Yahoo News The new laws for 2024 - and how they could affect you
The new year will see various new laws as well as changes to others, covering everything from driving to employment, and the ownership of one breed of dogs.
The arrival of a new year always brings plenty of changes - and the law is no exception.
From 1 January and scattered throughout 2024, all sorts of laws are due to change, or be introduced, covering everything from driving to employment.
One of the most controversial will see changes to the rules around XL Bully dogs, which have been added to the list of dangerous dogs following a series of attacks.
Other laws include changes to driving regulations, such as potential variations to the eyesight test carried out during your driving test, as well as changes for HGV drivers in London.
The world of work will also see some legal changes, with new laws around employment covering flexible working, as well as various kinds of leave, plus protections for zero-hours workers, set to come into play during 2024.
New driving laws coming into effect in 2024
Various new laws will affect motorists in 2024, as well as car manufacturers. Those could include changes to the Driving & Vehicle Standards Agency's (DVSA) eyesight test during a driving test.
As things stand, passing the eyesight test requires you to read a number place from 20m away, but the DVSA is looking at whether that should be changed to something more flexible and also whether drivers' should be tested in different light levels.
HGV drivers could also face changes to rules in London in a bid to reduce deaths and injuries on the capital's roads.
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They could include plans by Transport for London (TfL) to introduce a direct vision standard (DVS) and safety permit scheme that would mean HGVs have to have a safety permit before entering most of Greater London. Vehicles would be given a star rating based on their DVS which measures how much of the road and surroundings the driver can see through the cab windows.
Laws around fuel duty are also set to change - with the freeze on the duty due to end in March 2024. We're likely to find out more in the spring budget. Meanwhile, from 1 January, car manufacturers will need at least 22% of their car sales and 10% of their van sales to be fully electric or otherwise face fines.
The future of e-scooters on the roads could also be decided in 2024, with a trial by Transport for London (TfL) that started in June 2021 set to end on 31 May.
New employment laws coming into effect in 2024
Changes to employment will affect people across the UK in 2024, covering areas including flexible working, family leave and even harassment in the workplace.
According to law firm Warner Goodman, 2024 will see procedural changes to flexible working requests, allowing employees to make flexible working requests without being required to set out how their request may affect their employer’s business.
From 6 April 2024, employees will also be able to make a flexible working request from day one of employment, whereas previously they needed at least 26 weeks employment before making a formal request.
'Atypical' workers - which includes agency workers and those on zero-hour contracts - will also see new rights around their terms and conditions of work, though those aren't expected to come into force until September 2024.
Other changes will cover the responsibility on employers to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, due to come into force in October, as well as new forms of family leave to help carers. A new law will also safeguard those who are pregnant or have recently returned from parental leave by giving them priority status for redeployment opportunities in instances of redundancies.
The safeguards introduced by the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023 will apply to any maternity and adoption leave ending on, or after 6 April 2024.
Other laws coming into effect in 2024
Elsewhere, other law changes include an increase in the salary threshold needed to sponsor a loved one for a visa. The government initially wanted to change the minimum income requirement (MIR) - for a spouse or partner visa - which is the minimum salary a British citizen or settled migrant must earn for a relative or loved one to join them from £18,600 to £38,700 as part of reforms to the migration system. But after a backlash, that rise will now go to £29,000.
One well-known law change for 2024 is around the XL bully dog after the government decided to add it to the dangerous dogs lists following a spate of attacks. New rules make it illegal to breed, sell, advertise, exchange, gift, rehome, abandon or allow XL bully dogs to stray in England and Wales. The dogs must also be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.
By 1 February 2024, owners are expected to have registered their XL bullies on the index of exempted dogs. From that date it will be illegal to own an XL bully that is not registered on the index.
