The Lord Chancellor enacted the Sentencing Act 2020 (Amendment of Schedule 21) Regulations 2025, following consultation and parliamentary approval, to amend Schedule 21 of the Sentencing Code, which dictates minimum terms for mandatory life sentences for murder.

These Regulations introduce two new statutory aggravating factors that sentencing courts must consider for murders committed on or after the regulations come into force: first, whether the murder was connected to the end (or intended end) of the offender's intimate personal relationship with the victim; and second, whether the murder involved strangulation, suffocation, or asphyxiation.

These Regulations, enacted by the Secretary of State using powers under the Online Safety Act 2023, officially revoke the earlier Online Safety (CSEA Content Reporting by Regulated User-to-User Service Providers) Regulations 2025, effective from November 2nd, 2025, across the whole of the UK, following consultation with the NCA and OFCOM.

These regulations implement consequential amendments to existing legislation following the passage of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.

The primary changes involve updating company law around director identification verification, the information publicly available, and modifying requirements for authorized corporate service providers.

The regulations also restrict public access to certain director identity verification statements to enhance data protection and security, affecting both primary company law and secondary legislation related to money laundering, partnerships, and insolvency.

The Dentists Act 1984 (Medical Authorities) Order 2025 designates the University of Portsmouth as a medical authority, empowering it to conduct dentistry examinations and grant licenses.

This order, effective September 3rd, 2025, applies across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, potentially increasing the capacity for dental professionals while leveraging existing legal frameworks.

No significant impact on the public, private or voluntary sectors is anticipated.

These regulations, made under the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, bring into force section 17 on September 1st, 2025.

This section empowers the Secretary of State to regulate and improve the quality of initial teacher training for further education in England.

The regulations are the third set issued under the Act, following previous commencements of other sections in 2022 and 2023.

The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (England) Order 2025, effective September 1st, 2025, sets the pay and working conditions for school teachers in England.

It incorporates recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), a process mandated by the Education Act 2002.

The order references a separate document detailing the specific pay and conditions and revokes the 2024 order.

The order extends to England and Wales, applying specifically to teachers in England.

The Thames Estuary Cockle Fishery (No. 2) (Variation) Order 2025 modifies the 2024 Order, altering article 5(12) regarding licence eligibility.

Specifically, it makes individuals who were shareholders or officers of certain companies ineligible for licenses or renewals until December 2031.

The order, enacted under the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967, aims to improve the regulation of cockle fishing in the Thames Estuary.

The Childcare Payments (Eligibility) (Amendment and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2025 amend the 2015 regulations to synchronize the application window for childcare top-up payments with the Free Childcare for Working Parents scheme.

These changes modify eligibility requirements regarding qualifying paid work, specifically adjusting the timeframe for declaring eligibility and defining the 'applicable period.' Transitional provisions are included to manage the shift between the old and new systems for applications between October 16, 2025, and January 31, 2026.