Licensing taskforce report and government response

Licensing policy sprint: joint industry and HM government taskforce report

Licensing taskforce report: government response

Details

The industry-led licensing taskforce was set up to review the current licensing system under the Licensing Act 2003. The taskforce concluded on 16 May 2025 and provided government with 10 priority recommendations to consider. The licensing taskforce terms of reference and membership page provides more information on the taskforce, including the purpose and scope.

Government response

The government has accepted the majority of the taskforce's priority recommendations, subject to further consultation, including:

• seeking views on creating a National Licensing Policy Framework to deliver more consistency and transparency across local authorities

• considering a licence ‘amnesty' to modernise and remove outdated conditions from existing licences

• exploring longer licensing terms for pavement areas to give businesses greater certainty

• reviewing temporary event notice limits to provide more flexibility for operators

• strengthening the ‘agent of change' principle in licensing decisions to protect established venues from the impact of nearby developments

• exploring ways to support the creation of hospitality and night-time economy zones