The government has introduced the WorkWell pilot, a £64 million initiative designed to offer tailored work and health support across 15 areas in England. Announced by the DWP and DHSC, WorkWell is aimed at helping individuals with health conditions stay in or return to work by connecting them with local services such as physiotherapy, counselling, and employment advice, providing a support system to enhance both health and work life. The pilots will launch in regions including Greater Manchester, Cornwall, and areas of London, impacting around…
As the 4th of July General Election looms, organisations that employ people are bracing for significant upheaval. As it stands, Parliament is prorogued, and dissolved from 31 May. As Labour have now been elected we have an updated article following the King's Speech. Find it here. A legislative nightmare: what’s at stake for HR? The snap election means many Private Members' Bills previously adopted by the Government hang in the balance. With only half of these bills fully implemented, the future of several pieces of…
…is a slogan first used by LGBTQ+ activists back in the 1990s which continues to be used today. It’s an expression used to express frustration and disappointment in the way the people from the queer community continue to be discriminated against and poorly treated today. One of the main challenges when suffering from discrimination is the impact on the person's mental health. This includes the impact on the LGBTQIA+ community which we discuss here, but there are of course mental health consequences for those who have…
The UK has seen a rise of 1-in-3 couples choosing a mid-week wedding during the past seven years, with the most popular day being Thursday. Couples are shunning the traditional Saturday as they seek to save money, secure availability for key roles (such as photographers and catering), and take advantage of cut-price deals. With this trend only set to continue, companies can be inundated during the summer months with employees asking for time off work for their wedding, or to attend another wedding as a…
In January 2024, the government unveiled a series of measures aimed at streamlining and modernising the tax system, with a heavy emphasis on technology to boost productivity within the public sector. One stand-out? The mandate for payrolling benefits in kind, effective April 2026. This bold move aims to simplify tax procedures, cut administrative red tape, and propel businesses into the digital age of payroll processing. Let's dive into the details and unpack what this means for UK employers. When does the switch to mandatory payrolling…
We’ve made sneaky little advancements to our existing integration with RotaCloud, now more powerful than ever. Here’s what that integration looks like. Our HR Software has been syncing RotaCloud data since the dawn of time. After carefully listening to our customers, it made only perfect sense to crack out the dusting rags and polish up this integration. The brief: more data syncing the way customers want, to where they want it. Light work for our product team. So, what does that mean for customers? Well,…
At the end of February, the Information Commissioner ordered Serco Leisure to stop using facial recognition and fingerprint scanning to check attendance and authorise pay. This followed an investigation affecting 38 leisure centres and over 2000 staff. What happened? Serco was unable to show that the practice was fair, proportionate, and necessary. The Information Commissioner concluded that risks had not been fully considered and business interests had been prioritised over employees’ privacy. The Information Commissioner, John Edwards, commented on the case, saying “…Biometric technologies cannot…
Following the recent government guidance, are you intrigued by the possibilities of AI in recruitment but find yourself grappling with the ethical implications? In the realm of recruitment, the emergence of AI presents a tantalising array of possibilities, promising to revolutionise traditional hiring practices. However, alongside these promises comes strong ethical considerations that can’t be overlooked. In this article, we explore the somewhat uncharted landscape of AI and its implementation into recruitment, whilst breaking down the core insights from the DSIT’s recent ‘Responsible AI in…
We know that, as an employer, by law we must contribute to our employees’ pension. But what are pensionable earnings? And how do we calculate them? As an employer, you must now legally auto enrol your employees into your workplace pension scheme. Contributions must hit minimum contributions to be legally compliant and will reflect figures known as ‘pensionable earnings’ or ‘pensionable pay’. How do I calculate pensionable pay? Like with many things, there is more than one way to skin a cat. Pensionable pay can…
HMRC have said that they are being more reactive and proactive this year in NMW compliance. With a dedicated Proactive Enforcement Team, it's a reminder to all employers to make sure your wages are water-tight. They are sending ‘nudge’ letters, reminder letters, offers of ‘health checks’, and actively visiting business of all types in these regions over this year. What's new? HMRC have told various advisory businesses that they are planning to re-visit a number of previously investigated large businesses (that have had investigations /…
