New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and more

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New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and more
New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and more

Whether it's bills set to rise again or just your New Year's resolutions - plenty of changes are afoot in 2023.

And they include a series of new laws coming into effect this year which everybody should know about.

Some of these changes have already made headlines due to their controversy, while others will make sense to many.

Legislation was thrown into chaos over recent weeks following former Prime Minister Liz Truss and ex-Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-budget which was later reversed, and with Rishi Sunak now in the role little else has been proposed as attempts are made to smooth out the mess.

The new laws coming in are likely not the only changes to be made this year, with the Online Safety Bill set to be passed which will crack down on harmful content on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.

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Here are the laws which will be changing or coming in this year, and how they will affect us.

New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and morePrime Minister Rishi Sunak has yet to bring in any major law changes as PM (AFP via Getty Images)

Voter ID at elections

The Elections Act 2022 requires anyone turning up to vote at polling stations to now bring photo ID with them, coming into effect ahead of May's local elections.

It's after concerns were recently raised about election fraud - despite only 34 reports of voter fraud throughout 2019 when the UK last held a general election.

But the new law has been criticised by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee which has warned Black, transgender and disabled voters will be hit hardest by this.

New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and moreDemocracy groups have warned voters could be "locked out" of voting as several million lack photo ID (Electoral Reform Society)

Minimum wage uplift

From April, the minimum wage would rise by 92p an hour to £10.42, bringing annual earnings for full-time workers up by £1,600.

Council tax bills

The Autumn statement made changes announcing that local councils will now be allowed to increase their tax bills by 5% from April this year, meaning bills for some households could jump to £2,000 a year.

The change was made without a referendum, which goes against current rules preventing England's councils from raising bills by a certain threshold - usually 2.99% - without the public having a say.

It also goes against promises made by the Conservatives in their 2019 manifesto to keep the rule, pledging: “Local people will continue to have the final say on council tax”.

New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and moreCouncil tax caps are set to rise this year (PA)

Costs of care

An £86k cap on social care costs for the elderly will come in from autumn this year, but those with assets worth £75,000 to £150,000 will be forced to pay more.

This has been criticised by many as disproportionately affecting people in the North, where house prices are generally lower meaning they will have to give up more to pay for care.

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New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and moreSocial care costs have been capped (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Ultra Low Emission Zones expansion

London's ULEZ will be expanded this year to cover all of the capital's 33 boroughs in a bid to further curb air pollution.

It means that people who drive vehicles with the highest emissions, such as HGVs and petrol cars registered before 2005, will be hit with a £12.50 daily charge.

New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and moreULEZ will soon apply to all 33 boroughs in London (PA)

Bans on noisy protests

The revised Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act already came into effect last year, and makes it easier for police to crack down on protests which are considered to result in public disorder, disruption in the community or criminal damage to property.

With a very broad definition of the word 'disruption', police have more power in deciding which protests can legally go ahead.

Minimum service levels for public transport

The recent Transport Strikes Bill wants to introduce minimum service levels on transport services.

It's hoped the Bill will prevent bus, train and Tube services from grinding to a halt completely during periods of industrial action like we've seen recently.

While it only currently relates to transport, there is the possibility this could expand to some industries on minimum service levels, as well as an outright ban on some workers striking, such as ambulance drivers.

New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and moreNew laws will make it mandatory for a certain number of transport services to be running (Getty Images)

Energy bill cap

The Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) is expected to hit £3,000 a year - a rise from £2,500.

But an energy price cap brought in in October looks set to be scaled back in April.

The EPG caps the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of electricity and gas you use.

It was initially due to last two years but was changed in October when the Chancellor said the support would only last until April.

New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and moreEnergy bills are predicted to rise to £3,000 this year (Getty Images)

£2 cap on bus tickets

Bus companies will not be able to charge more than £2 for a single journey with changes brought in from this month until the end of March.

The change affects 130 operators including National Express and Stagecoach, and is sponsored by a £60million government investment which will save about 30% on average.

The average single local bus ticket costs £2.80 - and more than £5 in some rural areas.

New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and moreSingle bus tickets will be capped at £2 (AFP via Getty Images)

Removal of EU law

When the UK left the EU in 2020 all the EU laws were effectively changed into British law to allow for as smooth a transition as possible.

The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill 2022 is set to amend, repeal or replace nearly all of these laws.

These include those related to protections for the environment, for animal welfare, workers’ rights and food standards.

The Bill will sunset the majority of retained EU law so that it expires on December 31 next year.

It is expected to be a controversial and significant moment affecting many individuals, businesses and industries.

Removing British citizenship

A new Nationality and Borders Bill make it a criminal offence to knowingly arrive in the UK 'illegally'.

It means the UK Government can treat people differently depending on how they got into the UK, such as by boat.

Another controversial aspect of the Bill means the Home Office can deprive a British citizen of their citizenship without prior warning.

New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and moreBorder laws are toughening even harder this year (PA)

Homeowners to pay for mending unsafe flats

Owners of faulty properties will be made to pay up to £15,000 to have them fixed, according to the new Building Safety Bill.

The Government has already announced schemes for properties affected by unsafe cladding, although many flat owners have "non-cladding" defects too which, until now, were not covered. There is a legal cap of £10,000, or £15,000 in London.

The House of Lords had tried to introduce a £250 cap per leaseholder, but this was defeated by 22 votes by the government.

Tougher laws on landlords

Landlords will not be able to grant new leases or continue existing leases of non-domestic properties with an energy rating below E.

This new law, which comes in from April, forces landlords to make their properties more energy efficient before taking on new tenants, or register exemptions for them on the PRS Exemption Register.

Exempt properties include industrial sites, workshops with low energy demands, and temporary and religious building.

Stricter rules on taking legal action against the Government

Campaigners are concerned that the Judicial Review and Courts Bill will restrict their ability to persuade courts to rule against the government.

Human rights organisation Liberty has already spoken out on the plans, as well as the Public Law Project and the Joint Committee on Human Rights.

New laws coming in 2023 that will affect workers, landlords, voters and moreLandlords will be forced to make properties more energy efficient if they fall below a certain category (Getty Images)

Income Tax Additional Rate Threshold

The threshold at which a person can no longer receive personal allowances will be lowered from £150,000 to £125,140.

It means that workers claiming allowances for travel and accommodation - such as MPs - will have to pay for it from their own salaries if theirs is more than £125,140.

From April 6, £1 of the Personal Allowance is withdrawn for every £2 of income above £100,000.

You can find out more about legislation changes coming up at gov.uk.

Susie Beever

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