Alterations to UK Workplace Regulations | April 2024
It is important for both workers and employers to keep informed and prepared for the upcoming changes in employment law, as there will be numerous amendments taking effect on 6 April 2024.
What’s Changed
1)Beginning on April 6, 2024, employees will have the option to request flexible working arrangements from the start of a new job. Employers will now have a shorter period of two months, as opposed to the previous three, to review and reply to these requests.
2)From April 6, 2024, employees will have the right to take unpaid leave to provide care for a ‘dependent’ or make arrangements for their care.
A medical condition, whether physical or mental, that requires care for a period longer than three months.
– a condition that qualifies as a disability under the Equality Act 2010
The elderly require care due to their advanced age.
3) From April 6, 2024, pregnant employees who have not yet started their maternity leave will be protected from redundancy. This protection will also extend to employees who have recently returned to work after maternity leave, adoption leave, or at least six weeks of shared parental leave.
4) Unfair dismissal – The government has announced the new compensation limits for awards in the employment tribunal and other statutory payments in ‘The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2024’, which will be enforced starting from 6 April 2024. This applies to employees in England, Scotland, and Wales.
The highest amount of compensation awarded for wrongful dismissal ranges from £105,707 to £115,115.
– The cap for calculating redundancy pay based on a week’s pay has been raised from £643 to £700.
The minimum amount of compensation awarded for certain types of unfair dismissal has increased from £7,836 to £8,533.
5) Claims involving whistleblowing and discrimination will now see compensation for emotional distress, known as the Vento bands, ranging from £1,200 to £58,700, without a maximum limit.
6) Starting on April 6, 2024, the highest weekly payment an employee can receive for statutory redundancy pay in England, Scotland, and Wales will rise from £643 to £700.
7) The standard rate for Statutory Sick Pay is £109.40 per week, which will increase to £116.75 from 6 April 2024. This payment can be received for up to 28 weeks. Eligible employees or workers can claim Statutory Sick Pay for the days they would typically work, with the exclusion of the first 3 days.
8) Effective April 6, 2024, the weekly rates for statutory maternity pay, paternity pay, adoption pay, shared parental pay, and parental bereavement pay will rise from GBP 172.48 to GBP 184.03.
9)In 2024, the National Living Wage has increased to £11.44 per hour, a 10% increase from the previous year’s rate of £10.42. Additionally, the age at which individuals qualify for the National Living Wage has been lowered from 23 to 21 and over.
10)From April 2024, there will be changes to the payments and awards in Northern Ireland Employment Law.
It is important for both employees and employers to stay informed and prepared for the upcoming changes in employment law that will take effect on 6 April 2024.
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