Legislation Published March 2025

UK legislation and statutory instruments introduced in March 2025.

Summary

  • 31st Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended Annex 3 of (EC) No 1223/2009 to restrict methyl salicylate in cosmetics, establishing concentration limits by product type and implementing a transitional period. View
  • 31st Mar 25 The 2025 regulations specified territories and taxes as Pillar Two territories and qualifying domestic top-up taxes, implementing the OECD/G20 Pillar Two model rules for multinational tax. View
  • 31st Mar 25 The 2025 rules amended the Gangmasters (Licensing Conditions) Rules 2009, increasing fees for gangmaster licenses and inspections. View
  • 31st Mar 25 The 2025 Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs Regulations amended and modified EU regulations on drivers' hours and tachographs to align with post-Brexit trade agreements, clarified definitions of passenger services, and extended record-keeping periods. View
  • 31st Mar 25 The 2025 Regulations amended the 2015 National Minimum Wage Regulations, raising the national living wage and minimum wage rates for different age groups and adjusting the accommodation offset amount. View
  • 31st Mar 25 The Office for Students authorized Engineering College of Technology Limited to grant taught awards up to the master's level in engineering and technology subjects for a fixed term. View
  • 28th Mar 25 The East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust (Establishment) Order 2000 was amended to update the trust's name, functions, director requirements, and to remove obsolete clauses. View
  • 27th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations modified the 2013 regulations on Universal Credit, PIP, JSA, and ESA claims and payments to prioritize child maintenance deductions, effective from April 30, 2025, to April 30, 2026. View
  • 26th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended multiple existing tax regulations, increasing the interest rate payable to HMRC on outstanding tax liabilities. View
  • 26th Mar 25 The Order exempted Spiorad na Mara Limited from the requirement for an electricity transmission licence for its offshore generating station in Scotland. View
  • 26th Mar 25 The regulations amended various UK laws to reflect changes introduced by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, concerning consumer protection, enforcement, and information disclosure. View
  • 25th Mar 25 The 2025 Regulations amended the 2024 regulations regarding creative industry tax relief by adding definitions, clarifying information requirements, and updating the required information for claims. View
  • 25th Mar 25 The 2025 Immigration (Biometric Information etc.) (Amendment) Regulations amended several existing immigration regulations to expand biometric data requirements to entrants, enable electronic data submission, clarify document issuance, and update data retention periods. View
  • 24th Mar 25 The Flood Reinsurance (Amendment) Regulations 2025 increased the levy to £160 million and amended the 2015 regulations. View
  • 21st Mar 25 These regulations amended the New Heavy Duty Vehicles (Carbon Dioxide Emission Performance Standards) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 and Road Vehicle Carbon Dioxide Emission Performance Standards (Cars, Vans and Heavy Duty Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 2022, correcting errors, updating references, clarifying definitions, and transferring responsibilities from the EU Commission to the UK Secretary of State. View
  • 21st Mar 25 The Merchant Shipping (Light Dues) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amended the definition of light dues, corrected a typographical error, and changed the vessel exemption criteria from length to weight. View
  • 21st Mar 25 The Order authorized grants up to £3,123,614 to the Churches Conservation Trust for church preservation between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, and revoked the 2022 order. View
  • 20th Mar 25 The order established new annual fees for diocesan and provincial registrars, revoked the 2023 order, and clarified payment procedures and additional remuneration. View
  • 20th Mar 25 The Online Safety (CSEA Content Reporting by Regulated User-to-User Service Providers) Regulations 2025 established mandatory reporting procedures for CSEA content to the NCA, including registration requirements for providers and detailed specifications for report content, formatting, and data retention. View
  • 20th Mar 25 The Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No. 5) Regulations 2025 brought into force provisions regarding mandatory reporting of child sexual exploitation and abuse content to the NCA, along with related offenses and transparency reporting requirements, effective November 3rd, 2025. View
  • 20th Mar 25 The Street Works (Charges for Occupation of the Highway) (East Sussex County Council) Order 2025 was enacted, approving East Sussex County Council's lane rental scheme for charging street works that occupy the highway. View
  • 19th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2018 Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations and the 2022 Passport (Fees) Regulations, increasing several fees and removing obsolete entries related to overseas qualification assessments. View
  • 19th Mar 25 The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 was amended to allow the Disclosure and Barring Service to share information with additional police forces and authorities. View
  • 19th Mar 25 The 2025 Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings Order indexed annual chargeable amounts based on the September 2024 Consumer Price Index increase. View
  • 17th Mar 25 The regulations amended the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999, clarified procedures for large vehicle off-road manoeuvres tests, corrected several drafting errors, and mandated a periodic review of cancellation notice periods for practical driving tests. View
  • 17th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations updated social security benefit and pension rates, amended related regulations, and revoked the preceding year's up-rating regulations. View
  • 17th Mar 25 The order amended several court and tribunal fees, removing some, adding others, and adjusting existing fees to reflect cost reductions and inflation. View
