Changes in April, 2022

Few changes coming in April:

• Gender Pay Gap Reporting – by 5th April.
• National Minimum Wage increases on 1st April:

The hourly rates of the minimum wage increase from:

1. £8.91 to £9.50 for workers aged 23 and over (the national living wage).
2. £8.36 to £9.18 for workers aged 21 or 22.
3. £6.56 to £6.83 for workers aged 18 to 20.
4. £4.62 to £4.81 for workers aged under 18 who are no longer of compulsory school age; and
5. £4.30 to £4.81 for apprentices under 19, or over 19 and in the first year of the apprenticeship.

Employers should check their pay rates against the new minimum wage rates and ensure that, where necessary, they increase remuneration for the first pay reference period beginning on or after 1 April 2022.

• Increases to statutory family related pay and sick pay

The weekly rates of statutory maternity, adoption, paternity, shared parental, and parental bereavement pay increase to £156.66, up from £151.97. The increases take effect on the first Sunday in April, which in 2022 is 3 April.

The weekly rate of statutory sick pay also rises on 6 April 2022. The new rate is £99.35, up from £96.35.

It is up to HR to make sure that staff on maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and parental bereavement leave, and staff on sick leave, are paid these statutory minimum rates.

• Statutory redundancy pay  

New limits on employment statutory redundancy pay come into force on 6 April 2022.

Employers that dismiss employees for redundancy must pay those with two years’ service an amount based on the employee’s weekly pay, length of service and age.

The weekly pay is subject to a maximum amount, which is £571 from 6 April 2022 (increasing from £544).

As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me - 07968 325271