With the new tax year, April sees updates that may have an effect on your business if you employ staff.
Various award limits and statutory benefits will increase but the key changes are;
National Minimum Wage increase
On April 1st 2022 the new rates of MNW are;
- £8.91 to £9.50 for workers aged 23 and over (the national living wage);
- £8.36 to £9.18 for workers aged 21 or 22;
- £6.56 to £6.83 for workers aged 18 to 20;
- £4.62 to £4.81 for workers aged under 18 who are no longer of compulsory school age; and
- £4.30 to £4.81 for apprentices under 19, or over 19 and in the first year of the apprenticeship.
Employers must ensure that new rates are calculated for working on the 1st April and afterwards if this falls between your pay period.
Statutory family-related and sick pay
From the 3rd April 2022, the statutory maternity, adoption, paternity, shared parental and parental bereavement pay increases to £156.66 while the rate of statutory sick pay rises to £99.35 per week from the 6th April 2022.
Redundancy pay limits
The maximum limit for weekly pay calculation will be £571 from the 6th April 2022 for those that qualify for redundancy payments.
Flexible apprenticeships
From April 2022 an apprentice may change their employer and complete a series of alternative English three month flexible apprenticeships that individually last a minimum of three months and combine to complete the required 12 month course.
Right to work checks
The temporary measure of verifying right to work documents has been extended to the end September 2022 as was due to end in April 2022. There are also changes to the biometric online service where physical documents will no longer be accepted.