When TS Eliot wrote "April is the cruellest month", we can be sure that he wasn't referring to HR professionals having to get to grips with a raft of changes to employment law. However, every year sees a flurry of announcements in the run-up to 1 April listing increases to employment-related payments, with some legislative developments thrown in as well.

This year is no different. This article summarises the changes and the steps you need to take to be prepared for them.

National minimum wage

Out of all the changes, employers will be most concerned about the imminent increase in payroll costs caused by the national minimum wage rises. 1 April marks the annual increases in the national living wage and the various rates of the national minimum wage, as well as the accommodation offset. For those aged 23 or over, the national living wage increases to 10.42 per hour and the adult rate of the national minimum wage (payable to 21 and 22 year olds) rises to 10.18 per hour.

The increases this year are substantial, amounting to almost 10% across the board, and have been caused by the rise in the rate of inflation. Employers will need to consider how they are going to afford the higher rates of pay, bearing in mind recent calls from the Bank of England not to pass on higher costs to consumers since this will only stoke inflation further. Employers will be hoping that inflation will fall by the end of this year in order to avoid putting further pressure on wages next year.

Statutory...

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