  • 17th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2008 Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments Regulations, increasing payment amounts by 1.7% for those diagnosed with diffuse mesothelioma on or after April 1, 2025, or their dependants. View
  • 17th Mar 25 The regulations amended the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers’ Compensation) (Payment of Claims) Regulations 1988, increasing several lump sum payments. View
  • 17th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2012 Town and Country Planning fees for applications, deemed applications, requests, and site visits in England, increasing several fees and introducing a new fee structure for section 73 applications. View
  • 14th Mar 25 The Social Security Contributions (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999 were amended to include statutory neonatal care pay in decisions and appeals relating to social security contributions. View
  • 14th Mar 25 The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2025 increased limits on various employment tribunal awards and payments, reflecting inflation. View
  • 14th Mar 25 The regulations established commencement dates for sections of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, amended earlier regulations, and updated references to commencement dates in other legislation. View
  • 14th Mar 25 The order increased the annual rate and lump sums of several types of UK public service pensions effective April 7, 2025, with adjustments made for guaranteed minimum pensions. View
  • 14th Mar 25 The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Order 2025 authorized the operation and maintenance of a heritage railway, including a level crossing, and established procedures for its potential transfer. View
  • 13th Mar 25 The Double Taxation Relief and International Tax Enforcement (Belarus) Order 2018 was revoked, impacting income tax, capital gains tax, and corporation tax from April 1st, 2025. View
  • 13th Mar 25 The 2025 Order amended the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation Scheme, increasing certain payments and adding a new injury descriptor. View
  • 13th Mar 25 These regulations updated Guardian's Allowance rates, clarified exceptions to these updates, and specified the application of existing legislation for those not ordinarily resident in the UK. View
  • 13th Mar 25 The 2025 Order amended the 1983 Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme by updating the rates of pensions and allowances for disablement and death. View
  • 13th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended existing statutory maternity pay regulations to increase the additional payment to small employers from 3.0% to 8.5% of statutory maternity pay. View
  • 13th Mar 25 The Order appointed several individuals as His Majesty's Inspectors of Education, Children's Services, and Skills. View
  • 13th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2013 Non-Domestic Rating (Levy and Safety Net) Regulations, adjusting retained rates income calculations for 2025 and correcting an error affecting North Northamptonshire. View
  • 13th Mar 25 The regulations amended existing legislation concerning persistent organic pollutants, updating concentration limits and exemptions, and adding several new substances to relevant annexes. View
  • 12th Mar 25 The Order established March 26, 2025, as the end date for the access preparation period for the coastal margin land between Humber Bridge and Easington. View
  • 12th Mar 25 The Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) (Amendment) Order 2025 amended the Immigration (Passenger Transit Visa) Order 2014 to include Trinidad and Tobago in the list of countries whose citizens require a transit visa to pass through the UK. View
  • 12th Mar 25 The Statutory Neonatal Care Pay (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2025 amended several existing regulations to include statutory neonatal care pay. View
  • 12th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2018 Help-to-Save Accounts Regulations by adjusting eligibility criteria for Universal Credit claimants and removing a reference to the national living wage. View
  • 12th Mar 25 The Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2025 were enacted, amending the 2001 regulations to exclude qualifying tax redress payments from National Insurance contribution calculations for certain pension scheme members. View
  • 12th Mar 25 The regulations amended the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001 to clarify Real Time Information (RTI) reporting requirements for employers regarding employee earnings relative to the secondary threshold. View
  • 12th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2003 PAYE Regulations by defining a 'secondary threshold' and modifying calculations for first relevant payments. View
  • 12th Mar 25 The Order amended the Shropshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2025, renaming an electoral division to reflect updated parish boundaries. View
  • 11th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended several National Health Service pension schemes to correct errors, update tax provisions, add neonatal care leave, and improve calculation accuracy, with some changes taking effect retrospectively. View
  • 11th Mar 25 The regulations amended the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001 by increasing the Class 2 National Insurance contribution for share fishermen to £4.15. View
  • 11th Mar 25 A pilot program for Part 3 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 was implemented in specified areas of England and Wales between March 11th and November 26th, 2025. View
  • 11th Mar 25 The Persistent Organic Pollutants (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 amended the permitted uses of Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 in line with EU regulations. View
  • 11th Mar 25 The Order established a control period for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, enabling the use of specific powers under the Football Spectators Act 1989 to manage spectator conduct. View
  • 11th Mar 25 The Certification of Fuels and Fireplaces (Charges) (England) Regulations 2025 were enacted, setting charges for wood fuel, manufactured solid fuel, and fireplace certifications to fund the associated compliance and auditing processes. View
  • 10th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2013 Recovery of Costs regulations by increasing the daily cost amounts for detaining children on remand in various youth detention accommodations in England and Wales. View
