Recent news

Latest items of recent news relevant to United Kingdom as reported in our fortnightly newswire ‘Dernières nouvelles’.

United Kingdom: Automatic extension of sponsorship licences

The Home Office has announced that from 6th April 2024 employers that have sponsorship licences allowing them to recruit overseas will no longer have to renew them every 4 years by paying a renewal fee …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Scotland: Clean break provisions in settlement agreements

There is always some concern that although a “full and final settlement” clause is included in a mutual severance agreement the employee could still return with a claim, especially if a future risk had not been considered in the settlement document …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: Multinationals exempt from collective consultation for small TUPE transfers

From 1st July 2024 a company of any size subject to a merger, or other transfer of undertakings, can dispose of the need to consult employee representatives if the number of people being transferred is less than ten …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: Tax changes from April 2024

One of the biggest tax changes taking place this Spring will be a reduction in the rate of national insurance (social security) …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: Fire and rehire Code of Practice

Although the code covers all sectors of the economy, it will not apply to redundancy situations …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: Failure to consult employees about redundancies

Although the law allows for no exceptions, it is becoming common practice for independent Administrators seeking to salvage what they can from an insolvent company to claim that it is their primary duty to protect creditors rather than undertake lengthy employee consultation procedures …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: Social security convention with EEA/EFTA

The new Convention on Social Security Coordination between Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and the UK came into force on 1st January 2024 …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: M&S enhances pay and family-friendly benefits

From 1st April 2024, the British multiple clothing and food retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) will increase minimum pay for Customer Assistants outside London to £12 per hour, whilst staff in the capital will enjoy a new rate of £13 …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

Northern Ireland: Working time amendments

Although leave carryover rights were previously covered by European Court of Justice rulings, these no longer have any force of law …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: GDP shrinks 0.3% in Q4 2023

FedEE has calculated that the UK economy has been in fairly deep recession for at least the last fifteen months, but only now has the UK government been forced to reveal that recession has actually arrived …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: Reintroduction of tribunal fees

Back in 2017 the Supreme Court ruled that the tribunal fees system was unlawful on a number of grounds, one of which was cost …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: CMA warns of labour market fixing

Unlawful labour market cartels are being increasingly outlawed in the UK, as well as USA …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: Non-compete clauses under the competition regulator’s spotlight

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published research indicating that non-compete clauses are contained in 26% of all employment contracts …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: Improved redundancy protection

From 6th April 2024 pregnant workers will be subject to protection from being laid off …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.

United Kingdom: Upward shift in retailing salaries

During the last 2-3 years UK multiple food retailers have been able to raise food and non-alcoholic beverage prices way beyond that justified by general supply shortages and other costs …

Please login to view this content or become a member by joining now.