With the New Year now here, countless Brits have been swept up in parties, family gatherings and various other festive celebrations. However, it’s probably worth keeping an eye out for four important rule changes, as they could affect you from as early as January 8.
Vape bans, travel regulations and even different bin rules are among the various different initiatives to be rolled out in 2025. It might seem overwhelming, but don’t panic – we’ve summarised four crucial changes and what they might mean for you.
1. National Living Wage boost
More than three million workers will benefit from a 6.7% boost to the National Minimum Wage next year, following an announcement from Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The wage is set to rise to £12.21 from April 2025 – equating to an extra £1,400 every year.
Workers aged between 18 and 20 will also experience a historic wage increase, jumping up from £8.60 per hour to £10.00 per hour. Speaking on the minimum wage boost in October, Reeves said: “This Government promised a genuine living wage for working people.
“This pay boost for millions of workers is a significant step towards delivering on that promise.” Similarly, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds added: “Good work and fair wages are in the interest of British business as much as British workers.
“This Government is changing people’s lives for the better because we know that investing in the workforce leads to better productivity, better resilience and ultimately a stronger economy primed for growth.”
2. Bin collection changes
In November, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) outlined a major new change in England’s recycling requirements. It alleged that it had ‘inherited legislation’ from the previous Government that would see households ‘have up to seven bins’, but it no longer wanted to put this ‘unnecessary burden’ on people and businesses.
In a ministerial statement, DEFRA said: “We are simplifying the rules to make recycling easier for people in England, while stimulating growth and maximising environmental benefits. Simpler Recycling will enable consistent, more streamlined collections from all households, businesses and relevant non-domestic premises (such as schools and hospitals).
“Local authorities and other waste collectors will be able to co-collect some waste streams by default meaning that they will no longer need to collect 7 separate streams. These common-sense changes will not lead to the proliferation of bins but will ensure the same set of materials are collected everywhere in England.”
So what does that mean for you? By the end of the financial year, falling on April 5, 2025, DEFRA is aiming to deliver new funding to local authorities for weekly food and waste collections for households.
By March 31, businesses and several other non-domestic premises in England will also need to ‘arrange for the collection of the core recyclable waste streams’. This includes glass, metal, plastic, paper and card, and food waste, but excludes garden waste.
2. National Living Wage boost
More than three million workers will benefit from a 6.7% boost to the National Minimum Wage next year, following an announcement from Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The wage is set to rise to £12.21 from April 2025 – equating to an extra £1,400 every year.
Workers aged between 18 and 20 will also experience a historic wage increase, jumping up from £8.60 per hour to £10.00 per hour. Speaking on the minimum wage boost in October, Reeves said: “This Government promised a genuine living wage for working people.
“This pay boost for millions of workers is a significant step towards delivering on that promise.” Similarly, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds added: “Good work and fair wages are in the interest of British business as much as British workers.
“This Government is changing people’s lives for the better because we know that investing in the workforce leads to better productivity, better resilience and ultimately a stronger economy primed for growth.”
3. Vaping ban
A ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes will come into force in England on June 1, 2025. These non-rechargeable and non-refillable products were a subject of great concern among MPs this year, as they are often immediately thrown out in general waste, flooding the streets in litter.
In October, Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “Single-use vapes are extremely wasteful and blight our towns and cities. That is why we are banning single use vapes as we end this nation’s throwaway culture.
“This is the first step on the road to a circular economy, where we use resources for longer, reduce waste, accelerate the path to net-zero and create thousands of jobs across the country.”
Meanwhile, Libby Peake, head of resources at Green Alliance, also added: “Disposable vapes are the last thing our children and the planet need, and for too long the market for them has been allowed to grow unchecked. Every single one wastes resources that are critical to a more sustainable economy – like lithium, needed for the batteries that power electric cars.
“When they’re littered, the nicotine, plastic and batteries they contain are all extremely harmful. Even when they’re put in a bin, their batteries can catch fire. The government is right to ban these harmful devices – it’s a welcome step in the journey towards an economy where waste is reduced by design.”
On a separate note, Chancellor Rachel Reeves also confirmed a hike in Tobacco Duty as part of the Autumn Budget. This duty is a charge slapped on businesses supplying or importing cigarettes into the UK.
As of October 30, Reeves said the Government intended to continue with the Tobacco Duty escalator at a rate of Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 2% for the duration of the parliament. A further 10% surge in duty on hand-rolled tobacco also came into effect.
4. UK travel pass changes
If you’ve got family and friends living abroad, you might want to let them in on this one. Both European and non-European travellers will need to have electronic travel authorisation (ETA) from 2025 to travel to the UK.
For non-Europeans, this comes into effect on January 8, before the scheme is later opened to ‘eligible Europeans’ from March 5. Then, from April, it will also be compulsory for Europeans to have the ETA too.
Visitors can apply for the ETA by using an app or heading to the GOV.UK website. It will cost £10 for a two-year pass which permits multiple journies.
However, if your passport expires before the two-year period concludes, the ETA will also expire. Crucially, the Home Office asserts that it is not a visa, but ‘digital permission’ to travel.
Last month, Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra MP, explained: “This expansion of ETA is a significant step forward in delivering a border that’s efficient and fit for the digital age.
“Through light-touch screening before people step foot in the UK, we will keep our country safe while ensuring visitors have a smooth travel experience.”