The Gangmasters (Licensing Conditions) (Amendment) (Fees) Rules 2025, effective April 28th, 2025, revise fees for gangmaster licences in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

These rules amend the Gangmasters (Licensing Conditions) Rules 2009, increasing application, renewal, and inspection fees across several bands depending on annual turnover.

Consultation with the relevant Northern Ireland department occurred, and transitional provisions address applications and renewals already in progress.

The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective April 1, 2025, increase the UK's national living wage and minimum wage rates.

The national living wage rises from £11.44 to £12.21 per hour; the rate for 18-20 year olds increases from £8.60 to £10.00; the rate for under-18s rises from £6.40 to £7.55; and the accommodation offset increases from £9.99 to £10.66 per day.

These changes apply across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, amending the 2015 National Minimum Wage Regulations.

These regulations amend the 2013 regulations governing Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance, and Employment and Support Allowance claims and payments.

The key change prioritizes deductions for child maintenance over other deductions.

The regulations apply to England, Wales, and Scotland and are in effect from April 30, 2025, to April 30, 2026.

The Taxes and Duties, etc (Interest Rate) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend several existing regulations to increase the interest rate on unpaid taxes owed to HMRC. The changes affect various tax areas, including income tax, air passenger duty, and customs duties, raising the interest rate by 1.5% in each affected area.

The regulations came into force on April 6, 2025, and are supported by prior legislation.

The Electricity (Individual Exemption from the Requirement for a Transmission Licence) (Spiorad na Mara) (Scotland) Order 2025 grants an indefinite exemption from the requirement for Spiorad na Mara Limited to hold an electricity transmission licence for the transmission of electricity from its offshore generating station in the Isle of Lewis to an onshore substation.

The Secretary of State made the order under powers granted by the Electricity Act 1989, after consultation with Scottish Ministers, based on the unique circumstances of the offshore project.

The exemption applies to Scotland only, takes effect on May 7, 2025 and does not require a full impact assessment due to the anticipated lack of significant impact on the public or private sectors.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 amend several UK laws to reflect changes in consumer protection, enforcement mechanisms, and information disclosure related to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

The regulations predominantly replace references to older legislation with references to the newer Act, ensuring consistent application of the new Act's directives across various legal instruments.

Specific changes include updates to acts governing agriculture, misrepresentation, telecommunications, and financial services, among others.

The amendments also clarify information disclosure rules to support smoother international cooperation between regulators.

Several amendments will come into force only once specific parts of the 2024 Act are enacted.

These regulations amend the 2024 regulations on tax relief for creative industries.

They clarify definitions, add information requirements for connected party transactions and visual effects vendors, and update the specified information in Table 1 of the Schedule.

The amendments are effective for claims made on or after April 15, 2025, and aim to improve clarity, transparency, and efficiency in processing tax relief claims.

These regulations amend existing UK legislation concerning carbon dioxide emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles.

The amendments correct errors, update references to reporting periods from 2019 to 2020, clarify definitions related to vehicle registration, and transfer responsibilities from the European Commission to the UK Secretary of State.

The changes aim to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and operational effectiveness of the regulatory framework while maintaining the UK's commitment to reducing carbon emissions from the automotive sector.