Workplace Lighting Regulations 2026 - Everything You Need to Know
Workplace lighting regulations are becoming increasingly significant for building owners and facility managers as 2026 approaches. Updates to British Standards, greater scrutiny around health and safety, and rising expectations for energy efficiency and sustainability mean lighting can no longer be treated as a secondary building consideration. It plays a direct role in compliance, operational performance, and risk management.
Across the UK, employers and duty holders are legally required to provide lighting that supports safe movement, clear visibility, and effective task performance. Poorly designed or outdated lighting can contribute to accidents, visual fatigue, reduced concentration, and long-term discomfort. These issues not only affect wellbeing and productivity but also increase exposure to enforcement action and liability.
At the same time, evolving guidance around glare control, emergency lighting, smart controls, and product sustainability is prompting many organisations to review existing installations rather than rely on legacy systems. As an established UK lighting consultancy, Connected Light supports building owners and facilities teams by translating complex regulatory requirements into practical, future-ready lighting strategies that remain compliant well beyond 2026.
The legal baseline: “suitable and sufficient lighting” explained
The core legal requirement for workplace lighting in the UK is set out in Regulation 8 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. This regulation states that every workplace must have suitable and sufficient lighting and that, where reasonably practicable, this should be provided by natural light. It also requires suitable emergency lighting wherever people may be exposed to danger if normal lighting fails.
Although the regulation itself is deliberately broad, it places a clear duty on employers, building owners, and those in control of non-domestic premises. Lighting must allow people to work safely, move around without risk, and carry out tasks without undue visual strain. What is considered suitable and sufficient depends on the nature of the work, the environment, and the hazards present.
Further clarity is provided by guidance from the Health and Safety Executive. The HSE’s guidance on lighting and human factors explains how lighting affects safety, performance, and wellbeing in the workplace, highlighting the importance of appropriate light levels, glare control, colour, contrast, and uniformity. Lighting that technically illuminates a space but causes glare, deep shadowing, or discomfort may still fall short of legal expectations. You can read this guidance directly on the Health and Safety Executive website: HSE lighting and human factors guidance.
Importantly, this duty is ongoing rather than a one-off design consideration. Duty holders are expected to maintain lighting systems, review them when work activities change, and reassess adequacy during refurbishments, layout changes, or shifts in building use. This legal baseline underpins all other workplace lighting regulations and standards in the UK, making it the starting point for any compliant lighting strategy.
Task-based lighting and lux levels: what the HSE expects
A fundamental principle of workplace lighting guidance is that different tasks require different levels of illumination. There is no single lux value that applies to every environment. Instead, lighting should be designed around the activities being carried out and the visual demands placed on occupants.
The Health and Safety Executive publication Lighting at Work (HSG38) explains how illuminance levels should be matched to task complexity. For example, a corridor or walkway may only require relatively low light levels to allow safe movement, while office environments typically require higher illuminance to support screen-based tasks. More visually demanding activities, such as reading detailed drawings or working in control rooms, often require significantly higher light levels to maintain accuracy and reduce fatigue.
This task-based approach is reflected in practical guidance used by large institutions. The University of Warwick’s office lighting guidance sets out typical lux levels for different types of office work, including around 300 lux for mainly screen-based tasks and 500 lux for paper-based activities. It also emphasises the importance of glare control, reflections, and the careful use of local task lighting where required.
HSG38 further highlights the value of user control. In spaces where multiple activities take place, relying solely on uniform general lighting can be inefficient and uncomfortable. Providing desk lamps or localised lighting allows individuals to increase light levels where needed without over-lighting the entire area. Evidence referenced by the HSE shows that giving occupants control over their lighting can improve comfort and reduce stress, particularly in open-plan offices.
In modern workplaces, lighting design must also account for screen use, reflections, and layouts that change over time. This is why task-based assessments sit at the heart of effective office lighting design, rather than being treated as a one-off calculation at the point of installation. Applying these principles helps ensure lighting remains compliant, adaptable, and supportive of everyday working conditions.
Glare, screens and visual comfort: understanding UGR requirements
Glare is one of the most common causes of visual discomfort in workplaces, particularly in offices and control rooms where screens are used for long periods. Even where light levels are technically adequate, poorly controlled brightness and reflections can lead to eye strain, headaches, reduced concentration, and increased fatigue.
The Unified Glare Rating, or UGR, is the recognised method for assessing discomfort glare from lighting installations. It considers factors such as luminaire brightness, size, position, and the reflective properties of surrounding surfaces. Lower UGR values indicate lower levels of glare. In office environments, guidance typically expects a UGR value of less than 19, with similar expectations applying to control rooms and other visually sensitive spaces.
Excessive glare is not just a comfort issue. It can interfere with task performance, increase the likelihood of errors, and contribute to longer-term health concerns. Reflections on screens, high contrast between bright and dark areas, and exposed light sources are all common contributors. These issues often become more pronounced as layouts change, screens are added, or lighting systems age.
Effective glare control requires more than selecting low-glare luminaires. Dimming, scene setting, and intelligent control strategies play an important role in adapting lighting to different tasks and times of day. Modern lighting control systems can help balance light levels, reduce unnecessary brightness, and maintain visual comfort without compromising safety or efficiency. This is where integrated approaches, such as those used in smart lighting control systems, support both compliance and occupant wellbeing by allowing lighting to respond dynamically to how spaces are actually used.
