According to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) the National Minimum Wage rates from October 2011 will be:

• The adult rate will increase by 15p per hour to £6.08.

• The Rate for 18-20 year olds will increase by 6p per hour to £4.98

• The Rate for 16-17 year olds wil increase by 4p per hour to £3.68

• The rate for apprentices will will increase by 10p per hour to £2.60 

 

Currently workers from the following countries are required to register under the Workers Registration Scheme (WRS) when starting employment in the UK:

• Czech Republic

• Estonia

• Hungary

• Latvia

• Lithuania

• Poland

• Slovakia

• Slovenia

 

Under European law the UK is not allowed to continue operation of the WRS as of the end of April 2011.

New rights to additional Paternity leave and pay come into effect for parents of children with an expected week of childbirth (or matching date in the case of adoption ) that falls on or after the 3rd of April 2011. The new provisions will give eligible employees the right to use a portion of the mothers maternity leave (or the leave of the other adopting parent) in order to take up to 6 months additional paternity leave. Although referred to paternity leave the additional rights will apply to the father of the relevant child (whether married to the mother or not). It will also extend to civil partners or partners of the mother of the adopting parent. 

The government recently announced that it was making changes to NMW Regulations, specifically in conjunction with  Temporary Workers (or Travel and Subsistence) Schemes for worker who are paid around the NMW.

Under the schemes temporary staff could sacrifice part of their wage and replace it with expense payments that are not subject to tax or NIC. These schemes supposedly delivered saving to the workers, but in reality most staff interviewed by the HMRC had little knowledge of what they were entering and it was the agency who received most benefit from the arrangement.

It is estimated that agencies using the scheme could benefit from between £30-40 per person per week under the scheme as they are paying little or no ENIC for that worker. It is estimated that this has cost the Exchequer up to £90m per year. From January 1st no agency will be able to use the Mobile Workers Schemes in this way.

Bond Personnel have welcomed these changes as it will stop participating agencies from profiting from the lowest paid workers in society and their ability use the additional margin to offer uncompetitive charge rates to clients