  • 10th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2005 regulations to increase charges for NHS dental treatments across different treatment bands in England. View
  • 10th Mar 25 The regulations established a framework for handling complaints and misconduct against Food Standards Agency food crime officers, including procedures for investigation, referral, reporting, and payment. View
  • 10th Mar 25 The regulations extended police powers related to investigation and prosecution of food crime to food crime officers in England and Wales. View
  • 10th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended several Teachers’ Pension Schemes, updating legislation references, changing contribution rates and payment dates, and clarifying definitions. View
  • 10th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations revoked previous light dues regulations and established a new system for calculating and collecting light dues from various vessels in UK waters. View
  • 10th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended fees payable to the HSE under UK REACH, adjusting for inflation and costs, and specifying changes to various annexes of the regulation. View
  • 10th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2024 Seafarers’ Wages Regulations by changing declaration deadlines and increasing the national minimum wage equivalent for seafarers. View
  • 7th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2010 Health Protection (Notification) Regulations to expand the list of notifiable diseases and causative agents, improving infectious disease surveillance and control in England. View
  • 7th Mar 25 The Secretary of State approved the CMA's consumer enforcement rules under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, establishing procedures for investigations and enforcement actions. View
  • 7th Mar 25 The Child Benefit and Guardian's Allowance rates were increased for the 2025-26 tax year, effective April 7, 2025. View
  • 7th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2015 fees and inspection frequency regulations, lowered fee thresholds for certain children's services providers, and updated various fee amounts. View
  • 7th Mar 25 A 50 mph speed limit was imposed on the M23 motorway's northbound junction 7 off-slip road in England and Wales, commencing March 31, 2025. View
  • 7th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended National Insurance contribution rates, thresholds, and National Insurance Fund payments, and extended veteran's relief. View
  • 6th Mar 25 The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2025 increased several immigration and nationality fees and removed obsolete references to Electronic Visa Waivers. View
  • 6th Mar 25 The Order amended the Judicial Pensions (European Court of Human Rights) Order 1998 to clarify pension arrangements for judges of the European Court of Human Rights, ensuring continued benefit accrual under the UK scheme and streamlining administrative processes. View
  • 6th Mar 25 The regulations amended the Taxes (Interest Rate) Regulations 1989 to increase the official interest rate for employment-related loan tax calculations. View
  • 6th Mar 25 The 2025 Order designated numerous central government bodies for inclusion in departmental supply estimates and resource accounts for the financial year ending 31 March 2026. View
  • 6th Mar 25 The Order brought into force a revised code of practice for sanctions concerning biometric registration, supporting the transition to digital immigration documents. View
  • 5th Mar 25 The 2025 regulations established fees for services related to recognizing overseas qualifications, replacing the 2024 regulations and clarifying payment and refund procedures. View
  • 5th Mar 25 The order revalued earnings factors for various tax years to maintain their purchasing power relative to general earnings, impacting calculations for social security benefits and pensions. View
  • 5th Mar 25 The Order amended the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Exemption) Order 2001 to broaden the exemption for National Wealth Fund Limited from the general prohibition on carrying out regulated activities without authorization. View
  • 5th Mar 25 The regulations commenced a pilot program for domestic abuse protection orders and notices in Cleveland, England and Wales, from March 5th to November 26th, 2025, and provided for the continuation of proceedings already underway after the pilot's end. View
  • 4th Mar 25 The 2025 Order established safety zones around five offshore installations, impacting maritime traffic around those locations. View
  • 4th Mar 25 The order established revaluation percentages for public service pensions based on price and earnings changes for the 2024-2025 period, setting different effective dates for specified pension schemes. View
  • 4th Mar 25 The regulations amended (EC) No 999/2001 to remove the requirement for intensified monitoring of atypical scrapie cases in sheep and goats in England. View
  • 4th Mar 25 The regulations amended the Council Tax (Additional Provisions for Discount Disregards) Regulations 1992 and the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992 to provide council tax discounts and exemptions to eligible individuals under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. View
  • 4th Mar 25 The Order approved rule amendments increasing HCPC fees and enabling virtual meeting/hearing capabilities. View
  • 3rd Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2012 regulations on NHS commissioning board and clinical commissioning group responsibilities, updating payment rates for nursing care and clarifying responsibilities for healthcare services in immigration removal centers. View
  • 3rd Mar 25 The 2025 regulations amended the 2009 Armed Forces discharge and transfer regulations by removing information from discharge certificates and updating to gender-neutral language. View
  • 3rd Mar 25 The 2025 regulations established a framework for alternative courses to prosecution for specific traffic offenses, defined approving bodies and fee allocation, and restricted course offerings for repeat offenders. View
  • 3rd Mar 25 The regulations amended the 2014 Health and Social Care Act regulations, extending their duration and establishing a five-year review cycle. View
  • 3rd Mar 25 The Office for Students authorized South Devon College to grant taught awards up to and including foundation degrees, effective March 17, 2025, and further granted the college the ability to delegate said authority. View

