What laws are being introduced in 2023? New legislation to affect taxes, driving and benefits

A new raft of legislation is due to become law in 2023, with new rules on driving, taxes and benefits set to be introduced - here’s what you need to know
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As we say goodbye to 2022, we look ahead to 2023 and everything that it will bring with it.

Unfortunately for some, this means new restrictions and laws on major issues such as tax and benefits. New legislation is due to be introduced in the new year.

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Not only will it affect taxes and benefits, but drivers will also be given new laws for the road. Some new introductions will see wage packets slightly increase. Others will see restrictions on everyday situations such as parking and voting.

But what exactly is being introduced? And how will it affect you? We take a look at some of the new laws coming in 2023. Here’s everything you need to know:

Taxes

Council tax is set to rise again in 2023. Unfortunately, the increase in 2023 is set to be higher than previous years.

Council tax in 2023 will rise by 5%. In previous years, the rate has increased by 3%.

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The OBR watchdog has said that this increase will help to raise £4.8billion per year by 2028. However, the TaxPayers’ Alliance has said that the increase will put pressure on families already struggling with bills, with the chief executive John O’Connell saying: “Local authorities are undoubtedly facing higher overheads, but significant rate increases can’t be justified while vanity projects and exorbitant salaries persist.”

The personal income tax rate is set to be frozen for those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from April onwards. This freeze is set to stay in place until 2028.

Pensions and benefits

Following pressure from the public, the government has committed to its manifesto pledge of keeping the ‘triple lock’ on pensions. This means that, despite there being concerns following the pound crashing during Liz Truss’s time as PM, pensions will rise as planned in April in line with inflation at a rate of 10.1%.

Other working age benefits will also increase at the rate of inflation. However, one benefit which will remain frozen at their currently level is the housing benefit.

Energy bills

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It’s further misery for UK households as energy prices are set to increase further in Spring 2023. The new price cap is set to be introduced in April 2023 and will be set at £3,000.

It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned that the UK’s problems - including soaring energy prices - will not “go away! In the new year. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: "From April, we will continue the Energy Price Guarantee for a further 12 months at a higher level of £3,000 per year for the average household. With prices forecast to remain elevated through next year, this will still mean an average of £500 support for every household."

Online Safety Bill

The Online Safety Bill has been put through parliament since former Home Secretary Priti Patel introduced the bill during her tenure. The bill, which is expected to pass in early 2023, will be introduced to target harmful online content.

It will be far reaching for online businesses and services, including social media sites and ecommerce marketplaces. Organisations which fail to protect its users, even from user-generated content, will be scrutinised by a new regulator and could face fines for any breaches.

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It will also aim to protect children online. This includes preventing access to adult sites and introducing a legal duty of care to protect them from issues such as cyber bullying.

Voter ID

Voter ID has become a controversial topic, with some claiming that it will disenfranchise those with no identification documents from voting in elections. However, a new requirement to provide ID to vote will be introduced in 2023.

Voters must take any valid form of photo ID to the polling station in order to cast their vote in future elections. Valid ID’s include photographic driving licences, passports, biometric immigration documents and some concessionary travel passes.

Pavement parking

Parking is always a contentious subject for drivers, road users and pedestrians alike. But in 2023, Scotland will become the first full UK nation to introduce a ban on pavement parking.

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The measure, which prohibits cars and vehicles from parking on any pavement space, is said to improve accessibility to pavements for pedestrians, including families with prams and wheelchair users. It has already been introduced in London, with the England likely to follow suit in the future.

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