CIBSE and BS EN 12464-1: the UK benchmark for lighting design
While legislation sets the legal baseline for workplace lighting, professional guidance defines what good practice looks like in real terms. In the UK, this guidance is led by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers and its Society of Light and Lighting. Their publications provide the framework used by lighting professionals to translate regulatory requirements into effective, practical designs.
BS EN 12464-1 is the key standard for indoor workplace lighting. It sets out recommended illuminance levels, glare limits, colour rendering requirements, and uniformity criteria for a wide range of environments. Rather than prescribing a single solution, it takes a task-based approach that recognises the differing needs of offices, industrial spaces, healthcare settings, and educational buildings.
CIBSE lighting guides, including the SLL Code for Lighting and LG7 for offices, build on this standard by providing detailed design guidance informed by research, technology development, and real-world application. These documents are widely recognised as the benchmark for professional lighting design in the UK.
Connected Light uses CIBSE guidance on every project because it provides a consistent, evidence-based approach to balancing compliance, performance, and occupant comfort. This is particularly important in non-office environments such as warehouses, manufacturing spaces, and production facilities, where visual demands, safety risks, and operating conditions vary significantly. Applying recognised standards across industrial lighting projects helps ensure that lighting schemes go beyond minimum compliance and deliver lighting that is appropriate for the tasks, risks, and long-term use of each space.
Emergency lighting compliance: BS 5266 and fire safety duties
Emergency lighting is a critical life safety system, and its provision is a legal requirement in many non-domestic buildings. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must ensure that safe escape routes are available at all times, including during a failure of the normal lighting supply.
BS 5266 provides the primary UK code of practice for emergency lighting. It works alongside BS EN 1838 to define where emergency lighting is required, the minimum illuminance levels that must be achieved, and how systems should be designed, installed, and maintained. After more than 14 years without major revision, BS 5266 has recently been updated, reinforcing expectations around system performance, testing, and documentation.
Compliance does not end at installation. Building owners and duty holders are responsible for ensuring that emergency lighting systems are tested regularly, maintained in working order, and supported by accurate records. Monthly functional tests and annual full-duration tests are typically required, with any defects addressed promptly. Failure to maintain adequate emergency lighting can compromise safe evacuation and expose organisations to enforcement action.
Verification plays an important role in demonstrating compliance. Lux level measurements and surveys provide objective evidence that emergency lighting meets the required standards and performs as intended. Services such as lux level surveys for emergency lighting compliance support building owners by identifying deficiencies, informing remedial works, and providing documented assurance that life safety obligations are being met.
Energy efficiency and Part L: controls are no longer optional
Energy efficiency is now a core requirement of workplace lighting regulations, particularly under Part L of the Building Regulations, which applies to non-domestic buildings. Part L sets out clear expectations around reducing energy use and carbon emissions, and lighting systems are a key contributor to overall building performance.
For most commercial buildings, compliance now depends not only on the efficiency of luminaires but on how lighting is controlled. Daylight harvesting systems automatically reduce artificial lighting when sufficient natural light is available, while occupancy sensors ensure that lighting is only used when spaces are occupied. These approaches reduce wasted energy, extend equipment life, and help demonstrate compliance with Part L targets.
The route to compliance can vary depending on whether a project is a new build or a retrofit. In new buildings, lighting controls are typically designed as part of a coordinated services strategy from the outset. In existing buildings, upgrading controls has historically been more complex, but advances in wireless and modular technology mean that performance improvements can now be achieved with minimal disruption.
As Part L continues to evolve, lighting controls should be viewed as a standard requirement rather than an optional enhancement. Systems such as intelligent lighting control systems allow building owners to meet regulatory expectations while maintaining flexibility, comfort, and long-term operational efficiency.
How Connected Light supports compliant, future-proof lighting
Meeting workplace lighting regulations is rarely about a single decision or product. It requires an informed, independent approach that considers compliance, performance, and long-term adaptability. Connected Light supports building owners and facilities teams by acting as an independent consultancy, focused on delivering solutions that remain robust as standards and expectations evolve.
This support typically begins with surveys and assessments that establish how existing lighting performs against current requirements. From there, lighting design is developed to reflect the specific tasks, risks, and operational needs of each environment. In office settings, this often involves balancing light levels, glare control, and user comfort through office lighting design. In more demanding environments such as warehouses or manufacturing facilities, safety, visibility, and resilience are key drivers within industrial lighting schemes.
Controls are also central to future-proof compliance. Intelligent systems allow lighting to respond to occupancy, daylight, and changing patterns of use, supporting energy targets while maintaining visual comfort. Integrated approaches using smart lighting control systems also support commissioning, testing, and ongoing optimisation rather than static installations.
Beyond initial delivery, Connected Light works with clients to plan upgrades, maintenance, and future changes. This lifecycle-led approach helps ensure lighting systems remain compliant, auditable, and effective over time, building trust through consistency, transparency, and technical expertise.
Conclusion: planning now avoids risk later
Workplace lighting regulations are becoming more demanding, with greater emphasis on safety, energy efficiency, sustainability, and accountability. For building owners, waiting until issues arise increases risk, cost, and disruption.
Planning ahead allows lighting systems to be assessed, upgraded, and managed in a controlled way, ensuring they remain suitable, efficient, and compliant as standards change. By taking a structured, informed approach now, organisations can reduce risk, support occupant wellbeing, and protect long-term building performance well beyond 2026.
