Legislation Published December 2025
UK legislation and statutory instruments introduced in December 2025.
Summary
- 8th Dec 25 The Rules amended the Court Funds Rules 2011 to differentiate the management of sterling and foreign currency deposits, updated interest accrual rules, and simplified payment-out procedures under CPR rule 37.3. View
- 8th Dec 25 The regulations enacted specific derogations extending the permissible use dates for halon 1211 in fire extinguishers on designated Defence and Loganair aircraft. View
- 8th Dec 25 The Regulations amended the Police Regulations 2003 by removing consultation requirements for part-time appointments, aligning probation/overtime treatment between part-time and full-time staff, and altering annual leave calculation from 'days' to flexible 'periods'. View
- 5th Dec 25 The Regulations amended the 2023 Regulations to introduce deemed compliance pathways based on the Japan JC-STAR STAR-1 and Singapore Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme for product security and statements of compliance. View
- 5th Dec 25 The Regulations amended the 2020 MDP Conduct, Performance, and Appeals Tribunals Regulations, introducing electronic service of documents, mandatory disciplinary outcomes for misconduct findings, restructuring performance review stages, and updating rules applicable to former officers. View
- 4th Dec 25 The Regulations commenced provisions of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 concerning online publicity for non-Welsh compulsory purchase orders and established transitional rules for ongoing CPO procedures. View
- 4th Dec 25 The Secretary of State for Transport amended the Railway Byelaws to ensure gender neutrality, ban e-cigarette use, clarify vehicle obstruction and parking rules across England, Wales, and Scotland, and replace 'penalty' with 'fine' in enforcement provisions. View
- 3rd Dec 25 The Secretary of State enacted the South East Water Limited (River Ouse and Shell Brook) Drought Order 2025, temporarily modifying licence conditions to manage a serious water supply threat in Sussex due to drought, imposing monitoring requirements, and setting an expiry date of June 2, 2026. View
- 3rd Dec 25 The Regulations brought Section 98 of the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 into force immediately, and set a two-month commencement date for Sections 78, 79, and Schedule 3 relating to eligibility verification. View
- 3rd Dec 25 The Regulations established the citation, commencement on 12th January 2026, and territorial extent for the forthcoming statutory Code of Practice governing Victim Information Requests under the relevant 2022 and 2024 Acts. View
- 3rd Dec 25 * The Secretary of State exercised powers under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 to define 'counselling services' relevant to information requests by law enforcement, establishing commencement and extent provisions. View
- 3rd Dec 25 The Secretary of State made an Order amending the 2015 Development Consent Order for the Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm to allow separate consideration and enforcement of requirements for Project A and Project B. View
- 3rd Dec 25 The Regulations amended the Early Years Foundation Stage (Welfare Requirements) Regulations 2012, the Local Authority (Duty to Secure Early Years Provision Free of Charge) Regulations 2014, the Childcare Providers (Information, Advice and Training) Regulations 2014, and the Childcare (Free of Charge for Working Parents) (England) Regulations 2022 to align them with updated inspection outcome criteria. View
- 2nd Dec 25 The Merchant Shipping (Polar Code) (Safety) Regulations 2025 were enacted, implementing updated IMO requirements for polar navigation, extending compliance to smaller vessels, and amending preceding survey, certification, and fee regulations. View
- 2nd Dec 25 The Regulations amended Part A of Annex 2 to Regulation (EU) 2017/852 by inserting new entries and associated phase-out dates for mercury use in several categories of devices, effective from December 23rd, 2025, across England, Wales, and Scotland. View
- 2nd Dec 25 The Treasury amended sections of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003, specifically increasing statutory monetary thresholds for calculating the taxable cash equivalent of car fuel benefits, van benefits, and van fuel benefits, effective from April 6, 2026. View
- 2nd Dec 25 The Order amended Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 by excluding specific preserved railway byelaws from the definition of relevant land to enable the recovery of unpaid station car parking charges. View
- 2nd Dec 25 The Order amended the 2001 Block Exemption Order to remove its sunset clause, revised definitions for connecting services and vehicle classification, eliminated the definition of "working day," and set a new mandatory review schedule beginning in 2031. View
- 1st Dec 25 The Treasury amended Part 8C of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 to exclude low-rate simple interest from the 45% restitution interest tax charge and adjusted the assessment time limit for chargeable interest. View
- 1st Dec 25 The regulations prescribed new fees for Public Record Office services, revoked the 2018 Regulations, and introduced specific charges for accessing certain military service personnel records. View
- 1st Dec 25 The document renamed the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme to the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service and increased fixed fees and hourly rates for controlled work in housing, debt, and immigration/asylum legal aid, effective December 22, 2025. View
- 1st Dec 25 The Regulations cited and commenced amendments to criminal legal aid general and remuneration frameworks, updating fee rates, extending coverage to specific Parole Board appeals, and modifying payment rules for litigators. View
- 1st Dec 25 The Office for Students amended the 2024 Order to extend the fixed-term authorization for ESCP Europe Business School to award degrees until December 2, 2030. View
These Rules amend the Court Funds Rules 2011 to provide enhanced detail on how the Accountant General manages and invests sterling deposits separately from foreign currency deposits held in court.
