Changes to the law

New Minimum Wage Rates 2012

New hourly rates come into force from October 2012

National Minimum Wage Rates 2012-13

16 - 17 : £ 3.68 (no change from 2011)

18 - 20 : £ 4.98 (no change from 2011))

21 and over : £ 6.19 (currently £ 6.08)

Time limits for claims to tribunal

Employees wishing to bring discrimination claims on the grounds of sex, race, age, disability, religion or sexual orientation have three months beginning with the date that the act complained of was done (or longer if the tribunal considers it reasonable or it was otherwise not reasonably practical).

Employees wishing to bring Equal Pay claims have six months from the end of their employment to do so. However, where the employer is found to have deliberately concealed information which the employee needed to bring their claim, the time limit will start from the point where the employee became aware of that information.

Legal Timetable

What does the future have in store for us?


1 April 2012	Statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay increase
6 April 2012	Changes to income tax thresholds come into force
6 April 2012	Contracting out of state additional pension abolished
6 April 2012	Qualifying period for unfair dismissal increases to two years
6 April 2012	Changes to tribunal procedure come into force
6 April 2012	Increase to lower earnings limit for NI contributions
6 April 2012	Changes to health and safety reporting requirements
6 April 2012	Amendment to s.147 of the Equality Act 2010
9 April 2012	Basic state pension increases
1 June 2012	Employers’ Duties (Implementation) Regulations 2010
1 June 2012	Automatic Enrolment (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2012
1 July 2012	Employers’ Duties (Registration and Compliance) Regulations 2010
1 July 2012	Compromise Agreements (Automatic Enrolment) (Description of Person) Order 2012
1 October 2012	Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) (Amendment) Order 2010
2013	School leaving age is raised to 17
2013	Eye tests for professional drivers
2015	Flexible working for all employees
2015	School leaving age is raised to 18
2015	Flexible parental leave introduced
2018	Equalisation of state pension age for women
2020	State pension age rises to 66 years
2026 – 2028	State pension age rises to 67 years
2044 – 2046	State pension age rises to 68 years

1 February 2012 - increase in maximum award for unfair dismissal

On 1 February 2012, the maximum award for a successful unfair dismissal claim increases from £ 68, 400 to £72, 300 for any dismissal taking place after 1 February. Also increasing from £400 to £430 is the week's pay that is used when calculating statutory redundancy and additional awards for unfair dismissal.

New 2012 rates for SSP, SMP, paternity and adoption leave

The Government has announced the new increased rates for Statutory Sick Pay (“SSP”), Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Ordinary and Additional Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay from 9 April 2012.

The following weekly rates are applicable, as long as an employee has average weekly earnings during the relevant period of £107 or more.

Statutory Sick Pay (payable from 6 April 2012) will increase from £81.60 to £85.85 a week.
Statutory Maternity Pay (for all payment weeks commencing on or after 1 April 2012) - 90% of average weekly earnings for the first six weeks and then the lower of 90% of average earnings or £135.45 a week (rather than the current £128.73 per week) for the remaining weeks of the Maternity Pay Period.
Ordinary and Additional Statutory Paternity Pay for all payment weeks commencing on or after 1 April 2012 - the lower of 90% of average earnings or £135.45 a week (rather than the current £128.73 per week).
Statutory Adoption Pay for all payment weeks commencing on or after 1 April 2012 - the lower of 90% of average earnings or £135.45 a week (rather than the current £128.73 per week).

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