The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) is a new public body. We were legally created in November 2021, under the Environment Act 2021.
Our mission is to protect and improve the environment by holding government and other public authorities to account.
The organisations and individuals we can hold to account include:
- government departments
- government ministers
- regulators
- local authorities
- some private bodies, such as water companies – but only in respect of their public powers and duties
Our work covers England and Northern Ireland. We also cover reserved matters across the UK (a matter on which only the UK Parliament in Westminster can make legislation).