategic regulation.
Building on this work, the CBI will host the inaugural Business Regulator Forum in July 2025, convening businesses, regulators, and sponsoring departments to drive strategic dialogue and foster genuine co-creation.
If you have any questions or would like to get involved, please contact Alex Guest, Senior Policy Adviser for Regulation.
