UK Sanctions Move to Single List UKSL Compliance Update

The UK Government has announced a major change to the way sanctions designations will be published. From 28 January 2026, the UK Sanctions List (UKSL) will become the single, authoritative source of sanctions information.

Currently, firms rely on two separate lists:

• The UK Sanctions List (UKSL), issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); and
• The OFSI Consolidated List of Asset Freeze Targets, maintained by HM Treasury.

This split has led to duplication, inefficiencies, and a higher risk of screening errors. To address these concerns, all sanctions information will be consolidated under the UKSL. This step is aimed at streamlining the process and supporting more effective compliance.

All systems currently using the OFSI Consolidated List must transition to the UKSL for sanctions screening. The OFSI Group ID will be phased out for new designated persons (DPs), and only the UKSL Unique ID will be used going forward.

To support this transition, the UKSL will maintain its current formats (ODS, ODT, HTML, XML) and add new CSV, PDF, and TXT formats. Its search function will also be improved with fuzzy logic, so it is simpler to search and screen sanctions information.

The UKSL, in operation since 2020 under SAMLA 2018, includes all forms of sanctions, namely financial, trade, immigration, and transport, whereas the OFSI List lists individuals subject to financial sanctions. This consolidation marks a major compliance milestone for UK sanctions.

Existing OFSI Group IDs will remain active for previously designated persons. This applies particularly to license applications, frozen asset management, and suspected breach reporting. Businesses can also use UKSL Unique IDs for these cases.

Firms that screen against the UK Sanctions List must update their systems to reflect the new structure. The list should be integrated into third-party tools to improve accuracy and reduce false alerts due to duplication. OFSI Group IDs must be replaced with UKSL Unique IDs across internal processes and reporting.