Civil Liberties Legislation

Laws and regulations protecting individual rights, freedoms, and civil liberties, including privacy rights, freedom of expression, and anti-discrimination measures.

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Isle of Man) Order 2025

Published: Thu 10th Jul 25 Came into force: Thu 10th Jul 25

The 2025 Order extended UK safeguarding legislation to the Isle of Man, amending information sharing procedures and repealing some provisions of the Isle of Man's Police Act 1997.


This Order extends key provisions of the UK's Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 to the Isle of Man.

Specifically, it mandates information sharing between the Isle of Man Constabulary and the UK's Disclosure and Barring Service to support barring decisions, making changes to the Police Act 1997 (Criminal Records) (Isle of Man) (Amendment) Order 2012 to reflect this.

The modifications ensure consistent safeguarding standards and enhance the protection of vulnerable adults and children in the Isle of Man.

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The Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025

Published: Fri 4th Jul 25 Came into force: Sat 5th Jul 25

The Terrorism Act 2000 was amended to add Palestine Action, Maniacs Murder Cult, and Russian Imperial Movement to the list of proscribed organizations.


This order amends the Terrorism Act 2000 by adding Palestine Action, Maniacs Murder Cult (MMC), and Russian Imperial Movement (RIM) to the list of proscribed organizations.

The order cites the Secretary of State's belief that these organizations engage in terrorism, and it was approved by both Houses of Parliament.

The order also includes an explanatory note which clarifies that the entry for Palestine Action refers specifically to the UK based organization, and declares no significant impact on public or private sectors is expected, therefore a full impact assessment was not considered necessary.

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The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 (Commencement No. 7) Regulations 2025

The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 (Commencement No. 7) Regulations 2025 brought into force specific sections of the 2024 Act, concerning victim impact statements, major incident advocacy, and information sharing, commencing June 25, 2025.


These regulations, effective June 25, 2025, implement several sections of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024.

Key provisions include allowing victims of certain crimes to submit impact statements at mental health tribunals and appointing a standing advocate for victims of major incidents.

The regulations also clarify information-sharing practices and data protection concerns related to these processes.

These provisions represent the seventh set of commencement regulations under the 2024 Act.

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The Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024 (Commencement No. 3) Regulations 2025

The Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024 sections 18 and 21, concerning notice reviews and telecommunications service change notifications, were brought into effect on June 20th, 2025.


These regulations, effective June 20, 2025, activate sections 18 and 21 of the Investigatory Powers (Amendment) Act 2024.

Section 18 establishes a Secretary of State review process for notices, while Section 21 requires notification of changes to telecommunications services.

The regulations apply across the UK. Previous commencement regulations have already brought other parts of the Act into force.

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The Allocation of Housing (Qualification Criteria for Victims of Domestic Abuse and Care Leavers) (England) Regulations 2025

Published: Thu 19th Jun 25 Came into force: Thu 10th Jul 25

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.

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The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (Commencement No. 5) Regulations 2025

Sections 194 and 195 of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023, regarding SLAPPs, were brought into force.


The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (Commencement No. 5) Regulations 2025 bring into effect sections 194 and 195 of the Act on June 18, 2025.

These sections address strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPPs) by requiring the Lord Chancellor to create Civil Procedure Rules enabling courts to dismiss SLAPP claims before trial and to make specific cost orders.

The regulations aim to deter SLAPPs, protecting free speech and streamlining legal processes.

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The Payment Services and Payment Accounts (Contract Termination) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Published: Fri 13th Jun 25 Came into force: Tue 28th Apr 26

The 2025 Regulations amended the Payment Services Regulations 2017 and Payment Accounts Regulations 2015, strengthening consumer rights related to contract termination for payment services by implementing longer notice periods and requiring more detailed reasons for refusal or termination.


The Payment Services and Payment Accounts (Contract Termination) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective April 28, 2026, amend existing regulations to enhance consumer protection regarding payment service contract terminations.

Key changes include increased notice periods (90 days for contracts made on or after April 28, 2026), requirements for more detailed explanations of contract refusals and terminations, and specific exceptions for situations involving money laundering, serious crime, or immigration requirements.

These amendments aim to improve transparency and fairness in the termination of payment service contracts.

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The National Security Act 2023 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2025

The National Security Act 2023 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2025 brought into force Part 4 of the National Security Act 2023, establishing a foreign activities and foreign influence registration scheme.


These regulations, the second set under the National Security Act 2023, bring into effect Part 4 of that Act, specifically the foreign activities and foreign influence registration scheme.

This scheme starts on July 1st, 2025, and applies across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

The regulations cite the power conferred by section 100(1) of the 2023 Act and provide for detailed commencement information.

An impact assessment is available online and in hard copy.

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