The King’s Speech May 2026

[edit] Electrical contractors welcome crackdown on late payment and push for clean energy

On 14 May, 2026 ECA welcomed the three major business and energy Bills announced in the King’s Speech, where action on late payment and speeding up clean energy delivery was stated to be critical to protecting small firms, jobs and supply chains across the UK.

ECA has helped Government design reforms now set out in a Small Business Protections (Late Payment) Bill, after decades of warning that systemic late payment drives closure of otherwise viable businesses forcing them to scale back, delay training, investment and growth.

ECA has led in shaping key measures in the Bill including:

• Giving the Small Business Commissioner enforcement powers, including the ability to fine large firms that fail to pay, report or comply on time.
• Closing loopholes so large customers cannot contract out of a mandatory 60-day cap on payment terms.
• Stopping parties from contracting out of the statutory 8% interest charge on late payment.
• Requiring boards or audit committees of persistently late-paying large companies to publish explanations for poor performance and set out corrective action.
• Introducing a time limit for raising invoice disputes before payment is due.
• Taking targeted action in construction to ban the practice of deducting and withholding retention payments under contracts.

Rob Driscoll, Director of Legal & Policy at ECA, said:

Late payment is not a minor inconvenience – it is a cashflow shock that hits SMEs first, putting jobs, apprenticeships and local supply chains at risk. ECA has worked for decades with Ministers and officials to make sure the voice of ECA Members is heard in shaping the reforms now coming forward.

If Parliament delivers these changes, it will be one of the most significant improvements to payment protections in a generation unlocking investment and growth.

ECA recently launched its Safe Energy Transition Charter where it stated:

‘The UK’s clean energy ambitions must be matched by a relentless focus on safety, as electrification accelerates. Delivery of a secure and safe electrical network relies on the professional skills and competence of installers’.

The King’s Speech announced two measures to accelerate the demand and use of electrification, equating to more opportunities for ECA Members:

• Energy Independence Bill: aims to speed up deployment of low carbon technologies, increase investment in the energy infrastructure and accelerate grid efficiency upgrades.
• Nuclear Regulation Bill: programme to reduce long term project costs in order to provide more affordable, low carbon electricity and therefore protect households from volatile gas prices.

Jane Dawson, Head of External Affairs at ECA, said:

If we align investment in workforce safety and competence, with clean electricity and grid capacity, the UK can reduce exposure to fossil fuel volatility building a modern, resilient and secure electrical energy system.

[edit] CIOB responds to King's Speech

The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) on 13 May, 2026 reacted to the second King’s Speech under this Labour government, setting out the legislative agenda for the next parliamentary session.

Dr Victoria Hills, CIOB’s CEO, said: “The Government’s commitment to accelerating the removal of unsafe cladding must mark a new turning point for thousands of residents who have spent far too long living in unsafe homes. It is unacceptable that, almost a decade after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, people are still facing the emotional and financial burden of a crisis completely out of their control.

“Introducing fixed timeframes for remediation on high-risk buildings is an important step towards ensuring no residents living in cladded buildings continue to live with uncertainty about the safety of their home. CIOB’s Quality Implementation Group will continue contributing the expertise of our members as these reforms progress.

“While a Construction Regulator Bill was not mentioned in the King’s Speech, we expect to see proposals come forward as part of the Government’s wider legislative programme following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. CIOB has long called for clearer accountability and a stronger regulatory framework for both construction and building safety. We supported the introduction of a formal construction regulator in our response to the Grenfell Phase 2 Inquiry, and we look forward to working with Government and industry to help deliver meaningful culture change across the sector.

“Finally, it is encouraging to see continued action on late payments, which continue to put huge pressure on SMEs across construction. Figures show the industry has experienced the highest number of insolvencies in any 12-month period. CIOB was pleased to contribute to the Government’s 2025 consultation on late payment practices, and we look forward to engaging further as the legislation progresses through Parliament."

[edit] CIAT briefing on Kings's Speech 2026

CIAT has prepared a short briefing summarising the key legislation for the built environment outlined in the King's Speech.

On 13 May, the State Opening of Parliament took place in Westminster, which formally begins a new session of parliament, and centres on the King's Speech. It is here that the Monarch outlines the government's legislative priorities for the session.

The King's Speech covers all policy areas, including those which are "reserved" to the Westminster Parliament, and those which are devolved to the UK's national parliaments, meaning some parts of this briefing will be relevant only to members and affiliates operating in England, while other parts will be relevant UK wide.

The briefing on Kings's Speech 2026 can be downloaded here

The first section of this article appears on the ECA news and blog site as "King’s Speech: Electrical contractors welcome crackdown on late payment and push for clean energy' dated 14 May 2026, whilst the second secion appears on the CIOB news and blogsite as "CIOB responds to King's Speech" dated 13 May, 2025, and CIAT briefing, 18 May, 2026.

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