Finance Legislation

Laws governing financial services, banking regulation, insurance, investment, and securities trading.

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

Published: Thu 6th Mar 25 Came into force: Fri 7th Mar 25

The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2025 increased several immigration and nationality fees and removed obsolete references to Electronic Visa Waivers.


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.

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The Judicial Pensions (European Court of Human Rights) (Amendment) Order 2025

Published: Thu 6th Mar 25 Came into force: Thu 3rd Apr 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.


This Order amends the Judicial Pensions (European Court of Human Rights) Order 1998 to update pension provisions for judges of the European Court of Human Rights.

The amendments clarify the interaction between UK pension schemes and the Council of Europe scheme, ensuring that ECHR judges retain pension benefits under the UK's Judicial Pensions Regulations 2022, even if they opt into the Council of Europe's scheme.

It also defines 'Pensionable Earnings' for ECHR judges and ensures their UK judicial office is treated as a qualifying office under the 2022 Regulations.

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The Taxes (Interest Rate) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Published: Thu 6th Mar 25 Came into force: Sun 6th Apr 25

The regulations amended the Taxes (Interest Rate) Regulations 1989 to increase the official interest rate for employment-related loan tax calculations.


The Taxes (Interest Rate) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, effective April 6, 2025, raise the official interest rate used to calculate tax on employment-related loans from 2.25% to 3.75% per annum.

This amendment modifies the Taxes (Interest Rate) Regulations 1989, impacting the tax liability for individuals receiving employment-related loans with interest rates below the new official rate.

The change aims to update the tax calculation to reflect current economic conditions and ensure fairer taxation on these types of loans.

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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.


The Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 (Estimates and Accounts) Order 2025 designates numerous central government bodies as 'designated bodies' for the financial year ending 31 March 2026.

This designation is for their inclusion in the supply estimates and resource accounts of their respective government departments.

The order covers various government departments and agencies across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

It is based on powers granted by the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 and includes consultations with devolved administrations.

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The Recognition of Overseas Qualifications (Charges) (England and Wales and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2025

Published: Wed 5th Mar 25 Came into force: Fri 28th Mar 25

The 2025 regulations established fees for services related to recognizing overseas qualifications, replacing the 2024 regulations and clarifying payment and refund procedures.


These regulations establish the fee structure for services related to recognizing overseas qualifications in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

They detail charges for statements of comparability, qualification reference statements, bundle services (standard and refugee-focused), and subscription packages to a qualification database.

Payment is made to the Secretary of State or a designated organization, with provisions for refunds.

These regulations replace the 2024 regulations, addressing drafting errors and incorporating feedback from devolved governments.

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The Social Security Revaluation of Earnings Factors Order 2025

Published: Wed 5th Mar 25 Came into force: Sun 6th Apr 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.


The Social Security Revaluation of Earnings Factors Order 2025, effective April 6, 2025, increases earnings factors for specified tax years (1978-1979 to 2024-2025).

These adjustments apply to calculations of additional pensions in long-term benefits, guaranteed minimum pensions, and other calculations under the Pension Schemes Act 1993.

The order ensures that these factors maintain their value relative to the general level of earnings, fulfilling a legal requirement outlined in the Social Security Administration Act 1992, and aims to protect the value of pension payouts.

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The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Exemption) (Amendment) Order 2025

Published: Wed 5th Mar 25 Came into force: Mon 31st 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.


The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Exemption) (Amendment) Order 2025, effective March 31, 2025, amends the 2001 Exemption Order.

It expands the exemption from the general prohibition on unregulated financial activities to include National Wealth Fund Limited.

This is achieved by inserting a new Article 3A granting a general exemption and creating a Part 1A to the Schedule, listing exempted entities, while removing the fund from the previous list.

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The Public Service Pensions Revaluation Order 2025

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.


The Public Service Pensions Revaluation Order 2025 sets the revaluation percentages for public service pensions for the period from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

It specifies a 1.7% increase based on price changes and a 4.5% increase based on earnings changes.

The order takes effect on April 1, 2025, but for certain specified schemes, it comes into effect on April 6, 2025.

The order covers England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and is made under the powers granted by the Public Service Pensions Act 2013.

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