Legislation.gov.uk
Legislation.gov.uk: A free UK legislation database for statute and regulation research, not case-law or docket work. Ranked #26 of 32 in Legal Research Software by our editors (6.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for free UK legislation lookup.
At a glance
- Editor score6.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forFree UK legislation lookup
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Statute & regulation searchYes
- Facts checked24 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free access to UK primary and secondary legislation
- Revised primary legislation shows subsequent amendments
- Search by title, year, number, type, and UK jurisdiction
Where it doesn't
- Does not provide verified case-law research
- Does not provide docket research
- Much secondary legislation is provided as originally made
Our verdict on Legislation.gov.uk
Legislation.gov.uk is the UK’s official online legislation database and publication website, provided by The National Archives. It is designed for users who need public access to UK domestic legislation, including Acts, statutory instruments, Scottish and Welsh legislation, and Northern Ireland legislation. Searches can be made by title or title keywords, then filtered by year, number, and legislation type. Jurisdiction coverage includes England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, making it a focused reference point for statute and regulation research across the UK.
The service is free and available on the web, with no paid tiers to compare. Its coverage includes UK primary legislation and secondary legislation, including statutory instruments. Primary legislation is generally available in revised form, showing subsequent changes. Users can also view explanatory notes for many Public Acts, amendment information, related legislation, and associated documents. This combination makes the service useful when the task is to locate legislation, follow amendments, or understand how related materials connect to an Act or instrument.
Its scope is deliberately narrower than a full legal research platform. Legislation.gov.uk does not provide verified case-law research or docket research, so it is not the right choice for matters centered on judgments, court proceedings, or litigation records. Much secondary legislation is provided as originally made, which is an important distinction when researching later changes. Choose it for free, direct access to UK legislation and related materials; choose an alternative when case law or docket information is central to the work.
Your product? Our editors can test Legislation.gov.uk in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Legislation.gov.uk pricing
Legislation.gov.uk fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Case law search | No |
| Statute & regulation search | Yes |
| Docket search | No |
| Legal commentary | No |
| Citation tools | No |
| Jurisdiction coverage | United Kingdom; Scotland; Wales; Northern Ireland; EU-origin legislation applicable to the UK at 31 December 2020 |
| Research alerts | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | legislation.gov.uk |
| Facts checked | 24 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Legislation.gov.uk
- WestlawA broad core research platform for legal professionals handling complex U.S. matters.9.4
- Lexis+A broad U.S. legal research workspace combining authorities, guidance, citation analysis and alerts.9.2
- CanLIIA free web-based research library focused on Canadian legal materials.9.1
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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