Policy paper

Regulation Action Plan: Growth Goals

Published 10 July 2026

In March 2025, the government set out its vision for overhauling the regulatory landscape so that it not only protects consumers but also supports competition and encourages growth.

At the Regional Investment Summit in October, the Chancellor gave an update on delivery of the Regulation Action Plan, setting out the progress made and where the government would go further and faster. As part of this, the government announced that it would ensure key regulators had clear direction on how they can support its overriding mission to deliver economic growth. This commitment sat alongside the announcement that the existing Growth Duty would be strengthened.

Departments have since been developing outcome-focused Growth Goals, where no equivalent framework already exists, to provide regulators with a structured set of priorities that clarify how their actions should support economic growth. These goals are designed to be measurable, with specific key results to enable progress tracking, and accompanied by an impact narrative explaining how regulators’ actions are expected to drive economic growth.

This document sets out the Growth Goals which the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is issuing to The Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Growth Goal One

Enabling use of innovative technologies.

Outcome Goal

Increase stakeholder understanding of HSE’s regulatory framework for artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics and autonomous systems (RAS).

Investment, innovation, and productivity are vital to economic growth, and is working proactively to enable safe AI and RAS innovation. HSE’s risk-based, proportionate, and goalsetting regulatory approach supports both robust protection of people and places and the safe deployment of emerging technologies.

It has been reported that industry faces uncertainty in navigating and interpreting existing regulations for AI and RAS. This ambiguity can deter investment and delay deployment. HSE will therefore work to clarify regulatory expectations, support safe development of new technologies, and provide greater certainty to dutyholders regarding health and safety requirements.

Key Results

During 2026 to 2027, HSE will:

• provide clarity on how health and safety regulation applies to AI and RAS, through the development and publication of new guidance and content on the HSE website
• contribute to the development of benchmarks that support the appropriate deployment of AI and RAS, including participation in international standards development and collaboration with industry stakeholders on AI and RAS safety approaches
• support Department for Business and Trade (DBT) officials in their deep dive on health and safety regulation, working with industry to identify opportunities to reduce administrative burdens on businesses while maintaining strong health and safety protections

Impact Narrative

Clear and predictable regulation will make it easier for businesses to invest in and safely use AI and RAS technologies. By giving practical guidance and working closely with industry and international partners, HSE will help businesses develop and adopt new technologies safely and with confidence. This will support innovation and economic growth while keeping strong protections in place for workers and the public.

Growth Goal Two

A more agile chemicals regulatory system.

Outcome Goal

A chemicals regulatory system that processes decisions more quickly, providing increased regulatory certainty to industry and fostering a stronger environment for innovation.

A more agile chemicals regulatory system will create a predictable, streamlined, and responsive framework that supports innovation while maintaining high levels of health and environmental protection. These reforms are expected to provide greater regulatory certainty and stimulate growth in a key sector of the UK economy.

Key Results

During 2026 to 2027, HSE will lay a statutory instrument to amend regulations. These changes will create a more agile chemicals regulatory system that:

• halves the time taken for the majority of chemicals to pass through a fast-track process, reducing delivery times for mandatory classifications by 6 months by 2027
• puts in place provisions for biocidal substances essential for public health, animal health, and environmental protection by 2027
• streamlines the UK’s international obligations on the import and export of chemicals, including removal of unnecessary regulatory burdens by 2027. This will help tackle issues such as rodent damage (estimated at £84 million per year) and water borne diseases (estimated at around £3 billion per year)

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

For Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP), HSE will aim to:

• publish 90% of technical reports within 6 months of an opinion published by another territory; or within 12 months of a mandatory classification and labelling (MCL) proposal being completed or received by the Agency

Impact Narrative

A more agile, proportionate chemicals regulatory system will speed up decisions, offer greater predictability, and give industry the confidence to plan ahead and bring products to market more efficiently, while keeping robust protections in place. Improved regulatory certainty will support growth and innovation across this key growth sector.

Growth Goal Three

Enabling Net Zero industries – Carbon Capture.

Outcome Goal

Growth in numbers of businesses being regulated under new Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) regulations.

HSE will support the safe innovation necessary to prevent major incidents while helping enable the UK’s transition to net zero. A key area of focus is reviewing and shaping the regulatory regime for carbon capture, utilisation and storage. HSE will help facilitate growth of this emerging sector by providing clear and consistent health and safety expectations, improving industry and investor confidence in the UK market, and reducing barriers to the deployment of capital.

