The King’s Speech sets out the Government’s planned laws and priorities for the new parliamentary session. The 2026 programme focuses on economic security, public services, housing, energy, national security and reform of the state. [1]

At a glance

The King’s Speech is delivered by the King at the State Opening of Parliament, but it is written by the Government and approved by ministers. It sets out proposed legislation and priorities, not laws that have already passed. [2] [3]
The 2026 programme includes proposed bills on economic security, UK-EU relations, late payments, water, housing, education, policing, NHS reform, rail, digital ID, public accountability, energy, nuclear regulation, national security, immigration and cyber security. [1]
The proposals must still go through Parliament. Individual bills will need to be introduced, debated, scrutinised and approved before they can become law.

What is the King’s Speech?

The King’s Speech is part of the State Opening of Parliament. It marks the formal beginning of a new parliamentary session and is delivered by the King from the throne in the House of Lords.

Despite its name, the speech is not personally written by the King. It is prepared by the Government, approved by Cabinet, and delivered by the Monarch. Its purpose is to set out the Government’s planned laws and policy priorities for the coming session. [2] [3]

This means the speech is a programme of intention. It tells Parliament and the public what the Government wants to bring forward, but it does not itself change the law. Each bill must still go through the normal parliamentary process before it can become an Act of Parliament.

A draft bill is different from a bill introduced for immediate passage. It is normally published first so that Parliament, a committee, or other interested groups can examine the proposal before a final bill is introduced.

Main proposals announced

The 2026 King’s Speech was framed by the Government around economic security, energy security, national security and public service reform. The speech referred to a more volatile international situation, including conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine, and said the Government would focus on strengthening the UK’s ability to respond to external shocks. [2]

The background briefing notes group the programme under five broad themes:

strengthening economic security;
ending what the Government calls the “opportunity crisis”;
strengthening public services and reforming the state;
strengthening energy security;
strengthening national security. [1]

For readers, the important point is that the King’s Speech sets the Government’s direction, but the detail will come later. Some proposals may change as bills are introduced, debated and amended. Others may take months to reach Parliament, and some may first appear as draft bills for further scrutiny.

The programme includes a large number of bills and draft bills. Some are new proposals. Others continue work already started in the previous parliamentary session, including bills carried over from the 2024–26 session. The Commons Library briefing before the speech noted that carried-over bills included the Armed Forces Bill, Courts and Tribunals Bill, Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, Public Office (Accountability) Bill, Railways Bill and Representation of the People Bill. [4]

Economic security, business and infrastructure

A major part of the programme is aimed at business, trade and infrastructure.

The Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill would give the Government powers to transfer steel companies or steel operations into public ownership where a public interest test is met. The background notes say this is intended to provide a route for nationalising British Steel or similar steel undertakings if the Government considers it necessary for national security, critical infrastructure or the economy. [1]

The European Partnership Bill would provide powers to implement new agreements with the European Union. The background notes refer to possible agreements on food and drink, emissions trading and electricity. In plain terms, this bill is designed to give the Government a legal route to put future UK-EU agreements into domestic law, subject to the parliamentary processes set out in the bill. [1]

The Small Business Protections (Late Payments) Bill would address late payments between businesses. The background notes say it would introduce maximum payment terms, mandatory interest on late payments, time limits for invoice disputes, and new powers for the Small Business Commissioner. [1]

Other proposed economic and regulatory measures include a Competition Reform Bill, a Regulating for Growth Bill and an Enhancing Financial Services Bill. These would change parts of the competition, regulatory and financial services systems. The background notes present these measures as part of a wider plan to support growth, investment, innovation and business confidence. [1]

Infrastructure proposals include the Northern Powerhouse Rail Bill, Highways (Financing) Bill and Civil Aviation Bill. The Northern Powerhouse Rail Bill is linked to rail capacity around Manchester and wider plans for rail connections across the North of England. The Highways Bill would create a financing model for large road schemes, with the Lower Thames Crossing expected to be the first project to use it. [1]

The Overnight Visitor Levy Bill would allow mayors, and potentially other local leaders, to introduce a levy on overnight stays in England. The Government says this would give local areas a new way to raise money for local priorities linked to tourism and visitor economies. [1]

Public services and reform of the state

Public service reform is another central part of the programme.

The Police Reform Bill would make changes to policing in England and Wales. The background notes say it would create local policing areas, establish a new National Police Service, abolish Police and Crime Commissioners and create a legal framework for the use of facial recognition and similar technologies. [1]

The NHS Modernisation Bill would support changes to the structure of the NHS in England. The pre-speech Commons Library briefing said a health bill was expected to deliver the Government’s commitment to abolish NHS England and implement some parts of the 10 Year Health Plan that require primary legislation. [4]

The Courts Modernisation Bill would reform parts of the court system. The speech also referred to changes to the criminal justice system, but the detailed effect will depend on the bill when it is introduced.

The Railways and Passenger Benefits Bill would establish Great British Railways and reform the rail system. The background notes present this as part of improving critical infrastructure and public services. [1]

The Digital Access to Services Bill would provide for Digital ID and wider changes to how people interact with public services. The Commons Library briefing before the speech noted that the Government had said the digital ID scheme would be voluntary, with safeguards on data use and scope creep expected to be included in the bill. [4]

The programme also includes proposals on public accountability and constitutional matters. The Public Office (Accountability) Bill would introduce the Hillsborough Law and a duty of candour for public servants. The Removal of Peerages Bill would create a process for removing peerages. The Commons Library briefing before the speech noted that there is currently no general provision for the removal of peerage titles. [4]

Housing, education and living standards

The King’s Speech also included several measures affecting housing, education and living standards.

