April 2019 changes in Employment law

All employers and payroll providers should be aware of increases to auto-enrolment contributions, minimum wage rates and various statutory payments from this April.

02 Apr 2019
Jane Amphlett

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Jane Amphlett | Partner, Head of Employment

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Auto-enrolment changes

From 6 April, the minimum employer contribution will increase to 3% of qualifying earnings and worker contributions will increase to 5% of qualifying earnings.

National living wage and national minimum wage increases from 1 April 2019

National living wage (workers aged 25 and over)

 £8.21 per hour
National minimum wage (workers aged 21 – 24)

£7.70 per hour
National minimum wage (workers aged 18 – 20)

£6.15 per hour
National minimum wage (workers under 18)

£4.35 per hour
National minimum wage (apprentice rate)

£3.90 per hour

Increases to statutory payments from 6 April 2019

  • The maximum compensation award for unfair dismissal will be the lower of £86,444 or 52 weeks' salary.
  • The maximum week's pay for calculating unfair dismissal basic awards and statutory redundancy payments will increase to £525.
  • Statutory sick pay will increase to £94.25 per week
  • From 7 April 2019, statutory maternity pay, paternity pay, shared parental pay and adoption pay will increase to £148.68 per week.

Also from 6 April 2019, all workers will be entitled to receive an itemised payslip (currently this right applies only to employees) and workers who receive an hourly rate will be entitled to receive an itemised payslip showing the number of hours for which they have been paid.

Jane Amphlett

Get in touch

Jane Amphlett | Partner Head of Employment

View Profile

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