Key Results

During 2026 to 2027, HSE will introduce legal requirements:

• to bring the pipeline transport and offshore storage elements of the CCUS process within scope of pipeline and offshore major hazard regulations
• to bring the offshore production of hydrogen within scope of offshore major hazard regulations
• to regularise requirements for operators to provide appropriate transport, accommodation, and subsistence for inspectors visiting offshore wind installations, ensuring consistency with requirements already applied to other offshore installations

These legislative changes will provide clarity and certainty for dutyholders, and align with the approach operators have indicated they consider suitable to manage CCUS and hydrogen operations appropriately and the certainty will enable wider growth of both emerging sectors.

Impact Narrative

Clear, modernised legal requirements will give industry greater confidence, support safe innovation, and help accelerate the development of CCUS and hydrogen technologies. By making regulatory frameworks more aligned, predictable, and fit for purpose, HSE will reduce uncertainty for investors and operators, support the safe delivery of major new infrastructure, and help drive sustainable growth in emerging low carbon industries.

Growth Goal Four

Enabling Net Zero industries – Fusion.

Outcome Goal

HSE will implement the proportionate regulatory approach for fusion under the Health and Safety at Work Act framework including measures to improve stakeholder understanding of regulatory processes.

Fusion energy is a key subsector of the Government’s Industrial Strategy, with the UK setting global precedent for proportionate fusion regulation when confirming that HSE, rather than the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), would be the regulator.

HSE will help facilitate growth in this emerging sector by providing certainty to dutyholders on the health and safety requirements, thus improving industry and investor confidence in the UK and reducing a barrier to deployment of capital.

Key results

During 2026 to 2027 HSE will:

• finalise options on an internal approach to fusion regulation, building on its radiological protection regulations, learning from other industries and sectors, and broader engagement
• support Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in their goal of publishing a regulatory roadmap by Summer 2026 to provide industry clarity on, alongside other regulators, HSE vires and regulation.
• by Summer 2026, working with the Environment Agency, publish a formalised initial engagement process. This will facilitate developers engaging with relevant regulators, helping to ensure regulatory certainty and mutual understanding, and therefore derisking the regulatory process. HSE will also collaborate with the Environment Agency on multi-dutyholder engagement events to support the wider fusion industry in its health and safety considerations
• facilitate harmonisation of fusion regulation internationally around a proportionate approach to improve the UK’s fusion export potential and support the highest standards of safety globally. This includes bilateral engagement with key fusion partners where appropriate and multilateral fora such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
• build capacity and capability to be able to deliver these goals and implement the proportionate regulatory framework for fusion under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 including measures to improve stakeholder understanding of the regulatory processes

Impact Narrative

A clear, proportionate regulatory framework for fusion will give investors and developers greater certainty, helping the sector grow safely and confidently as it moves toward Net Zero. By setting out clear engagement routes, clarifying responsibilities, and contributing to international alignment, HSE will help the UK’s fusion industry innovate and attract investment, while maintaining strong protections for workers and the public.

Growth Goal Five

Reducing administrative burdens, including by improving access to key health and safety information:

Outcome goal

Deliver a programme of digital improvements that reduce burdens on business and support proportionate, risk-based compliance.

Alongside its commitment to reduce the overall costs of work-related ill-health to society, HSE is supporting the delivery of the Prime Minister’s whole of government target to reduce the administrative costs of regulation by 25% by the end of the Parliament. Since January 2026, HSE has worked closely with the Department for Business and Trade to identify opportunities to reduce administrative burdens while ensuring high standards are maintained.

HSE regulates across a diverse range of disciplines and workplaces, from standard construction sites to complex chemical plants requiring formal approval processes. Its website reflects this breadth and receives over 20 million tracked page views each year. It remains HSE’s primary communication channel for delivering user-focused, free advice and guidance on health and safety law to help prevent workplace death, injury and ill health.

Digital improvement programme

HSE will undertake a vast programme of work to improve and streamline its website.

Work to date has included:

• creating more user-centric webpage guidance on health and safety topics
• removing and archiving out-of-date content and guidance to declutter and focus businesses on the most useful information
• implementing a more accessible, modern design for our webpages making them easier to navigate

Evaluation of these early improvements shows that users are more engaged with HSE guidance, report higher usefulness ratings, and are able to find information more quickly and easily. This is saving business users time and, potentially, the cost of external advice, enabling them to better manage health and safety themselves.