Key changes involve specifying when interest accrues daily (for sterling) versus under foreign account terms, outlining investment procedures for foreign currency based on court schedules or directions, and simplifying payment-out procedures under the Civil Procedure Rules.
The Ozone-Depleting Substances (Grant of Halon Derogations) Regulations 2025
The Ozone-Depleting Substances (Grant of Halon Derogations) Regulations 2025, made by the Secretary of State with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers, provide specific derogations from Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 concerning the phase-out date for using halon 1211 in portable fire extinguishers.
The regulations extend permissions for this substance in fire suppression systems for specified Defence aircraft until June 2027 for some models and December 2040 for others, and for Loganair aircraft until December 2026, based on the justification that no technically or economically feasible alternatives currently exist for these critical aviation applications.
These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the Police Act 1996, amend the Police Regulations 2003 concerning part-time appointments and annual leave for police officers in England and Wales.
Specifically, the changes remove the obligation for chief officers to consult local representatives when appointing part-time officers, ensure equal treatment for part-time officers regarding probation and overtime, and allow annual leave to be taken in flexible 'periods' rather than fixed 'days' or 'half days'.
The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (Security Requirements for Relevant Connectable Products) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025
These Regulations amend the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (Security Requirements for Relevant Connectable Products) Regulations 2023 by introducing provisions that allow manufacturers of relevant connectable products to be treated as complying with UK product security requirements and the obligation to provide a statement of compliance if they meet specific criteria linked to existing cybersecurity labelling schemes from Japan (JC-STAR STAR-1) and Singapore.
The Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct, Performance and Appeals Tribunals) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These 2025 Regulations amend the existing Ministry of Defence Police (Conduct, Performance and Appeals Tribunals) Regulations 2020 to align the disciplinary and performance procedures for Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) officers and former officers with recent changes made to the equivalent procedures for territorial police forces in England and Wales.
Key amendments include clarifying that convictions for indictable-only offences constitute gross misconduct, mandating disciplinary action for misconduct findings, updating rules for serving notices electronically, simplifying the performance review system by removing the third stage, and introducing new procedural requirements for former officers regarding accelerated misconduct hearings.
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (Commencement No. 8 and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, made under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, commence specific provisions primarily related to compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) under the Acquisition of Land Act 1981.
The commencement applies to CPOs subject to confirmation by an authority other than the Welsh Ministers, or those prepared in draft by a Minister other than the Welsh Ministers.
Key changes involve bringing into force requirements for online publicity for CPOs and amending procedural rules within the 1981 Act.
A transitional provision clarifies that these amendments do not apply where necessary statutory public notices were published before the commencement date, ensuring ongoing processes are not legally disrupted.
The Railway Byelaws Amendment Order 2025
The Secretary of State for Transport enacted this Order to amend the standing Railway Byelaws originally made in 2005.
The primary changes involve modernizing the language across multiple byelaws by replacing gendered pronouns with neutral alternatives, and specifically prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes on railway property where smoking is banned.
