April 2024

Changes to pay, benefits and employment laws are coming into effect this April.

National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage

The National Living Wage (NLW) for adults aged 21 and over will increase to 11.44. This also means that the NLW now applies to all over 21, not just over-23s.

The revised hourly National Minimum Wage rates that also take effect on 1 April 2024 are:

• Workers aged 18-20: 8.60
• Workers aged 16-17: 6.40
• Apprentices: 6.40

Increased benefit rates for 2024-25

From 6 April 2024, Statutory Sick Pay will increase from 109.40 to 116.75 per week.
From 7 April 2024, SMP, SAP, SPP, SPBP and SSPP (Maternity, paternity, etc) will increase from 172.48 to 184.03 per week.

Tribunal compensation limits

New limits on certain Employment Tribunal awards will come into force on 6 April. The two key changes are:

• The limit on the compensatory award for “ordinary” unfair dismissal will increase from 105,707 to 115,115
• The maximum amount of a week’s pay for calculating statutory redundancy payments and the unfair dismissal basic award increases from 643 to 700

These new limits will apply to dismissals that take effect on or after 6 April.

Flexible working

Changes to the flexible working regime come into force. Key changes include making the right to request flexible working a “day one” right (meaning no length of service is required) and allowing employees to make two formal requests in any 12-month period, not just one. 

Greater protection from redundancy for pregnant women and parents

The current redundancy protection period for women on maternity leave is being extended to include pregnancy and for 18 months after childbirth. Similar enhanced protection will apply for those returning from adoption leave and shared parental leave.

Carer’s leave

A new statutory right to take one week’s unpaid carer’s leave per year for the purpose of caring for a dependant with a long-term care need.