The Seafarers' Wages (Amendment) Regulations 2025

The Seafarers’ Wages (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective April 1st, 2025, amend the 2024 Regulations.

Key changes include updating the deadline for equivalence declarations from harbor authorities to the first day of the relevant year and increasing the national minimum wage equivalent rates for seafarers across various categories.

These amendments aim to improve seafarer pay and simplify administrative processes.

An existing impact assessment from the Seafarers’ Wages Act 2023 and 2024 Regulations was used; no significant additional impacts are anticipated.

The Health Protection (Notification) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Published: Fri 7th Mar 25

The Health Protection (Notification) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective April 6th, 2025, amend the 2010 regulations to enhance disease surveillance in England and Wales.

Key changes include adding respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to the notification requirements for diagnostic laboratories and expanding the lists of notifiable diseases and causative agents in Schedules 1 and 2, respectively, to include conditions such as acute flaccid paralysis, chickenpox, and various pathogens.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (CMA Consumer Enforcement Rules) Regulations 2025

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (CMA Consumer Enforcement Rules) Regulations 2025, effective April 6th, 2025, approve the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) rules for enforcing consumer protection laws.

These rules cover procedural matters, including investigations, representations, document inspection, procedural complaints, settlements, and notification of decisions.

The regulations apply to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and the CMA developed these rules following consultations.

The Child Benefit and Guardian's Allowance Up-rating Order 2025

Published: Fri 7th Mar 25

This order increases Child Benefit and Guardian's Allowance rates for the 2025-26 tax year in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Following a review showing increased prices, the Treasury amended relevant regulations to raise the weekly Child Benefit rates to £26.05 (enhanced rate) and £17.25 (other cases), and the Guardian's Allowance rate to £22.10.

The changes are legally based on existing Social Security Administration Acts and took effect April 7, 2025.

The Registration and Inspection of Education, Children's Services and Skills (Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

These regulations, effective April 1st, 2025, amend the Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Children's Homes etc.) Regulations 2015.

Key changes include lowering thresholds for higher annual fees for residential special schools and children's homes and revising various registration and variation fees across different settings.

The changes are supported by existing legislation and aim to balance resource allocation with fair charges.

The M23 Motorway (Junction 7) (50 Miles Per Hour Speed Limit) Regulations 2025

Published: Fri 7th Mar 25

These regulations establish a permanent 50 mph speed limit on the northbound off-slip road at junction 7 of the M23 motorway in England and Wales, starting March 31, 2025.

The regulations cite the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 as their legal basis and state that representative organizations were consulted.

An exemption exists if another speed restriction is already in place.

The regulations' enforcement is an offense under section 17(4) of the 1984 Act, and a full impact assessment was deemed unnecessary due to the projected absence of significant impacts.

The Social Security (Contributions) (Rates, Limits and Thresholds Amendments, National Insurance Funds Payments and Extension of Veteran's Relief) Regulations 2025

These regulations, effective April 6, 2025, adjust National Insurance contribution rates and thresholds for Class 2 and Class 3 contributions.

They also adjust the prescribed percentage of estimated benefit expenditure for payments into the National Insurance Fund for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and extend zero-rate contributions for armed forces veterans to the 2025-26 tax year.

The changes are based on a Treasury review of earnings and estimated benefit expenditure.

The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2025

Published: Thu 6th Mar 25

This Order amends the 2016 and 2018 Immigration and Nationality (Fees) legislation by increasing several fees related to immigration and nationality matters and removing references to obsolete Electronic Visa Waivers.

The amendments were approved by Parliament and increase fees for various services, ranging from £1 to several hundred pounds, to reflect increased costs and maintain the system's financial viability.

The changes came into effect the following day after the Order was made.