Sep 2017
26
42 Year Low in UK Unemployment
The UK's unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level since 1975, according to official figures which also show a growing gap between price rises and wage growth. The unemployment rate fell to 4.3% in the three months to July, down from 4.4% in the previous quarter and 4.9% a year earlier.
The employment rate, which measures the proportion of people aged 16- 64 in work, hit 75.3% - the highest since comparable records began in 1971. In total, there are 32.1 million people at work in the UK, according to the figures, or 181,000 more than the previous quarter.
While that performance suggests the labour market is continuing to shrug off uncertainties and other headwinds in the wake of the Brexit vote, the figures also highlighted a worsening squeeze for family budgets. It is also reported that average wage growth remained static at an annual rate of 2.1% over the same three months. With inflation coming in at 2.9%, the real value of wage growth is falling.
May 2017
29
Hiring An Apprentice:
If you are considering employing an apprentice there are some things you should know:
- An apprentice will be aged 16 or over
- An apprentice must be paid at least the minimum wage for their age
- An apprentice must work with experienced staff, learn job specific skills and study for a work based qualification during the working week
- An apprentice must work for at least 16 hours per week and will usually work for 30 hours
- An apprentice must be paid for time spent training or studying
- An apprentice must be provided with the same conditions as other employees i.e. paid holiday, sick pay and any benefits such as childcare voucher schemes.
If you employ an apprentice you may be eligible for an apprenticeship grant of £1,500 if you have less than 50 employees and your apprentice is aged between 16 and 24.
If you are providing the training you can apply for training funding to cover some or all of the training costs. Further information is available on the HMRC website.
Employers who have an apprentice will not be required to pay employers National Insurance Contributions (NICs) on their earnings if they are under 25, earning below £45,000 and on an approved UK government apprenticeship. National Insurance category ‘H’ is to be used for apprentices under 25 in qualifying circumstances.
Mar 2016
17
Increase in National Minimum Wage from 1st October 2016
The Low Pay Commission's (LPC) recommendations for the rates of the minimum wage for employees under 25 and apprentices has been accepted by the Government and this take effects from 1st October 2016.
These include:
21-24 year olds £6.95 per hour an increase of 3.7%
Youth Development Rate - 18-20 year olds £5.55 per hour an increase of 4.7%
16-17 Year Old Rate £4.00 per hour
Apprentice Rate £3.40 per hour an increase of 3%
The Government has introduced the National Living Wage of £7.20 per hour for employees over 25 which takes effect on 1st April 2016.
Nov 2014
9
New 2015 Living Wage Rate announced
The UK "living wage" - an hourly rate based on the amount needed to cover the basic costs of living - has been raised by 20p to £7.85, whilst The London Living Wage has been raised from 8.80 an hour to £9.15.
What is the difference between the Living wage and the national minimum wage?
The living wage is an informal benchmark, not a legally enforceable minimum level of pay line the national minimum wage. The national minimum wage is set by the business secretary each year on the advice of the Low Pay Commission. Unlike the living wage, the national minimum wage is enforced by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
The basic idea of the living wage is that these are minimum pay rates needed to let workers lead a decent life.
Does this effect employers?
The living wage is a voluntary wage so employers are not legally obliged to pay it. Nevertheless, it has been adopted by more than 1,000 employers across the country benefitting 25,000 workers. Citizens UK, the community behind the living wage project say that the number of companies paying the rate has doubled in the last year. However, some business groups are not happy with the increase saying some employers might struggle to pay it.
The advice to employers should be to seriously consider the living wage, but only implement it if it is affordable.
Bright Contracts – Employment Contracts and Handbooks.
BrightPay – Payroll & Auto Enrolment Software.
Jun 2014
4
Changes to Holiday Pay Calculations
As we enter the summer holiday season employers need to ensure that they are paying their employees correctly during annual leave.
A recent decision by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) will impact how some annual leave pay is calculated.
Do you pay employee’s commission? Is the commission calculated based on the amount of sales made or actual work carried out? If yes, according to the ECJ, holiday pay should include commission pay.
The decision was made in the case of Locke v British Gas Trading and Others. Locke was a Sales Representative whose commission made up approximately 60% of his remuneration. After taking two weeks leave in 2011, Locke suffered financially as he was unable to generate sales for the period he was on annual leave.
The ECJ ruled that the purpose of annual leave is to allow a worker to enjoy a period of rest and relaxation with sufficient pay. By not including commission payments with holiday pay, employees are less likely to take annual leave so as to avoid financial hardship.
It has been left to the national courts to determine how to calculate the commission to which a worker is entitled, however the court did suggest that taking an average amount of commission earned over a certain period, e.g. the previous 12 months.
Employers are advised to review their commission policies to establish which, if any, payments need to be included in annual leave pay.
