A number of new laws and changes are set to come in from July - here is a round-up of what to expect.
One of the changes this month is to the Ofgem price cap. Ofgem’s latest cut means its cap will again govern household bills, resulting in a reduction of £426 from £2,500 to £2,074 – a fall of about 17%.
Adam Scorer, chief executive of the charity National Energy Action, said: “Despite falls in retail prices from July, many of the people we help are still struggling. As of tomorrow, two thirds of households across the UK will no longer benefit from any assistance to offset the impacts of the energy crisis and Ofgem’s price cap will offer limited protection to these households.”
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A spokeswoman for Energy UK, which represents suppliers, said: “The fall in the price cap from July will be welcome news for customers who have had to face record energy bills over the last year amidst a steep rise in the cost of living and for whom the Government’s bill support has been crucial in preventing even bigger difficulties.
“However, bills remain much higher than they were 18 months ago and many customers will continue to struggle, especially following the removal of some of that support. If – as the current projections indicate – annual bills of £2,000 plus become the new normal, it underlines the importance and urgency of the energy industry, Ofgem, Government and consumer groups working together to put in place targeted support for those most in need next winter.”
Here is a list of the changes coming from July, as reported by Birmingham Live. They involve revenge porn laws, places of worship, stamps, and stop and search rules.
Revenge porn
Abusers, predators and bitter ex-partners who share intimate images online without consent of those depicted will face jail time under new measures that have been announced. New amendments to the Online Safety Bill will protect victims of so-called “revenge porn” by changing current laws which require the prosecution to prove that perpetrators shared sexual images or films in order to cause distress.
Removing the need for lawyers to prove the intention of distress will make it easier to charge and convict someone who shares intimate images without consent – putting more offenders behind bars and better protecting the public. Those found guilty of this base offence have a maximum penalty of six months in custody. And where it is proven a perpetrator also intended to cause distress, alarm or humiliation, or to obtain sexual gratification, they could face a two-year prison term. Offenders found guilty of sharing the image for sexual gratification could also be placed on the sex offender register.
Places of worship
Places of worship will receive £28 million in funding to help keep them and their attendees safe, the Security Minister has confirmed. The money is for physical protective security, such as CCTV, intruder alarms and secure fencing to help protect mosques, churches, temples, gurdwaras and other places of worship. Mosques will also be able to access a new security guarding scheme later in the year.
Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said: "Freedom of religious belief and the freedom to worship are fundamental. We will defend against any form of hatred targeting our communities, and are committed to protecting all faiths. I encourage any place of worship that feels they would need assistance to apply under the schemes."
Stamps
Classic stamps are being replaced by digital barcodes. Traditional stamps will no longer be accepted from July 31. However, you can still use themed, commemorative and non-barcoded Christmas stamps beyond this date. Before this deadline, you need to either use your old stamps or swap them for free for barcoded versions.
Energy bills
The average household energy bill will fall by £426 a year from July 1 after Ofgem dropped its price cap following tumbling wholesale prices. The regulator is cutting its price cap from £3,280 to £2,074 in a relief for consumers who have seen typical bills soar from £1,271 a year in October 2021 due to the global gas crisis.
Nationality and Borders
The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 (NABA), is now in force, making provisions to differentiate between asylum seekers who arrived legally, and those who arrived without permission granted by the Home Office.
Stop and search
The Home Secretary has written to chief constables of all 43 police forces in England and Wales, to give her full backing to the common sense policing tactic and to urge them to ensure their officers are prepared to use the full powers at their disposal, so they can be more proactive in preventing violence before it occurs. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: "Carrying weapons is a scourge on our society. And anyone doing so is risking their own lives as well as the lives of those around them. This dangerous culture must be brought to a stop.
"My first priority is to keep the public safe and people who insist on carrying a weapon must know that there will be consequences. The police have my full support to ramp up the use of stop and search, wherever necessary, to prevent violence and save more lives.
"Every death from knife crime is a tragedy. That’s why I also back the police in tackling this blight in communities which are disproportionately affected, such as among young black males. We need to do everything in our power to crack down on this violence."
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