As usual, there are a number of changes that take place in April 2024. Here is a run through of the changes and what they could mean for your business.

National Minimum/Living Wage

The big change here is that the National Living Wage will apply to anyone aged 21 and over. This is a reduction from it being 23 and over. This is a good time to ensure that you review all of your pay rates and communicate the changes to your team.

• Age 21 and over – £11.44 per hour
• Age 18-20 – £8.60 per hour
• Age 18 and under – £6.40 per hour
• Apprentices – £6.40 per hour.

Assuming a 35-hour working week, that makes annual salaries of £20, 820.80, £15,652.00 and £11 648.00 as you follow the hourly rates down the page.

From 1st April, live-in domestic workers will also receive the above rates. 

Flexible Working

There are several changes within this piece of legislation:

• An employee can apply for flexible working on day one of employment. The 26-week service period has been removed.
• A maximum of 2 requests can be made in 12 months.
• Employers will have to respond within 2 months in place of the current 3-month timescale
• Employees no longer have to explain the effects for the employer or how those effects might be dealt with.

Carers Leave

This is a completely new right. Anyone with caring responsibilities can have up to a week of unpaid leave. This week can be taken in part or whole days and doesn’t have to be consecutive.

Holiday Calculations

The rules around this are changing. Any leave year starting on or after 1st April 2024 and those with part-year or irregular hours workers will be able to calculate holiday entitlement using the 12.07% method.

Redundancy protections

Currently, before making employees on maternity leave, shared parental leave or adoption leave redundant, employers are obliged to offer them suitable alternative employment where it exists in priority to anyone else who is provisionally selected for redundancy.

From 6 April 2024, this right will also apply during pregnancy and for an 18-month period after taking relevant leave (additional protected period).