Employment Law HR Update: April 2026 Changes to Minimum Wage, SSP and Family Leave
April has brought a number of important Employment Law changes for employers, with updates affecting Minimum Wage, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), family leave, redundancy pay and recordkeeping requirements. As part of the wider reforms many employers will associate with the Employee Rights Bill agenda, these changes create new obligations and potential risks for businesses if they are not prepared. From payroll […]
Global Asbestos Awareness Week
Global Asbestos Awareness Week is held every year between the 1st and 7th April. The awareness week was established in 2004 by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organisation (ADAO) to educate the public about the risks of asbestos exposure and to advocate for a global ban on the six types of asbestos fibre. Blue and brown asbestos were […]
New Statutory Rates Rises
The Government has set out its proposed new statutory rates for statutory sick pay and family leave pay to apply from 6th April 2026. The average gross weekly earnings required to qualify for the various forms of family leave pay is proposed to increase from £125.00 or more per week, to £129.00 or more per week from 6th April […]
Party Poppers or Party Poopers?
Christmas will soon be upon us: decorations, secret Santa’s and office parties! A celebration and fun for some but a potential nightmare for the unwary. Here is a reminder of a few pointers that may help you through the festive period and avoid some HR and Health and Safety pitfalls. Christmas Decorations – A Few […]
National Living Wage & National Minimum Wage Rises
Below is a summary of the changes to the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage increases announced in November that take effect on 1st April 2026. Access more support For more advice surrounding this, or any further HR support, learn more about our HR services or talk to our team.
The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025
The aim of the above new Act is to simplify data protection matters for organisations, whilst continuing to protect individuals and their rights. The DUAA makes changes to subject access request (SAR) obligations; and creates a new Information Commission (previously the ICO) powers and complaint-handling duties. Further guidance and codes of conduct are expected throughout […]
Employment Rights Bill – Update
The Employment Rights Bill is progressing towards the end of its passage through Parliament (the Lords Report stage starts on 14th July); and the Government has published its ‘roadmap’ for implementing its provisions. We summarise below some of the key issues on the horizon. Consultations The Government are going to consult on the following: Summer 2025 Autumn 2025 Consultation […]
Hand Arm Vibrations (HAVS)
Do your employees/workers use hand tools such as routers, hand held saws, drills, staplers, air operated screwdrivers etc. or materials held against a vibrating object which vibrates through that object e.g. routing in the woodwork room? If yes: Have you put measures in place to protect employees from the risks of hand arm vibration (HAV’s)? […]
Employment Rights Bill – New Legislation
Following the publication of the new Employment Rights Bill last year, we sent out an Information update in November 2024 detailing the headline reforms proposed by the Bill. As stressed at the time ‘this is not law yet! It is still going through the law-making machinery and is still subject to change. Fast forward 6 months […]
East Yorkshire Firm Fined More Than £533,000 After Fatal Fall of Shift Worker
An East Yorkshire company has been prosecuted and fined more than half a million pounds after a fatal fall of night shift worker. The Facts The 51-year-old was an employee at a manufacturer of paper sacks near York, when the incident happened on 11th February 2023. The employee had been operating one of the company’s production […]