The Education for All Bill would reform support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in England. The background notes say the bill would require individual support plans for children and young people with SEND, create National Inclusion Standards, change aspects of funding and review arrangements, and provide transitional protections. [1]

The Social Housing Renewal Bill would protect existing social housing stock, make changes to Right to Buy, and add protections for social housing tenants who are victims of domestic abuse. The background notes say the bill would increase the Right to Buy eligibility requirement to 10 years, exempt newly built social housing for 35 years, and repeal some unimplemented housing provisions. [1]

The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill would reform leasehold property law in England and Wales. The background notes say it would create a new legal framework for commonhold, ban leasehold for most new flats, make conversion to commonhold easier, cap ground rents, abolish forfeiture and change enforcement rules for estate rentcharges. [1]

The Remediation Bill would address unsafe cladding. The Government says it would introduce a legal duty to remediate, give regulators stronger powers, create an 11–18 metre register, and allow a remediation backstop where a third party can step in if responsible parties fail to act. [1]

The programme also includes the Representation of the People Bill, which would make changes to elections. The background notes say it would give 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote in all UK elections, broaden accepted voter ID, test new automated registration systems, tighten political donation rules, strengthen the Electoral Commission and address intimidation of candidates, campaigners, electoral staff and voters. [1]

Two proposals are being brought forward as draft bills. The Draft Conversion Practices Bill would be published for pre-legislative scrutiny. The background notes say the Government intends to bring forward a trans-inclusive ban on abusive conversion practices while seeking to preserve legitimate healthcare, wider support, religious belief and expression. The Draft Ticket Tout Ban Bill would seek to stop tickets for live events being resold for more than their original cost. [1]

The Sporting Events Bill would create a legislative framework for major sporting events, including EURO 2028. [1]

Energy, environment and water

Energy security was one of the main themes used by the Government to frame the programme.

The Energy Independence Bill would scale up homegrown renewable energy. The House of Lords Library briefing before the speech said the Government had indicated that an energy independence bill would provide a framework for moving the UK energy market away from fossil fuels and towards alternative energy sources, including nuclear and renewables. [5]

The Nuclear Regulation Bill would take forward recommendations from the Nuclear Regulatory Review. The Lords Library briefing explained that the review had recommended changes to the way the nuclear sector is regulated, including the creation of a new commission for nuclear regulation. [5]

The Electricity Generator Levy Bill would make changes connected to electricity generation. The background notes include this bill under the energy security section of the programme. Its practical effect should be checked once the bill is introduced. [1]

The Clean Water Bill would reform water regulation. The background notes say it would create a new independent and integrated water regulator, bring together relevant functions of Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Environment Agency and Natural England, create a new Water Ombudsman and strengthen planning, resilience and water efficiency measures. [1]

The Lords Library briefing also explains that the UK and Welsh Governments had launched a joint review of the water industry and that the Government’s earlier white paper proposed replacing Ofwat with a regulator with broader powers over economic and environmental performance. [5]

Justice, security and defence

The programme contains several justice, defence and national security measures.

The Immigration and Asylum Bill would change parts of the immigration and asylum system. The Commons Library pre-speech briefing said expected areas included asylum appeals, appeal rights, Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and modern slavery rules. [4]

The national security part of the programme includes the Tackling State Threats Bill, National Security Bill, Armed Forces Bill and Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. The speech linked these measures to foreign state threats, extreme violence, defence, the Armed Forces covenant and cyber-security risks. [1] [2]

The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill is a carried-over bill. The background notes list it among the public service and state reform measures. The full effect should be checked against the bill text and explanatory notes once Parliament publishes the relevant documents. [1]

Devolution, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

The speech said the Government remains committed to the Union and will continue to work with the devolved governments. [2]

Several bills have different territorial extent and application. For example, the background notes say the Steel Industry Bill and European Partnership Bill extend and apply to the whole UK, while the Highways Bill applies to England only, and the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill extends and applies to England and Wales. [1]

This matters because a UK-wide announcement does not always mean a UK-wide legal effect. Some areas, such as health, education, housing, policing and local government, may apply differently across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because of devolution.

For readers, the most important practical point is that the territorial extent of each bill should be checked once the bill text and explanatory notes are published.

What happens next in Parliament?

After the King’s Speech, both Houses debate the Government’s programme. The Commons Library explains that MPs and peers debate motions for a Humble Address thanking the King for the speech. In recent years, the debate in the Commons has lasted five or six days. [3]

The debate allows MPs and members of the Lords to respond to the Government’s legislative plans. The Commons votes on the King’s Speech debate, while the Lords normally debates the programme but does not vote on it in the same way. [3]

Individual bills must then be introduced. Each bill will go through parliamentary stages, including debate, committee scrutiny, report stage and third reading. Bills must usually be approved by both Houses and receive Royal Assent before they become law.

What to watch next

The main things to watch are:

which bills are introduced first;
whether the introduced bills match the descriptions in the background briefing notes;
which measures are full bills and which are draft bills for pre-legislative scrutiny;
how the Commons debate on the King’s Speech develops;
whether amendments are tabled to the Humble Address;
which proposals apply across the UK and which apply only to England, England and Wales, or another territorial extent;
how much detail is added through bill texts, explanatory notes and impact assessments.

The King’s Speech sets the direction. The detail will come through the bills themselves.

Sources used

[1] The King’s Speech 2026: background briefing notes, Prime Minister’s Office, 13 May 2026.

[2] The King’s Speech 2026, GOV.UK, 13 May 2026.

[3] What is the King’s Speech, House of Commons Library, 7 May 2026.

[4] What might be announced in the King’s Speech 2026?, House of Commons Library, 11 May 2026.

[5] King’s Speech 2026: Energy, environment and animal welfare, House of Lords Library, 7 May 2026.

Last updated

Last updated: 14 May 2026.

King’s Speech 2026: what the Government is planning