Check if you need to tell the government about an acquisition that could harm the UK’s national security
Investors and businesses may be legally required to tell the government about certain sensitive acquisitions under the National Security and Investment Act.
“The government can scrutinise and intervene in certain acquisitions that could harm the UK’s national security. They can impose certain conditions on an acquisition and in rare cases may unwind or block an acquisition completely.
The rules apply to acquisitions that are in progress or contemplation. Acquisitions completed before 12 November 2020 are exempt.
If you are planning an acquisition of a qualifying entity in one of 17 defined sensitive areas of the UK economy, you may need to get approval from the government before you can complete it. This is called a notifiable acquisition. Completing a notifiable acquisition without approval will mean the acquisition is void and may mean that the acquirer is subject to civil or criminal penalties.
When you will be legally required to tell the government about your acquisition (mandatory notification)
- Advanced Materials
- Advanced Robotics
- Artificial Intelligence
- Civil Nuclear
- Communications
- Computing Hardware
- Critical Suppliers to Government
- Cryptographic Authentication
- Data Infrastructure
- Defence
- Energy
- Military and Dual-Use
- Quantum Technologies
- Satellite and Space Technologies
- Suppliers to the Emergency Services
- Synthetic Biology
- Transport
Your acquisition is a ‘notifiable acquisition’ if it meets the following criteria:
- You are acquiring a qualifying entity that carries out certain activities in the UK within one of 17 sensitive areas of the economy.
- And any of the following apply:
i) Your shareholding stake or voting rights increase:
- from 25% or less to more than 25%
- from 50% or less to more than 50%
- from less than 75% to 75% or more
ii) Your acquisition is of voting rights and this will enable you to secure or prevent the passage of any class of resolution governing the affairs of the entity.”
*The above text has been transcribed from the GOV.UK website on 11th October 2025. Please check the GOV.UK website for the latest information.