The UK government has launched the Employment Rights Bill to make work fairer for everyone. This bill aims to improve workers' rights in terms of pay, job security, and flexible working conditions. It's a major part of the Labor Department's "Plan to Make Work Pay," and it could significantly change payroll management in the UK as businesses may need to adapt to new rules. Before it becomes law, it needs to pass both chambers of Parliament, and it might get some tweaks along the way.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) calls these changes the biggest shift in employment law in decades and welcomes the bill’s goals.
Alongside this, the UK Autumn Budget 2024 brings important updates that will affect payroll processing, HR, and training costs. This is a chance for business owners to see how these changes will impact their day-to-day operations, finances, and how they manage their teams.
Here are some key points from the Employment Rights Bill:
- Banning exploitative zero-hours contracts: Ensuring workers get fair contracts with guaranteed hours.
- Ending fire and rehire practices: Protecting employees against wrongful termination and rehire on less advantageous terms.
- Basic employment rights from day one: Introducing safeguards against wrongful termination, parental leave, and paternity benefits.
- Statutory probation period: A new period for new hires to ensure suitability for the role, with the government's preference being nine months.
- Strengthening statutory sick pay: Removing the lower earnings limit and eliminating the waiting period before sick pay starts.
- Establishing a Fair Work Agency: Enforcing holiday pay and supporting employers to comply with the law.
This bill aims to replace outdated employment laws, boosting pay and productivity, with modern legislation. It's a significant step toward making work pay and the largest improvement to workers' rights in a generation.
What This Means for Employees
- Basic rights from day one: More security and fair treatment from the start of a new job.
- Ending unfair practices: Stopping exploitative contracts and unfair dismissals.
- A fairer, more flexible workplace: Promoting gender equality and making flexible work arrangements the norm where feasible.
- Support through life's challenges: Stronger protections for pregnant workers, new mothers, and those going through menopause.
These amendments will make workplaces more equitable and adaptable by ensuring rights like holiday pay are upheld by the new Fair Work Agency. This helps businesses save money on hiring and boosts the economy in addition to keeping people in their jobs longer.
1. Employer National Insurance Contributions (NIC) Set to Rise
The increase in Employer National Insurance Contributions (NIC) is one of the largest and most prominent changes in the Autumn Budget 2024. Starting in April 2025, the employer NIC rate will rise from 13.8% to 15%. In addition, the threshold at which employers begin paying NIC will fall from £9,100 to £5,000. As more employees qualify for contributions at the lower threshold, this implies that many businesses will have to pay higher NICs.
How Will This Affect Your Business?
If you have employees earning more than £5,000, you’ll need to account for these additional NIC costs in your UK payroll budget. For example, if you have 10 employees earning £25,000 each, here’s how the NIC increase could impact on your payroll costs:
- Current NIC Costs: For an employee earning £25,000, NIC = (£25,000 − £9,100) × 13.8% = £2,194. Total NIC for 10 employees = £21,940.
- NIC Costs from April 2025: For an employee earning £25,000, NIC = (£25,000 − £5,000) × 15% = £3,000. Total NIC for 10 employees = £30,000.
- Increase in NIC Costs: £30,000 − £21,940 = £8,060 annually, or an additional £671.67 per month.
This substantial increase means employers need to budget for higher payroll costs starting in 2025. Preparing for these changes well in advance can help mitigate the financial impact and allow for smoother transitions.
2. Employment Allowance Increased
The Employment Allowance will double from £5,000 to £10,500 starting in April 2025 in response to the NIC increases. This allowance offers NIC relief to smaller businesses, and significantly, the current £100,000 cap on eligibility will be removed, allowing even more businesses to qualify for the relief.
