The regulations amended the definition of a 'major local audit' by raising the financial threshold to £875 million for financial years beginning after April 1st, 2025.

The Local Audit (Major Local Audit) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective August 17, 2025, amend the 2014 Local Audit Regulations.

The key change increases the financial threshold for designating a local authority audit as 'major'.

For financial years starting after April 1st, 2025, this threshold rises to £875 million (from £500 million).

This adjustment applies to England and Wales only, impacting local governance and financial accountability.

The 2025 regulations amended eligibility criteria for housing and homelessness assistance in the UK, prioritizing British nationals returning from government-advised evacuations.

These regulations amend existing UK legislation to ensure that British nationals returning from government-advised evacuations are eligible for housing and homelessness assistance in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

The amendments waive the habitual residence test for a six-month period following evacuation, allowing immediate access to housing for those who meet specific criteria defined by the regulations.

These criteria include possessing leave to enter or remain in the UK, not being subject to a 'no recourse to public funds' condition, and not being sponsored under certain visa schemes

Designated specific rural areas and regions in England under the Housing Act 1985's right-to-buy provisions, enabling the imposition of covenants or right of first refusal.

This Order, effective August 2nd, 2025, designates specific parishes in Colchester and East Hampshire as rural areas under the Housing Act 1985's right-to-buy scheme.

It also designates Colchester and East Hampshire as regions for the scheme's application in those parishes.

The order enables the imposition of covenants or rights of first refusal on sold properties to potentially preserve affordable housing.

An impact assessment was deemed unnecessary due to a lack of anticipated significant effects on public or private sectors.

The 2025 regulations established requirements for person-centred fire risk assessments, residential evacuation plans, and building-level emergency evacuation plans for high-rise residential buildings in England, involving information sharing with fire services and adherence to data protection legislation.

These regulations mandate personal and building emergency evacuation plans for high-rise residential buildings in England.

They require responsible persons to identify residents with disabilities affecting evacuation, conduct person-centred fire risk assessments, implement mitigating measures, and create evacuation plans, also sharing information with local fire and rescue authorities.

The regulations include provisions for regular reviews and emphasize data protection compliance.

The 2025 regulations amended the 2011 and 2012 regulations concerning local authority referendums and mayoral elections in England, adjusting the timelines for referendums and subsequent mayoral elections.

These regulations amend existing legislation governing local authority referendums and mayoral elections in England.

The key changes postpone referendums and subsequent mayoral elections, if the petition or resolution falls between July 16, 2025, and the day before the 2026 ordinary election, until after the 2026 election, ensuring better alignment with regular election cycles.

This aims to enhance efficiency, reduce conflict, and possibly increase voter turnout.

The 2025 regulations prevented English local housing authorities from using local connection criteria when allocating housing to victims of domestic abuse and care leavers.

These regulations, effective July 10, 2025, prohibit English local housing authorities from using local connection criteria when allocating housing to victims of domestic abuse and care leavers.

The regulations define 'domestic abuse' according to the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and specify 'eligible', 'relevant', and 'former relevant children' by referencing the Children Act 1989.

The aim is to improve housing access for these vulnerable groups.

The regulations modified the financial reporting requirements for four specified combined county authorities in England and Wales for the financial years beginning April 1, 2024, and April 1, 2025.

These regulations, effective June 26, 2025, amend the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.

They modify the financial reporting requirements for four specific combined county authorities in England and Wales: Devon and Torbay, Greater Lincolnshire, Hull and East Yorkshire, and Lancashire. The changes disapply the requirement to prepare accounts for the financial year beginning April 1, 2024, and adjust the reporting period for the financial year beginning April 1, 2025, to start on February 5, 2025, aligning with the authorities' establishment date.

The changes are made under the authority of section 3(5)(b) of the 2014 Act.

The 2025 order amended the 2015 Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order, modifying permitted development rights related to electric vehicle charging and air source heat pumps.

This order amends the 2015 Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order for England.

Key changes include relaxing restrictions on installing electric vehicle charging points and air source heat pumps, streamlining planning processes for these developments.

Specific alterations involve removing certain limitations on the size, location, and number of permitted installations.

A transitional provision allows continued development under previous regulations for a limited time.