UK Internal Market
Source: gov.uk (2025-07-18)

Information about the UK Internal Market.

The UK Internal Market refers to the long-standing trading relationships that exist between all parts of the UK in respect of labour, capital, goods, and services.

The UK Internal Market Act 2020 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/27/contents) works in the interests of businesses, workers and consumers. It protects jobs and livelihoods across the UK by providing practical support for the free flow of goods and services that benefits all people and businesses, and every region of the 4 nations of the UK. It supports the government’s mission to drive economic growth. A successful internal market within the UK is vital for bringing growth and shared prosperity to all parts of the UK.

The Act establishes that businesses only need comply with one set of regulations in one UK nation to be able to trade freely across the UK.

The Act’s recognition of professional qualifications provisions ensures that qualified individuals practicing in one part of the UK will have their qualifications automatically recognised in other parts of the UK.

On 23 January 2025, the government launched a review of the UK Internal Market Act and published a consultation document inviting views on the Act’s operation. The consultation is now closed and the government has published the outcome on the UK Internal Market Act 2020: review and consultation webpage (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-internal-market-act-2020-review-and-consultation).

The Introduction to the UK Internal Market Act (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/complying-with-the-uk-internal-market-act-2020/an-introduction-to-the-uk-internal-market-act) provides information for businesses on the Act. The compliance guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/complying-with-the-uk-internal-market-act-2020) provides information for traders, enforcement authorities, regulators and regulatory bodies on how to comply with the Act. This includes those regulatory areas that are excluded from the provisions of the UK Internal Market Act, such as legal services.

The Act also established the Office for the Internal Market (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-for-the-internal-market) within the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to provide a set of independent advisory, monitoring and reporting functions to support the development and effective operation of the UK Internal Market.

Use the Report UK Internal Market Issue online service (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-a-uk-internal-market-issue) if you wish to report an issue you experienced when:

buying or selling goods between different parts of the UK

providing a service in different parts of the UK

practicing a profession in different parts of the UK

Section 46 of the Act places a duty on appropriate authorities to have special regard to the need to maintain Northern Ireland’s integral place in the UK’s internal market, to respect its place in the UK’s customs territory, and to facilitate the free flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. You can read the guidance for appropriate authorities on complying with section 46 of the Act (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/northern-irelands-place-in-the-uk-internal-market-and-customs-territory).

Secondary legislation to the UK Internal Market Act

In February 2024, The Windsor Framework (UK Internal Market and Unfettered Access) Regulations 2024 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2024/9780348257069) came into force. This guarantees Northern Ireland’s unrestricted access for businesses to the rest of the UK internal market.

In November 2023, The United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 (Services Exclusions) Regulations 2023 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/1263/contents/made) came into force. This added to, amended and removed services that are excluded in Schedule 2 of the UKIM Act from the market access principles in Part 2 of the UKIM Act.

In August 2022, The United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 (Exclusions from Market Access Principles: Single-Use Plastics) Regulations 2022 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/857/contents/made) came into force. This added an exclusion in Schedule 1 of the UKIM Act from the market access principles in Part 1 of the UKIM Act for legislation, so far as it prohibits the sale of certain single-use plastic items.