Corner Shield

Off-licence law changes in the UK, 2026–2027

Every dated law change affecting shops that sell alcohol, tobacco and vapes: what it means, what to do, and the penalty for getting it wrong. Last checked October 2026.

Coming up

· UK-wide

Tobacco and Vapes Act enforcement powers start

Trading Standards can issue fixed penalty notices, and the vending machine ban becomes live.

What to do: Remind every member of staff to ask for ID under Challenge 25, and log every refusal.

· England only

Age of sale notice becomes mandatory

Every point of sale needs a notice at least 297mm x 420mm, with characters at least 21mm high, with the wording: "It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009".

What to do: Download the free notice, print it on A3 and put one up at every till before this date.

Now in force

· UK-wide

Tobacco duty rises

Hand-rolling tobacco rises to £574.30 per kg, and cigarettes to £394.09 per 1,000 plus 16.5% of the retail price. The minimum duty on a pack of 20 is now £10.38.

What to do: Check your tobacco costs and margins, and reprice if needed.

· UK-wide

Vaping Products Duty begins

A new duty of £2.20 per 10ml of e-liquid. It has never existed before.

What to do: Work out what your vape stock now costs you and update your shelf prices.

· UK-wide

Right to Work checks expand to casual and agency staff

Section 48 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025. Checks now cover casual and agency workers, not just employees.

What to do: Run and keep a Right to Work check for every casual or agency worker before their next shift.

Penalty: Up to £45,000 per worker for a first breach

The records licensing officers ask to see

Refusals and staff training. Under section 146 of the Licensing Act 2003, a seller accused of an underage sale is only protected if they took all reasonable steps to check the buyer's age. A dated refusals log and staff training records are how you prove you did. Run Challenge 25 and log every refusal.

Right to Work. From 1 October 2026 checks cover casual and agency workers as well as employees. Keep a copy of every check.

Food safety. Hygiene inspectors score how you manage food safety, including your processes, training and systems. Fridge temperature and cleaning logs are your evidence.

Licensing guidance. The Home Office guidance under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003, which licensing committees follow, was revised twice in 2026, in February and September.

Get told before the next change catches you out

Compliance Radar in Corner Shield checks legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK guidance every morning, puts each date on your dashboard with a countdown, and tells you in plain English what to do. It also keeps the refusals, training, Right to Work, temperature and cleaning records officers ask for, on your phone.

Start free

Record books free for good. Compliance Radar: first month free, then £25 a month. No contract.

Sources

  1. Licensing Act 2003, section 146: the due diligence defence
  2. The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 (Commencement No. 4) Regulations 2026: Right to Work extended from 1 October 2026
  3. HMRC: New Vaping Products Duty comes into effect (1 October 2026)
  4. HMRC: Changes to tobacco duty rates from 26 November 2025 and 1 October 2026
  5. Home Office: Revised guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003
  6. GOV.UK: Penalties for employing illegal workers
  7. Food Standards Agency: Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

This page is general information for UK shopkeepers, not legal advice. Check with your licensing authority if you are unsure how a change applies to your premises.