New Regulations to Fix Previous Flaws in Domestic Abuse Law

The UK government has issued a new set of regulations aimed at fixing defects in previous statutory instruments related to domestic abuse legislation. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (Commencement No. 9 and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2025, effective from 23rd April 2025, are being distributed free of charge to all recipients of the flawed instruments, ensuring they have the most accurate and current legal framework.

Key Updates

• Scope and Application: These regulations apply to England and Wales, specifically targeting regions including the Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Denbighshire, Flintshire, and the county boroughs of Conwy and Wrexham.

• Commencement of Part 3: Part 3 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, which deals with new powers for handling domestic abuse, will be in force from 28th April 2025 until 26th November 2025 in these specified areas. However, section 55, related to the repeal of existing domestic violence protection notices and orders, is not included in this activation.

• Continuation and Saving Provisions: The regulations ensure that any domestic abuse protection notices (DAPNs) or orders (DAPOs) in effect before the end of the specified period will continue to operate in the aforementioned regions. This includes ongoing applications or proceedings related to these protections.

• Correction of Previous Defects: The new regulations address and rectify errors found in earlier statutory instruments (S.I. 2024/1 191 and S.I. 2025/319) by omitting flawed saving provisions.

Impact Assessment

An impact assessment specifically for these regulations hasn't been published, as they are not expected to have a significant effect on private, voluntary, or public sectors. However, the broader impact of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, including aspects related to DAPOs, has been previously assessed, and this information is available from the Ministry of Justice.

Background

These regulations are part of a series of steps to implement the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, aimed at enhancing the protection and support for victims of domestic abuse. Earlier regulations had already commenced various sections of the Act at different times, and this latest update ensures the legal framework is both current and comprehensive.

For more detailed information, stakeholders and interested parties can access the full text of the regulations and related impact assessments online or through the Ministry of Justice.