How This Helps Your Business
If we take the same example of 10 employees earning £25,000 each, here’s how the increased Employment Allowance can offset your NIC costs:
Current NIC Bill without Allowance: £21,940
- NIC Bill with £5,000 Allowance: £16,940
- NIC Bill with £10,500 Allowance: £11,440
- Savings from New Allowance: £16,940 − £11,440 = £5,500 in savings
This increase in the Employment Allowance provides much -needed relief, potentially saving thousands of pounds. These savings can be reinvested into your business or used to cushion the impact of the rising NIC rate. This shift may be especially advantageous for small businesses, giving them greater freedom in financial planning and budget allocation.
3. Growth and Skills Levy: Flexibility for Training
The Growth and Skills Levy is a new initiative that replaces the previous apprenticeship levy. Businesses that need to fill specific skill gaps or have seasonal employees will greatly benefit from this levy's increased flexibility, which enables them to finance short-term, skill-specific training.
How It Works
If you own a retail business and need to train seasonal employees for the busy holiday season, the Growth and Skills Levy can fund short-term training programs tailored to meet those specific seasonal requirements. This enables your company to adjust to evolving demands without having to commit to lengthy training initiatives.
What You Can Do
- Identify Key Skill Gaps: Focus on areas where short-term training could have an immediate impact, such as customer service, sales, or compliance. By targeting specific skills that need enhancement, businesses can ensure their workforce is well-prepared for peak periods.
- Partner with Training Providers: Many providers are already prepared for the new levy and can design training programs that meet your business’s needs. The payroll process for the UK can be streamlined and high-quality training can be delivered ensured by forming alliances with respectable training organizations.
This approach not only addresses immediate training needs but also promotes a culture of continuous learning and development within the organization, fostering employee growth and retention.
4. Mandatory Digital Reporting for Benefits in Kind (BIKs)
Beginning in April 2025, businesses will be mandated to report Benefits in Kind (BIKs) including company cars, private healthcare, and gym memberships—digitally through the payroll software. By improving the accuracy of tax collection and streamlining the reporting processes, this change is designed to make it easier for companies to comply with tax regulations.
What You Need to Do
If your business currently tracks BIKs manually, you’ll need to upgrade your payroll software for United Kingdom to handle digital reporting. Benefits will be deducted from employees' paychecks, making it easier for employees to manage their tax payments over the course of the year rather than receiving a large tax bill at the end.
Practical Steps
• Upgrade Payroll Software: Verify if your payroll application for the UK supports digital BIK reporting. If it doesn't, this is the perfect time to explore other options. Enhancing overall efficiency can be achieved by investing in modern payroll software that works seamlessly with current systems.
• Simplify Benefits: Simplifying complicated benefits improves regulatory payment compliance in the UK by making them easier to monitor digitally. It also reduces the administrative burden, making benefits clearer and more manageable for the staff to understand. The ultimate goal of digital reporting is to reduce administrative expenses and enhance transparency in benefits administration, profiting both employers and employees.
5. Other Key Budget Changes
In addition to these key changes, there are other important updates from the Autumn Budget 2024:
• National Minimum and Living Wage Increases: Beginning in April of next year, workers aged 21 and older will receive a 6.7% increase in the National Living Wage, from £11.44 to £12.21 per hour. For those aged 18-20, the National Minimum Wage will rise from £8.60 to £10 per hour. Apprentices will see their pay jump from £6.40 to £7.55 per hour.
• Carer’s Allowance Increase: The Carer’s Allowance will rise to match 16 hours at the National Living Wage, allowing working carers to earn over £10,000 annually while still receiving the allowance.
• Capital Gains Tax Increase: Capital Gains
Conclusion
Payroll and employment law are expected to undergo major changes as a result of the UK government's Employment Rights Bill and Autumn Budget 2024. The bill is designed to strengthen workers' rights and could have a big impact on payroll management in the UK.
Two key changes include the introduction of mandatory digital reporting for Benefits in Kind (BIK) and a rise in Employer National Insurance Contributions (NIC). Businesses have the chance to adjust and improve their operations as a result of these changes.
To successfully navigate these changes and ensure both compliance and operational efficiency, businesses will need to stay informed and take a proactive approach in adjusting their strategies.
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