As this year draws to a close and we look forward to the new year, we’ve pulled together some key dates for your 2024 business diary. Keep an eye on our regular blogs and newsletters next year, to make sure you don’t miss any important updates!
1 January 2024
- Draft employment legislation likely to come into force, resulting in changes to the way holiday pay is calculated for irregular-hours and zero-hours workers, simplification of TUPE transfers and more – see our recent blog for more guidance.
- Subject to parliamentary approval, certain EU laws will be revoked. At present, nothing being revoked will have a significant impact on our employment laws. However, from 1 January 2024 courts, when deciding cases, will no longer apply general principles of EU law, will no longer regard retained EU law as supreme over domestic UK law, and may more readily depart from the principles found in earlier EU-law-related case law. This could result in uncertainty for lawyers and clients.
- Restrictions come into force banning adverts for high fat, sugar and salty foods (HFSS) on TV before 9pm, and paid-for adverts online.
6 January 2024
- Cut to the main rate of Class 1 employee NICs from 12% to 10%.
31 January 2024
- Some goods will face full customs controls when moved directly from Irish ports to Great Britain.
- Deadline for online self-assessment tax returns.
4 March 2024
- All Companies House paper correspondence must now be sent to their Cardiff office.
31 March 2024
- Last day for employees to use carried-over COVID leave.
1 April 2024
- National Living Wage to increase from £10.42 to £11.44 an hour.
- National minimum wage for younger workers to increase to £8.60 an hour for 18-20 year olds and £6.40 an hour for 16-17 year olds and apprentices.
- Employees over the age of 21 will be eligible for the National Living Wage (down from 23).
- Legislation giving live-in domestic workers the right to a minimum wage is expected to come into force (subject to parliamentary approval).
5 April 2024
- End of the 2023/2024 tax year.
6 April 2024
- New protections against redundancy for pregnant women and new parents likely, subject to parliamentary approval.
- Flexible working to become a ‘day one’ right, subject to parliamentary approval.
- Self-employed people with profits above £12,570 will no longer be required to pay Class 2 NICs but will continue to receive access to contributory benefits including the state pension.
- Cut to the main rate of Class 4 self-employed NICs from 9% to 8%.
- Carer’s leave regulations expected to come into force, giving employees the right to apply for up to one week of unpaid carer’s leave in any 12 month period.
- Changes to paternity leave and pay expected, subject to parliamentary approval, allowing fathers to split leave into two one-week blocks and take their leave any time during the first year after birth, and reducing notice periods.
During September 2024
- Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023 expected to come into force, giving zero-hours and irregular-hours workers the right to request more predictable working patterns.
26 October 2024
- New duties to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace come into force.
31 December 2024
- Home Office will no longer issue physical biometric permits, instead all workers will have an online immigration status.
The content in this article is up to date at the date of publishing. The information provided is intended only for information purposes, and is not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Sparqa Legal’s Terms of Use apply.
Marion joined Sparqa Legal as a Senior Legal Editor in 2018. She previously worked as a corporate/commercial lawyer for five years at one of New Zealand’s leading law firms, Kensington Swan (now Dentons Kensington Swan), and as an in-house legal consultant for a UK tech company. Marion regularly writes for Sparqa’s blog, contributing across its commercial, IP and health and safety law content.