What’s new in Astute LXP – April 2026 update (v3.5.0)
This month’s update introduces Instructor-Led Training (ILT), alongside a number of smaller improvements across the platform. Instructor-Led Training is now live Instructor-Led Training (ILT) is now live in Astute, with early access currently available to selected clients on the Astute Premier tier. ILT allows you to manage classroom, virtual and hybrid training alongside your existing […]
New annual leave record keeping rules are now in force: Mistakes could cost employers thousands
From 6 April 2026, the Employment Rights Act 2025 has introduced a new statutory duty requiring employers to keep detailed records of annual leave and holiday pay. For the first time, what was previously treated as good administrative practice is now a legal obligation. Employers must be able to demonstrate, with clear records, how much […]
New fire safety rules for residential buildings: what RPEEPs mean for compliance
From 6 April 2026, a significant shift in residential fire safety regulation came into force in England. The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 introduce a new framework aimed at protecting some of the most vulnerable residents in high-rise buildings. For organisations managing social housing, residential portfolios, or mixed-use developments, this is not […]
French court rules firm guilty of financing terrorism in Syria. Is extreme due diligence the answer?
The landmark conviction of Lafarge, a French cement manufacturer by the Paris Criminal Court is a significant case in the history of corporate conduct in conflict zones. This is the first time a corporation in France has been criminally convicted for financing terrorism linked to overseas operations. The implications for multinational firms operating in volatile […]
Is Bosnia and Herzegovina heading back to the FATF grey list?
Bosnia and Herzegovina could be re-added to the grey list this year. In February 2026, the one-year observation period imposed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) expired. This means the country faces a credible risk of being placed under increased monitoring, known as the grey list. The concern reflects a wider pattern of unresolved […]
Is the US moving towards a risk-based approach for AML?
The US Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) have proposed rules to modernise AML compliance and, crucially, allow financial institutions to adopt something like a risk-based approach. For years, the risk-based approach has been the organising principle of AML compliance. The FATF has long treated it as foundational, while the EU embedded it in […]
Are your staff betting on Polymarket? It could be a compliance disaster
Prediction markets allow users to trade on the outcome of real-world events. Instead of betting against a bookmaker, participants take positions against one another, with prices reflecting the perceived probability of an event occurring. These events range from elections and economic indicators to corporate announcements, entertainment outcomes and geopolitical developments. In practice, they operate like […]
PCP car finance redress and vulnerable customers: What firms should know
The FCA’s motor finance redress scheme marks one of the largest consumer compensation exercises in recent years, requiring firms to review historic PCP and other finance agreements at scale and deliver consistent outcomes to millions of customers. For many firms, the immediate focus is operational: identifying affected cases, assessing fairness, and paying redress within the […]
Cheating the public revenue and the Crime and Policing Bill: Increasing risk for firms
The common law offence of cheating the public revenue has long occupied an unusual place in English criminal law. It is at once archaic and highly practical, rooted in eighteenth century authority and yet routinely deployed in some of the most complex modern fraud prosecutions. The forthcoming expansion of corporate criminal liability under the Crime […]