What to Expect in 2023
Our final blog of 2022, here we set out some changes that are coming into effect during 2023.
National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage
From April 2023, the NMW and NLW will increase again, we will also see the NLW age bracket extended to 23 years and over (currently 25 years and over) and the hourly rates will increase as follows;
| 1st April 2023 | ||||
| Apprentice* | <18 | 18-20 | 21-22 | 23+ |
| £5.28 | £5.28 | £7.49 | £10.18 | £10.42 |
| 1st April 2022 | ||||
| £4.81 | £4.81 | £6.83 | £9.18 | £9.50 |
* Apprentices under 19, or over 19 and in their first year of the apprenticeship
Other Statutory Payments
Statutory Sick Pay – £109.40 per week
Family Friendly Payments (maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and parental bereavement) – £172.48 per week
Flexible Working
In 2023 we will see changes to flexible working and the law will be updated:
- Employees will now have the right to request flexible working from day one of their employment rather than after 26 weeks continuous service.
- The time to respond and process a flexible working request will reduce from three months to two months.
- Employers will be required to discuss alternative arrangements if the original flexible working request cannot be accommodated however, it has not been clarified if this will be a legal requirement or best practice.
- Employees will no longer have to set how the effects of their request will impact the business or the department they work in.
- Employees will have the right to make up to two flexible working requests in a 12-month period.
The date these changes come into effect has not been confirmed by the Government, however, for clients of CoLaw an updated policy will be issued in the new year.
EU Law
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill will automatically revoke any remaining EU law so that it expires on 31 December 2023. There is the possibility that elements of EU law will remain in force, if specific legislation is passed to allow this to happen.
The government will also have scope to extend the repeal date until June 2026.
It is not clear what will evolve from the Bill, but we will hear more information and the effects from the Bill during the course of 2023.