Furthermore, the Order revises provisions related to vehicle control, obstructions, and parking by separating the rules for England and Wales (introducing new Byelaw 14A) from those for Scotland (Byelaw 14B), while also substituting the term "penalty" with "fine" for clarity regarding criminal enforcement.
The South East Water Limited (River Ouse and Shell Brook) Drought Order 2025
The Secretary of State issued the South East Water Limited (River Ouse and Shell Brook) Drought Order 2025, effective from December 3, 2025, until June 2, 2026, to address a threatened serious water supply deficiency in the Sussex region caused by an exceptional shortage of rain.
This Order temporarily modifies South East Water Limited's existing abstraction licence (No. 21/128) by reducing required compensation release volumes to the Shell Brook, altering the natural flow conditions under which water can be abstracted from the River Ouse at Barcombe, and enabling abstraction at Ardingly during the Order's duration.
The Order mandates adherence to an environmental monitoring plan and specific mitigation measures detailed in a supporting Environmental Assessment Report.
The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025
These Regulations enact the first commencement provisions for the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025, bringing Section 98 into force immediately to grant designated officers of the Secretary of State rights of audience for debt recovery proceedings, and scheduling the delayed commencement of key provisions related to eligibility verification (Sections 78, 79, and Schedule 3) for two months after the Act's passing, which establishes powers to compel financial institutions to supply data to verify benefit entitlement.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (Victim Information Requests: Code of Practice) Regulations 2025
These Regulations officially bring into force on January 12th, 2026, the 'Victim Information Requests: Code of Practice,' which provides guidance for authorized persons on their statutory duties for requesting relevant victim information during crime investigations, as established by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and amended by the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, extending the framework to England and Wales generally, and incorporating service police matters across the UK.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (Counselling Services) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, enacted by the Secretary of State under powers granted by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, formally define what constitutes a 'counselling service' for the purposes of restricting when authorised persons, including police bodies, can request confidential information related to those services, specifying that these services offer psychological or emotional support to improve a service user's mental health, and setting a commencement date of January 12, 2026, primarily for England and Wales.
The Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm (Amendment) Order 2025
This Order amends the Dogger Bank Creyke Beck Offshore Wind Farm Order 2015, granted under the Planning Act 2008, following an application for a non-material change.
The Secretary of State has made this amendment to allow the two constituent parts of the project, referred to as Project A and Project B, to be treated separately for the purpose of discharging and enforcing various conditions, particularly concerning abandonment, decay, removal, noise limits, and specific requirements placed on the distinct components of the offshore and onshore works.
The Childcare (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Inspection Outcomes) (England) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, enacted by the Secretary of State using powers under the Childcare Acts 2006 and 2016, amend four existing statutory instruments governing early years childcare in England, effective from January 1st, 2026.
The primary purpose is to update various regulations—including those concerning welfare requirements, local authorities' duty to secure free childcare, and requirements for information, advice, and training—to reflect recent changes in inspection grades implemented by Ofsted and to incorporate inspection outcomes from independent inspectorates approved under the Education and Skills Act 2008.
The changes specify which inspection grades trigger requirements for intervention, continuous improvement, or withdrawal of public funding obligations for early years providers.
These Regulations, titled the Merchant Shipping (Polar Code) (Safety) Regulations 2025, update UK domestic law to incorporate the latest amendments from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolutions MSC.532(107) and MSC.538(107) concerning ships operating in polar waters, effectively replacing the 2021 Regulations.
The new rules come into force on 1st January 2026 and apply to United Kingdom ships and specific non-UK ships operating in Arctic and Antarctic waters, extending mandatory safety requirements, including detailed structural, navigational, and training provisions from the Polar Code, to additional categories of ships such as smaller cargo ships, fishing vessels, and pleasure vessels, while also amending several existing pieces of maritime legislation relating to surveys, certification, and training fees.
