2026 Kings Speech – New UK Cyber Security Laws and Broadband Rights for Leaseholders

The State Opening of Parliament – often referred to as the “King’s Speech” – took place today, which once again saw the new UK Government set out their agenda for the coming session. The speech included mentions of several bills related to telecoms network security and broadband connectivity, which we’ve summarised a bit below.

Generally speaking, there weren’t any big telecoms related surprises in today’s speech, which is partly because the current government has already announced or tabled many of the bills it covered. For example, the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill was mentioned in the prior 2024 speech too and has already been introduced to Parliament (summary), so we don’t need to cover that again today.

In addition, some aspects of cybersecurity will also be covered by the revised National Security Bill (NSB), which among other things aims to create new offences to protect the UK from the proliferation of extreme violence online, amend existing legislation to reform the cyber landscape and close gaps within our state threats legislation, aligning it more closely with terrorism legislation.

The NSB intends to “reform the cyber landscape“, including by updating the Computer Misuse Act 1990. This will provide law enforcement with updated powers and capabilities, so they remain effective in the digital age. This will include the creation of a Cyber Crime Risk Order to place controls on the behaviours of cyber criminals, alongside new powers to search individuals believed to be concealing evidence on behalf of suspects.

“It will also unlock the power of cyber security professionals to better enable them to secure computer systems [and will] seek to tackle the pervasive threat to the UK economy and businesses, posed by ruthless cyber criminals,” said the government.

Finally, in terms of broadband provision, the speech included mention of the new Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill. In case anybody has forgotten, this is the vehicle by which the Government intend to create a new right for leaseholders, such as those living in blocks of flats / apartments (Multi-Dwelling Units), to request a gigabit broadband connection (summary). Freeholders will also face a new duty not to “unreasonably refuse” such requests from tenants.

The draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill was actually published in January 2026, but that didn’t yet include the “necessary ‘fixes’ to the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 and provisions relating to gigabit capable broadband connections,” said the government. The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee are currently undertaking pre-legislative scrutiny on the draft Bill. The Government will consider any recommendations made by the Committee before introducing the Bill.

Andrew Kernahan, Head of Public Affairs, ISPA, said:

“We welcome the introduction of the Government’s new Regulation for Growth Bill and its focus on growth duties for regulators, as mentioned in the King’s Speech. A predictable, pro‑investment regulatory framework is essential if the telecoms industry is to continue delivering future-proof connectivity that benefits all corners of the UK.

We are also pleased to see the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill’s recognition that world‑class digital infrastructure is fundamental to the UK’s long‑term economic success. Giving leaseholders a clear right to request gigabit‑capable broadband is an essential and pragmatic step towards tackling some of the long‑standing barriers to upgrading connectivity in blocks of flats and other multi‑dwelling buildings.

However, this right to request cannot be the whole answer. To unlock its full benefits, it should sit alongside wider reforms that tackle costly and slow wayleave negotiations, and bring other parties clearly into scope. Fast, resilient connectivity reaps huge benefits for the whole of society from businesses to consumers, and is the foundation of everyday life.

We look forward to working with Government and regulators to ensure both Bills deliver for consumers, support continued investment in gigabit‑capable broadband, and drive the growth the UK needs.”

Joint Statement by techUK and the Digital Connectivity Forum:

“techUK and the Digital Connectivity Forum welcome the Government’s King’s Speech commitment to create a new right for leaseholders in flats to request gigabit-capable broadband connections. The announcement follows the consultation on leasehold flats and gigabit-capable broadband earlier this year.

This is a major step forward and a clear signal that Government recognises the importance of removing the barriers that continue to slow deployment in multi-dwelling buildings for our members. We look forward to working closely with Government and Parliament as the legislation is developed to ensure it fully addresses the remaining barriers to deployment in practice, provides greater certainty for operators and residents, and supports the rapid rollout of gigabit-capable broadband across all types of multi-dwelling buildings.”