April Update

Welcome to hr2go Consultancy’s April update! 

 

From April 2026, employers will face a fresh wave of employment law changes that will affect day to day HR practice as well as people strategy. 

 

As an HR consultant, my role is to help employers understand what is changing, assess the impact on their contracts, policies and procedures, and implement practical, compliant solutions. 

 

This update will provide a concise overview of the key changes. 

 

💷The hourly rates of the national minimum wage increase: 

•The rate for workers aged 21 or over (the national living wage) increases to £12.71 per hour 

•The rate for workers aged at least 18 but under 21 increases to £10.85 per hour 

•The rate for workers aged 16 to 17 increases to £8.00 

•The apprentice rate increases to £8.00 

 

🫂Statutory maternity pay and other family-related pay rates increase 

from £187.18 to £194.32 per week: 

•statutory maternity pay; 

•statutory paternity pay; 

•statutory adoption pay; 

•statutory shared parental pay; 

•statutory parental bereavement pay; and 

•statutory neonatal care pay. 

The earnings threshold for these benefits increases from £125 to £129. 

 

🫂Removal of qualifying period for paternity leave and ordinary parental leave. Paternity leave of 52 weeks for bereaved partners. 

✔️Update your family friendly policies. 

 

Reform of trade union laws - phase two. The trade union recognition process will be simplified. 

 

🩺The rate of statutory sick pay increases from £118.75 to £123.25 per week. The Act removes the requirement to earn at least the lower earnings limit and the three-day waiting period for workers to be entitled to SSP. 

✔️Review your contract of employment and any sickness absence policies. Speak to your payroll provider to ensure statutory sick pay is paid correctly. 

 

The cap on statutory redundancy pay increases to £751 and employment tribunal award limits increase. 

 

🫷🏼Sexual harassment added to to the list of types of disclosure that qualify for protection under the whistleblowing provisions. 

✔️Update your Whistleblowing Policy. Ensure you understand your duty as an employer to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of your employees in the course of their employment. 

 

Doubling of collective redundancy protective award. The Employment Rights Act 2025 provides for the maximum period of the protective award (payable where an employer fails to comply with its consultation requirements) to be doubled from 90 to 180 days. 

 

✈️Holiday pay and records. There will be an obligation on employers to make and retain records that are "adequate to show" that the employer has complied with its statutory annual leave obligations. Records will need to be kept for at least six years. 

✔️Create, maintain and keep records of statutory annual leave and pay. Look at implementing a cost-effective HRIS like BreatheHR to support you with compliance. 

 

Establishment of Fair Work Agency to enforce employment rights. The Employment Rights Act 2025 establishes a single labour market enforcement body and will incorporate existing agencies, including the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, the National Minimum Wage Unit and the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate. 

 

The new body will be responsible for enforcing rights including: 

☑️The national minimum wage 

☑️Statutory sick pay 

☑️Holiday pay 

☑️Regulations for employment agencies 

☑️Unpaid employment tribunal awards 

☑️The licensing regime for businesses operating as "gangmasters" in certain sectors 

☑️Parts of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 

 

The Agency will be able to issue a notice of underpayment where an employer has failed to pay a statutory payment, including holiday pay and statutory sick pay. This will require payment of an additional penalty, as well as payment of the amount owed to the employee. 

 

It will also have the power to bring employment tribunal claims where it appears that a worker who has the right to bring a claim will not do so. It will have powers to inspect workplaces, issue fines, bring civil proceedings and prosecutions. 

 

Immigration fees increase. Fees payable to the Home Office when recruiting and sponsoring foreign nationals increase. Most of the increases apply from 8 April 2026. The increases are set out in a government document. 

 

This is only a snapshot of what is going on, so if you're unsure what practical steps your business needs to take, and are looking for HR advice and support into 2026 and beyond, give me a call! 

 

hr2go Consultancy is here to support your business with any HR issues or concerns. 

 

If there's any hot topics you'd like to see in May's newsletter, let me know. I'd love to hear from you!