Five new UK laws could be set to come into force from September and beyond with new legislation affecting different aspects of life either being considered or being made into law this month.

Each month, parliament will consider proposed new bills and law changes with new rules surrounding driving, bereavement and more being considered in September.

Here is all you need to know about confirmed and potential law changes in September, and the months following, affecting areas across the UK.

Bereavement support in the UK

The Bereavement Support Payment programme is being extended in September. The government support scheme will allow unmarried, cohabiting couples with children to make a claim from September 2022.

The scheme was previously only available to married couples.

In November, a spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “This legislative change is in progress to enable more families to access support during the most difficult of times and will face full parliamentary scrutiny. Once approved by Parliament, payments could be backdated to 30 August 2018.”

New clean air zones in the UK

Also known as Low Emission Zones, several cities across the UK have introduced this ruling to help the air quality in the local area, as well as reducing harmful emissions. 

The latest clean air zone will begin on 26 September in Bradford. Manchester introduced the scheme at the end of May, with Bristol and Newcastle following suit this summer. Scottish cities such as Dundee, Aberdeen and Edinburgh will also introduce Clean Air Zones in the next few years.  

Depending on the type of vehicle and how old it is, drivers will be charged a fee for travelling within the Clean Air Zone.  

Data Protection Bill

The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill 2022-23 is set to have its second reading in the House of Commons on 5 September 2022.

punishments under new data law proposals published by the Government.

The Data Reform Bill is suggesting that fines for nuisance calls and texts will rise from the current maximum of £500,000 to either four per cent of global turnover or £17.5 million, whichever is greater.

The Government said the aim of the Bill was to revamp the UK’s data laws for the digital age and take advantage of the UK having left the European Union by streamlining the aspects of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which was introduced in the EU and the UK four years ago.

Online safety bill

The Online Safety Bill’s passage through Parliament is set to be delayed until a new prime minister is in place in the autumn.

Hailed as groundbreaking regulation of the tech sector, the aim of the Online Safety Bill is to introduce rules to social media and other user-generated content-based sites that compel them to remove illegal material from their platforms, with a particular emphasis on protecting children from harmful content.

In addition, the largest platforms – such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – will have to tackle named forms of “legal but harmful” content, which could include issues such as promoting self-harm or eating disorders.

Cyclists number plates

Although unconfirmed, Cyclists may have to get number plates and insurance for their bikes under new laws.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is also considering new measures that would mean cyclists have to abide by 20mph speed limits or face penalties.

Shapps has backed the proposed changes which include new laws that could see cyclists being given licence penalty points or fines for breaking speed limits or running red lights.

He told MailOnline:  “Somewhere where cyclists are actually not breaking the law is when they speed, and that cannot be right, so I absolutely propose extending speed limit restrictions to cyclists.

“Particularly where you’ve got 20mph limits on increasing numbers of roads, cyclists can easily exceed those, so I want to make speed limits apply to cyclists.

“That obviously does then lead you into the question of: ‘Well, how are you going to recognise the cyclist? Do you need registration plates and insurance? And that sort of thing.’

“So I’m proposing there should be a review of insurance and how you actually track cyclists who do break the laws.”