New rates of statutory benefits will take effect from April 2012. Statutory maternity and paternity pay will increase from £128.73 to £135.45 per week. SSP will increase from £81.60 to £85.85 per week. Tribunal compensation limits increased on 1 February 2012. The maximum compensatory award rose from £68,400 to £72,300, and the maximum limit on a week’s pay (used to calculate statutory redundancy pay) increased from £400 to £430.
The Government has published its response to Professor Lofstedt’s review of health and safety legislation, broadly agreeing to all of his suggestions. It is proposing to simplify and consolidate the current legislation and codes of practice by April 2015.
The Government has confirmed that automatic enrolment for pensions will begin as planned in the autumn. However, the timetable for auto-enrolment has been delayed. Small businesses with less than 50 employees will begin the process in May 2015 rather than April 2014. In addition, the rate of pension contributions will remain unchanged until all businesses have started autoenrolment.
