Purpose:
This newsletter summarises key legal developments published between 1st and 30th November 2025. It focuses on changes in Quality, Environment, Health & Safety, and Information Security legislation that could impact your organisation.
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For queries about your legal register or compliance obligations, contact legalregister.support@avisoconsultancy.co.uk
Upcoming Legislation
The following legal texts have been published but are due to come into force after November 2025:
- Climate Change Agreements (Administration and Eligible Facilities) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Updates eligibility, reporting, and compliance for energy efficiency agreements. Facilities must review procedures and maintain accurate records.
- Energy Act 2023 (Commencement No. 4) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Activates new requirements for energy markets, infrastructure, and consumer protection. Entities must review compliance procedures.
- Building Safety Levy (England) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Introduces a mandatory levy on new residential developments to fund building safety remediation. Developers must account for levy costs in project budgets.
- Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Establishes a new framework for product safety and market surveillance, including digital products. Businesses must review product lines and documentation.
- Biocidal Products (Data Protection Periods) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Updates data protection periods for biocidal product authorisations. Applicants must review arrangements and maintain accurate records.
- Telecommunications Security (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Updates security requirements for public telecommunications networks. Operators must review network security policies and update measures.
New Legislation
These are new legislative instruments or guidance introduced in November 2025:
- Water (Special Measures) Act 2025
- Effective: 24 February 2025
- Strengthens regulatory powers over water companies, mandates pollution reduction plans, and improves transparency.
- Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025
- Effective: Phased from 1 June to 1 November 2025
- Expands Scotland’s integrated authorisation framework, introduces a four-tier structure, and streamlines permitting.
- Environmental Regulation (Enforcement Measures) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025
- Effective: Expected June 2025
- Extends SEPA’s civil enforcement powers for packaging producer responsibility offences.
- Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Amendment, etc.) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 August 2025
- Expands producer obligations, includes online marketplaces, and introduces stricter reporting and treatment requirements.
- Persistent Organic Pollutants (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 April 2025
- Adds new substances to the prohibited list, tightens waste management and record-keeping requirements.
- Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 October 2025
- Requires evacuation plans and personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for high-rise residential buildings.
- Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 September 2025
- Updates flammability standards and labelling for domestic furniture and mattresses.
- Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 December 2025
- Clarifies inspection intervals and reporting requirements for landlords.
- Control of Asbestos Regulations 2025 (Amendment)
- Effective: 1 November 2025
- Lowers exposure limits, updates training, and strengthens enforcement.
- Ionising Radiations Regulations 2025 (Amendment)
- Effective: 1 December 2025
- Lowers dose limits, updates risk assessment and monitoring requirements.
Significant Amendments
These are amendments to existing legislation or regulations:
- Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No. 5 & 6) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Further provisions for online platforms to protect users from harmful content, with enhanced Ofcom powers.
- Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 July 2025
- Expands producer obligations, introduces modulated fees, and strengthens enforcement.
- Construction Products (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Updates conformity assessment and labelling, supports transition to UKCA marking.
- Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Strengthens safety standards and compliance for new and existing developments.
- Companies (Directors’ Report) (Payment Reporting) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Requires large companies to disclose payment practices and performance.
- Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (Commencement No. 6) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Activates new requirements for company transparency and anti-money laundering controls.
- Employment Tribunals (Early Conciliation: Exemptions and Rules of Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Clarifies exemptions and updates procedures for employment tribunal claims.
- Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 3 & 4) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Activates further provisions for lawful data use, sharing, and governance.
- Network and Information Systems (Amendment) Regulations 2025
- Effective: 1 January 2026
- Strengthens cyber security standards and incident reporting for essential services.
Next Steps
- Review internal policies and compliance registers in light of these changes.
- Monitor for further guidance, especially on phased implementations and secondary legislation.
- For support, contact AvISO’s legal register team.
