2021 was another year of tackling COVID-19. We also learned about navigating business with furlough ending, Changes to the off-payroll tax legislation, flexible working, and going in and out of restrictions. As we make our way through 2022, we have even more UK Employment Law Changes to take note of.
We started the new year with a new variant meaning more restrictions and uncertainty. This has brought back other challenges including how to manage home-working, planning for business continuity, redundancies and ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of your employees.
As we get closer to ‘normality’, it’s important to keep a track of these changes, so you can understand your responsibilities.
National Minimum Wage & National Living Wage
From 1st April 2022, the National Living Wage will increase from £8.91 to £9.50 which is a 6.6% percent increase.
The National Minimum Wage will also change from 1st April. These increases include:
- 21 – 22 year old rate:
- Current rate: £8.36
- Rate from 1st April: £9.18
- 18 – 20 year-old rate
- Current rate: £6.56
- Rate from 1st April: £6.83
- 16-17 Year Old Rate:
- Current Rate: £4.62
- Rate from 1st April: £4.81
- Apprentice Rate:
- Current rate: £4.30
- Rate from 1st April: £4.81
- Accommodation Offset:
- Current rate: £8.36
- Rate from 1st April: £8.70
These changes are fast approaching so it’s important you put everything in place to make this increase before 1st April.
Statutory Sick Pay
It’s important to note that the same weekly Statutory Sick Pay rate applies to all employees. However, the daily rate you need to pay staff for each day they’re off work due to illness is dependent on the amount of ‘qualifying days’ they work every week. You can use the Statutory Sick Pay calculator on the Government website to work this out.
SSP is as follows:
Maternity, Paternity, and Adoption
The updated rates for maternity, paternity, and adoption are as follows:
Statutory Maternity Pay
- The weekly rate for the first 6 weeks is 90% of your employee’s average weekly pay.
- The weekly rate for the remaining weeks is £156.66 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings (whichever is lower)
Statutory Paternity Pay
- The weekly rate is £156.66 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings (whichever is lower)
Statutory Adoption Pay
- The weekly rate for the first 6 weeks is 90% of your employee’s average weekly pay.
- The weekly rate for the remaining weeks is £156.66 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings (whichever is lower)
Statutory Shared Parental Pay
- The weekly rate is £156.66 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings (whichever is lower)
Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
- The weekly rate is £156.66 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings (whichever is lower)
These updated rates will be a legal requirement from 3rd April 2022.
The Extra Bank Holiday
There will be an extra public holiday on 3rd June 2022 to celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee. The late May bank holiday has been moved to 2nd June to give workers a four-day weekend.
As with all bank holidays, this can be added onto the employees leave entitlement and taken at a later date if this how you currently operate. The additional bank holiday should be treated and used in the same way as existing bank holidays. Find out if your employees are entitled to the extra bank holiday by reading our latest blog.
You can find out about employment law changes on the government website. If you would like support implementing these updates, contact us now on 01383 668 178.