Void under the market rule: the Budget of 28 October 2026 did not say whether non-compete clauses will be banned or limited, leaving the detailed position to early 2027, the Budget 2026 document on GOV.UK shows.
History. 4 of 6: four lawmakers chose a pay level or time limit, two a full ban.
Hunch. The competition regulator backed a salary level with a time limit as a balanced approach, and employers warn against sweeping change.
The limit market resolves on the Budget documents and any government paper on GOV.UK: YES if the UK limits non-compete clauses with a salary level, a time limit or both, and NO if it bans new ones outright. If no choice is published by the end of 28 October, it is VOID.
We looked for cases where a government, parliament or regulator decided how far to limit non-compete clauses for workers. We found six from 2019 to 2024: the UK, the US Federal Trade Commission, three US states and Washington DC.