The UK has moved to a single UK Sanctions List – is your business ready

UK moves to single sanctions list to simplify checks

Alongside the issuing of new guidance for reporting trade sanction breaches, the UK Sanctions List and Consolidated List of Asset Freeze Targets have been subsumed into a single sanctions list. While streamlining processes for companies, the move also presents a host of compliance considerations.

On 28 January 2026, the UK moved to a single list for all sanctions designations, replacing the two separate lists currently operated – the UK Sanctions List, published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Consolidated List of Asset Freeze Targets, published by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI).

The single list, called the UK Sanctions List, will remove duplication of effort and simplify checks of who is subject to UK sanctions. Following this change, the  OFSI Consolidated List and its search tool will no longer be updated.

How to report a trade sanction breach

In line with its focus on encouraging enforcement, the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) has also published a blog post detailing best practices for those wishing to report breaches of trade sanctions The blog can be read here.

A report to OTSI can be made via GOV.UK, and the report should include contact details, details of the suspected breach, other parties’ details, and any supporting documents. The substance of the report should consider when the activity took place, the parties involved, and what specific goods or services were provided. This is an existing process, and the OTSI blog should assist companies in reporting any breach.

What the publication of a single UK Sanctions List means for businesses

The publication of a single UK Sanctions List will have a direct impact on any internal processes that refer to either of the existing sanctions lists, or that rely on the OSFI search tool.

Steps you can take to ensure your business is compliant

Companies and their compliance teams will need to update their compliance processes to ensure that all checks are made against the UK Sanctions List. They should also make themselves aware of the details required to report a breach to the OTSI, ensuring that the substance of the report contains a clear narrative, details of the rules broken, and how the activity is connected with the UK.