This Order, made by the Secretary of State with the consent of the Treasury, amends the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998 to revise how housing benefit subsidy is calculated and paid to local authorities in England, Wales, and Scotland.

Key changes include updating the Housing Benefit Assurance Process deadline, allowing local authorities flexibility in limiting deductions for historic overpayments, substituting the schedules detailing administration subsidy sums for the 2024-2025 relevant year, adjusting incentive payments for verification schemes, and setting specific deduction figures for Welsh authorities for the 2025/2026 relevant year.

The Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2025, made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions using powers under the Mesothelioma Act 2014, fundamentally updates the compensation framework for diffuse mesothelioma sufferers.

These regulations specifically substitute Table 1 in Schedule 4 of the 2014 Regulations, resulting in a 49% increase for all scheme payment amounts based on the age of the individual when first diagnosed.

These revised, higher payment amounts apply to any person first diagnosed with diffuse mesothelioma on or after 4th November 2025, or to their eligible dependants if the person has died without applying.

The Warm Home Discount (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend existing regulations for England and Wales and Scotland.

For England and Wales, the amendments extend the rebate issuance period to March 31, 2026, and provide additional flexibility for suppliers and the Secretary of State in managing rebates.

In Scotland, the regulations increase the aggregate non-core spending obligation for scheme year 15 by £39 million.

The changes aim to improve the effectiveness and reach of the Warm Home Discount scheme.

These regulations, effective October 1st, 2025, amend three sets of UK criminal legal aid regulations—General, Remuneration, and Financial Resources—to reflect the replacement of the 2022 Standard Crime Contract with the 2025 version.

The amendments update references to the contract throughout the existing regulations and also update references to the Standard Crime Contract Guidance for Reporting Crime Lower Work to its latest version.

A transitional provision ensures that pre-existing determinations are unaffected, and the regulations only apply to services provided under the new contract.

The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) (No. 2) Resolution 2025 amends the Church Representation Rules to simplify the Church electoral roll application process, improve parish governance by requiring submission of approved model rules, correct a drafting error in candidate nominations, strengthen disqualification criteria aligned with High Court jurisdiction regarding charity trustees, standardize financial reporting using Charity Commission guidelines, clarify disqualification provisions for parochial representatives, streamline elections of Parochial Representatives of the Laity, and mandate training for newly elected PCC members.

These regulations, enacted under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, bring into force section 124 on September 30, 2025.

This section amends the Online Safety Act 2023, requiring providers of certain regulated online services to retain information related to child death investigations.

The regulations are the second set issued under the 2025 Act, and an impact assessment referencing a prior assessment was published on the UK Government website.

The Legislative Reform (Disclosure of Adult Social Care Data) Order 2025 amends the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004.

These amendments allow the sharing of matched adult social care data with local authorities in England and Wales to improve fraud detection and financial recovery.

The Order was enacted under the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006, following parliamentary approval and consultation.

The Housing Benefit (Habitual Residence) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective October 21, 2025, amend the 2006 Housing Benefit Regulations.

Specifically, they remove the habitual residence assessment for housing benefit applicants already receiving Universal Credit.

This simplification streamlines the application process by relying on the existing Universal Credit determination of habitual residence.