Key results for 2026 to 2027

During 2026 to 2027, HSE will:

• continue to reduce the overall volume of content and guidance on our website, focusing business on the guidance they need and reducing the time spent searching for it, demonstrating business cost savings and improving user-reported usefulness by 5% points against a baseline of 70%
• participate in a Department for Business and Trade pilot scheme to apply an Open Regulation Document Standard (ORDS) on expert HSE regulatory guidance that would help reduce the time it takes for dutyholders to search, find and integrate into their systems of work the most accurate, up to date health and safety guidance

Impact Narrative

Improving access to clear health and safety guidance will make it quicker and easier for businesses to understand their responsibilities, reducing unnecessary administrative effort and enabling more proportionate compliance.

By modernising and simplifying HSE’s digital information, businesses can focus on the actions that genuinely matter instead of spending time or relying on paid external consultancy to find or interpret guidance.

Additional Strategic Measure (not related to Regulation Action Plan)

Outcome goal

Improve workforce health by reducing instances of work-related ill-health, supporting overall economic growth.

The impact of work-related ill-health is felt not only by workers and their families, but also by businesses and the economy. HSE’s latest estimates highlight the size of this challenge:

• in 2023 to 2024, work-related ill health accounted for £16.4 billion, representing 72% of the total £22.9 billion cost of workplace injury and ill health across Great Britain. In the same period, 1.7 million workers experienced work‑related ill health, which resulted in 29.6 million lost working days recorded in 2023 to 2024
• the £16.4 billion figure reflects financial costs (including lost output, earnings, and production disruption), healthcare and rehabilitation spending, administrative and legal processes, and the significant human costs of pain, suffering, reduced quality of life, and loss of life
• preventing new cases of work-related ill-health through improved regulation, better data, targeted inspections and shifts in employer behaviours helps reduce these absence-driven losses. By reducing the risks that can lead to work‑related ill-health, HSE’s prevention activity will support economic growth by reducing the substantial costs and disruptions outlined in the Costs to Britain report (HSE (2025))

Key results

During 2026 to 2027 HSE will be encouraged to take forward a suite of legislative projects to support employers in preventing work‑related ill health and reducing its wider economic impact, including:

• hold a public consultation on proposed changes to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR). The proposed changes aim to; update the list of dangerous occurrences and occupational diseases; clarify definitions; and make improvements to the reporting process. These changes will improve national data and HSE’s ability to target interventions, whilst removing uncertainty businesses may currently be facing and reduce complexities within the existing system
• hold a public consultation on proposed changes to the Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002 blood lead levels. The proposed changes aim to improve the health outcomes for those working with lead whilst being proportionate to the risks and costs to business
• deliver targeted regulatory and non-regulatory changes related to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 that will enhance protections in areas where asbestos remains a significant health risk

HSE will also utilise a targeted blend of interventions on work-related ill health to maximise impact on achieving the overall strategic aim to reduce instances of work-related ill health by 2032. Specifically:

• deliver and evaluate interventions targeting failure to manage risks causing ill health, or to provide assurance that key health risks are being managed, as a subset of HSE’s overall 14,000 planned proactive inspections as published in the 2026 to 2027 business plan. These targeted inspections help ensure that HSE resources deliver the greatest impact where they are needed most
• increase the reach of the Working Minds campaign. In October 2023, HSE launched a new online e-learning tool to communicate the stress management standards in clear language. By December 2025, more than 20,000 had signed up to use the tool, with 26% being from small businesses and 16% being typically hard to reach ‘micro’ businesses. HSE will look to build on this success by further expanding its reach by 10% in 2026 to 2027
• continue its Prevention Programme, by working with key Senior Leaders across industry sectors to develop their collaboration on practical approaches to reducing occupational ill-health in their businesses and industry sector
• further work to understand HSE’s ability to impact mental health and stress and develop an evidence-based approach to work-related stress

The impact of HSE’s activity is best understood as a contributory influence across the multiple sectors regulated by HSE. Change happens over time through increased compliance, better understanding of expectations, and improvements in managing health and safety prompted by inspection activity and ongoing engagement.

Impact narrative

Reducing work-related ill-health will help build a healthier, more productive workforce, lowering costs for society by reducing sickness absence, improving continuity at work, and helping people stay well for longer.

By strengthening regulatory frameworks and expanding targeted interventions, HSE will help employers prevent avoidable illness, ease pressure on public services, and contribute to better economic growth.