The National Living Wage is now law. Since 1 April 2016, all employers need to pay £7.20 per hour to staff aged 25 and over.
Businesses must be ready for the change; the Government is urging bosses to take simple steps quickly to meet legal responsibilities and avoid falling foul of the law:
- Find out which staff are eligible for the new rate
- Update the company payroll
- Communicate the changes to staff as soon as possible.
The National Living Wage will provide a direct boost to over one million workers in the UK this year – rewarding and providing security for working people.
The new National Living Wage is a key part of the Government’s plan to continue to move to a higher wage, lower tax and lower welfare society, building a more productive country and giving families the security of well-paid work.
You can find out more by visiting the National Living Wage website. Join the conversation on Twitter by following @bisgovuk and the hashtag #NationalLivingWage.
The new State Pension: what the changes mean for you
The new State Pension is being introduced for people who reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016. You’ll be able to claim the new State Pension if you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016. This applies to:
- men born on or after 6 April 1951
- women born on or after 6 April 1953
If you were born before those dates you’ll be able to claim your State Pension under the current system instead.
You can check when you’ll reach State Pension age at the Government website and for more information on these changes and what they mean for you, visit www.gov.uk/yourstatepension. An animation explaining the new State Pension can also be found here.