Legislative Changes for October 2015

The following legislative changes are coming into effect in October 2015:

National Minimum Wage

As of 1 October 2015, the main rate of the National Minimum Wage (for workers aged 21 and over) increases from £6.50 to £6.70 per hour. The youth rate (for workers aged 18-20) increases from £5.13 to £5.30 per hour and the rate for workers aged 16 to 17 increases from £3.79 to £3.87 per hour. The rate for apprentices increases from £2.73 to £3.30 per hour. The rate of the accommodation offset, which applies when an employer provides accommodation for the worker, increases from £5.08 to £5.35.

Employment Tribunal Changes

With effect from 1 October 2015, employment tribunals lose the power to make wider recommendations for the benefit of the wider workforce and not just the individual claimant in discrimination cases.

Smoking Ban

A ban on smoking (or allowing smoking) in private cars carrying a person aged under 18 comes into effect as of 1 October 2015.

Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

Later in October, a requirement will be introduced by which large commercial businesses (defined as businesses with an annual turnover of at least £36 million) have a duty to prepare a slavery and human trafficking statement for each financial year, setting out the steps they have taken to ensure that no slavery exists in their supply chains.The statement must be published on the company's website or, where the business does not have a website, it must provide a copy of the statement on request.

An example of a slavery and human trafficking statement will be added to the Simply-Docs suite of documents later this year.