While there have already been a number of new rules and regulations come into force so far this year, more are set to be put in place this month. From seeing a GP to claiming benefits, there are several incoming changes and updates Brits need to be aware of - including some price hikes too.
As families up and down the country continue to struggle under the pressure of soaring household, energy and fuel bills as the cost-of-living crisis bites, there are 10 key dates to look out for this month - including new driving rules, tax rules and even a new way to get money off your energy bills.
Changes to the National Insurance threshold will also come into force this month, with the move meaning the take-home pay of most people in the UK will be updated. People will start to see the money the Government has promised to cut into the cost of gas and electricity too, the Mirror reports.
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Below are all the major changes listed by date and how they will affect you and your money .
July 1: British Gas reopens hardship fund
Energy and home services provider British Gas will be reopening its hardship fund for non-customers at the very start of the month. There will be grants worth up to £1,500 available for those who are struggling. To be eligible for the Energy Trust Individual and Families Fund, you need to live in England, Scotland or Wales and be in debt to your energy supplier.
It is also required that you have no more than £1,000 in savings and have already sought help from a money advice agency. British Gas runs a separate Energy Support Fund for its customers all-year round, with grants worth between £250 and £750.
See the full list of eligibility criteria on the British Gas website.
July 1: Sick notes change comes into force
From July 1, there will be powers given to more healthcare professionals in regards to handing out sick notes. Currently, only doctors can authorise "fit notes" - but this is being expanded to include nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists. Your employer can ask you for a sick note if you're absent from work for more than seven days.
July 6: National Insurance threshold changes
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced in the Spring Statement that the National Insurance Contributions starting threshold will rise from £9,880 to £12,570 from July 6. Meaning employees across the UK will keep more of what they earn before they have to start paying personal tax.
The cut, worth over £6 billion, will benefit almost 30 million working people with a typical employee saving over £330 in the year from July 6. The higher-rate threshold will remain at £50,270.
The changes come after the rate at which you pay National Insurance contributions was raised by 1.25 percentage points - from 12 per cent to 13.25 per cent - in April. It is still estimated that seven out of 10 people will pay less for National Insurance from July even with the 1.25 percentage point increase to the contributions.
July 6: New cars must be fitted with speed limiter
All newly launched cars will legally be required to be fitted with a speed limiter in the European Union from July 6. Despite Brexit, it was thought that Britain would follow suit by taking on the safety regulations as the Government has retained many EU laws for new vehicles.
“The UK’s departure from the EU provides us with the platform to capitalise on our regulatory freedoms and make decisions that are right for Great Britain and benefit road safety," the spokesperson said.
“We’re currently assessing the vehicle safety technologies included in the EU's General Safety Regulation and a decision will be taken in due course as to whether to mandate any of those in Great Britain.”
By July 7, 2024, all new cars that have already launched are to be fitted with an Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA), the EU 2019/2044 regulation mandates.
July 12: Thousands of Three Mobile customers to be hit by price hikes
Three Mobile is increasing the cost of calls, texts and data for pay-as-you-go (PAYG) customers from July 12. This affects existing PAYG users on regular top-up packages rather than bundled ones. The cost of making a phone call will rise from 10p per minute to 35p per minute, while the price of sending a text will go up from 10p to 15p. Data costs will double to 10p per MB, up from 5p per MB.
July 14: Start of £650 cost of living payments
Millions of claimants of means-tested benefits will be given a extra financial boost of £326 from July 14 onwards. It comes as part of the government's £15bn cost of living support package announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak earlier this year as a way to help struggling households with the ongoing price hikes.
The £326 is set to be paid from July 14 until the end of the month and will be the first out of two instalments - which will total £650 of support to anyone receiving one of seven means-tested benefits and tax credits.
For people who claim either Working Tax Credits or Child Tax Credit, the first of their two payments will be made later this year, with an exact date still to be announced. The first instalment is not expected to be processed until the autumn, with a second payment to follow in winter - again, no timeline has been published.
July 20: Latest inflation figures due
The consumer prices index (CPI) measure of inflation currently stands at 9.1 per cent - its highest level since March 1982. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) cover the 12 months to May.
New inflation figures covering the 12 months to June will be released by the ONS on July 20 - with a further rise expected. Bank of England economists are expecting UK inflation to hit 11 per cent by the end of this year. Inflation is a figure used to explain how much the prices of everyday essentials have increased.
July 29: Funeral plans to be regulated
Pre-paid funeral plans will fall under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulation from July 29, which means tougher checks on providers. One of the major changes is that customers will be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) should a company go bust.
You will also be able to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) if you think you've been mistreated by a provider. Any funeral plan provider that isn’t authorised by the FCA will be committing a criminal offence if it attempts to sell or administer a contract after July 29.
July 31: Tax credits renewal deadline
If you claim tax credits, you need to check if you need to renew your benefits - if you do, the deadline is July 31. By now, you should have received a renewal pack from HMRC, which will explain if you need to do anything.
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