The Control of Mercury (Amendment) Regulations 2025
The Secretary of State made The Control of Mercury (Amendment) Regulations 2025, obtaining consent from the Welsh and Scottish Ministers, to amend Part A of Annex 2 of Regulation (EU) 2017/852 on mercury.
These Regulations, which extend to England, Wales, and Scotland, introduce specific amendments to phase-out dates for mercury content in various products, including certain lighting types, sensing devices, and electronic components, aligning UK law with recent decisions made by the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
The Treasury enacted this Order using powers under the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 to amend specific cash equivalent figures relating to the taxation of employee benefits for company cars and vans.
The Order increases the benchmark monetary amounts used to calculate the taxable benefit for car fuel, the cash equivalent of a van benefit, and the cash equivalent for van fuel.
These changes are effective from the 2026-27 tax year and subsequent tax years, affecting how private use of company vehicles is taxed as earnings.
The Secretary of State for Transport has made this Order using powers under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 to amend the definition of 'relevant land' within Schedule 4 of that Act, specifically to ensure that land subject to preserved railway byelaws made under the Transport Act 2000 is included, thereby facilitating the recovery of unpaid car parking charges from keepers or hirers of vehicles parked in station car parks.
This Order, enacted in exercise of powers under the Competition Act 1998, amends the Competition Act 1998 (Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption) Order 2001 following a recommendation from the Competition and Markets Authority.
The key changes involve removing the fixed expiration date for the exemption, thereby making it permanent unless reviewed, adjusting definitions related to connecting services—specifically regarding trunk bus services—and removing the definition of a "working day" to align with the main Act.
The document confirms the amendments extend across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and sets a new mandatory review date of 1st January 2031.
These Regulations, enacted by HM Treasury, amend Part 8C of the Corporation Tax Act 2010, which imposes a 45% corporation tax rate on restitution interest paid by HMRC. The amendments primarily serve to exclude simple interest awarded at a rate equivalent to or lower than a statutory rate from this special tax charge and modify the time limit for assessing this tax, allowing assessments to be made later if payments are accounted for before a final determination has been reached.
The Public Record Office (Fees) Regulations 2025
The Public Record Office (Fees) Regulations 2025 set out the new fees chargeable by the Keeper of Public Records for providing authenticated copies, extracts, and other services related to records held at The National Archives, effective from February 2nd, 2026.
These regulations supersede the 2018 Regulations, increasing many existing fees and introducing specific new charges related to accessing 'key military service personnel documents' transferred from the Ministry of Defence, while also granting the Keeper powers to remit fees in certain circumstances, such as when no relevant records are found.
The Civil Legal Aid (Procedure and Remuneration) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
These Regulations, enacted by the Lord Chancellor, modify existing civil legal aid frameworks by updating procedural terminology and substantially amending remuneration rates for providers.
Specifically, they rename the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme to the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service within the Procedure Regulations and introduce significant uplifts to standard fees, escape fee thresholds, and hourly rates for work across housing, debt, and immigration/asylum categories under the Remuneration Regulations.
The amendments take effect on 22nd December 2025 and apply across England and Wales, with a saving provision protecting remuneration for work initiated under the old system before the commencement date.
These Regulations, enacted by the Lord Chancellor under powers granted by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, amend the existing Criminal Legal Aid (General) Regulations 2013 and (Remuneration) Regulations 2013 for England and Wales.
The primary actions involve updating remuneration rates for various criminal legal aid services, including those in the Court of Appeal, police stations, magistrates' courts, and youth courts, effective from December 22nd and December 31st, 2025.
Furthermore, they formally extend criminal legal aid status to specific High Court proceedings related to Parole Board release decisions, modify rules regarding interim payments, and introduce provisions allowing appropriate officers to adjust fees above or below prescribed rates based on case complexity and performance.
This Order, made by the Office for Students under powers granted by the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, formally amends the Power to Award Degrees etc. (ESCP Europe Business School) Order 2024 by substituting Article 3 to extend the fixed term authorization for ESCP Europe Business School to award degrees.
Specifically, the Order changes the expiry date of this authorization for ESCP Europe Business School (UKPRN: 10002313) from December 2, 2027, to December 2, 2030.