Hedge cutting rules across the UK to change within days

NewsUK NewsGardeningThe rules will be different after the end of AugustNeil Shaw Assistant Editor12:41, 24 Aug 2026Hedge trimming rules in the UK are set to change on September 1, and it means you will be able to cut back overgrown bushes at the side of your property. Hedge trimming rules in the UK are designed primarily to protect nesting wild birds and maintain agricultural land standards.‌Every year, from March 1 to August 31, it is a criminal offence to intentionally or recklessly take, damage, or destroy an active wild bird nest while it is being built or in use, under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. For garden hedges, while it is not automatically illegal to cut during these months, if you trim a hedge and accidentally destroy or disturb an active nest, you commit an offence car