Page 23 - BOSS Today Issue 63

BOSS Today #63 LOBBYING BOSS Today #63

BOSS Lobbying

We’re pleased to share that the
Government has listened and has agreed
Update 1. They will remain the same as set out in Get ready for the Youth Guarantee Latest employment rights
to close the funding gap itself – so there
will be no change to disposal fees for Year

the Notices of Liability in October 2025.
consultations – still time to
On the 17th March, Work & Pensions
contribute
Secretary Pat McFadden MP made a
major speech at a London college to give
you think about the Government’s
more details about the Government’s
plans for flexible working. There is one
Youth Guarantee. This is the £820bn There’s still time to let us know what
Government investment over the next consultation open:
Potential slow down on three years to support young people aged
minimum wage hikes for 18-20s 16-24, run via the Department of Work & Flexible working: will a new statutory
Ministers are reportedly considering Pensions. It aims to unlock 200,000 new process and ‘reasonableness test’
slowing down plans to equalise minimum jobs and apprenticeships and will include: for flexible working requests work in
WELCOME TO YOUR BOSS LOBBYING BULLETIN. HERE’S EVERYTHING wage rates between the 18-20s and the practice? Let us know what you think by
YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RECENT POLICY DEVELOPMENTS over 21s. The intention was to gradually n The Youth Jobs Grant, which will see 15 April.
businesses receive £3,000 for every
increase the rate for the younger age
AND THEIR IMPACT ON OUR INDUSTRY. group, ensuring that younger and young person they hire aged 18-24 For more detail on these consultations,
who has been on Universal Credit and
older workers were receiving the same
and what Government is planning,
minimum wage by the end of this looking for work for six months. have a look at the February 2026
Parliament in 2029. n Expansion of the Jobs Guarantee to a Lobbying Update.
wider age range, from 18-21 to 18-24,
Business groups had warned that to create more than 35,000 extra
The potential for wider support on A key takeaway was the downgraded increasing the minimum wage for 18-20s subsidised jobs.
energy bills has been left open-ended economic growth forecast of 1.1% for too rapidly will make businesses reluctant n An Apprenticeship Incentive of £2,000
while a solution is sought to the supply 2026 – expected to improve to 1.6% in to hire this age group. In an interview, for each new employee aged 16-24
problems, though the energy price 2027 and 2028 – and for inflation to Federation of Small Businesses Chair Tina taken on by an SME.
cap (which covers gas and electricity) achieve the Bank of England’s target of McKenzie said, “you continue to increase
Political update is already set to fall in April. Fears of 2% by the end of this year. However, it costs of employment and you make hiring More info, and a link to start the Contact BOSS’s Public Affairs Adviser,
The war in Iran dominates the political inflation meant the Bank of England kept didn’t take into account the situation in young people more difficult for small contact process can be found here. Carys Davis, directly via
agenda, with the Government at the the interest rate at 3.75% instead of a the Middle East. employers, then all that’s going to happen The Government has also pledged an hello@bossfederation.co.uk
time of writing announcing £53m in widely anticipated cut. is that they will hire less young people.” additional £725 million for the Growth
support for the poorest households & Skills Levy.
reliant on heating oil (mostly in rural The minimum wage for workers aged
areas not connected to the gas grid), between 18 and 20 is £10 an hour, rising
the price of which has doubled since the to £10.85 in April. In comparison, the
start of the conflict. The Prime Minister EPR – no change to disposal fees minimum wage for workers aged 21 and Business groups had warned
also said that the UK will not be drawn Some of our members raised concerns over is £12.21 an hour, due to rise to £12.71. that increasing the minimum
into a “wider war”, but that it is working Spring Statement with us recently about the possibility of Employment rights –
with allies on a viable plan to reopen the The Spring Statement on 3 March was a PackUK reviewing the 2025/26 disposal We’ll of course keep you posted with any Update wage for 18-20s too rapidly
Strait of Hormuz, through which about fairly low-key announcement, aligning fee rate after they identified a funding concrete news, including the Low Pay Some of the new reforms made in the will make businesses
20% of the world’s oil usually passes. with the Government’s plans to hold one shortfall for Year 1. We raised these Commission’s recommended rates for Employment Rights Act 2025 have now
Iran’s blocking of the Strait has seen oil main fiscal event per year (the Autumn concerns with the Department for April 2027, which should be published this come into law. These include some new reluctant to hire this age
prices averaging over $100 per barrel, Budget). As a result, it focused on Business & Trade, which engaged with autumn. ‘Day 1’ rights for employees. If you’re group.
the highest since Russia’s invasion of forecasts rather than any major tax or PackUK and the Department for the not familiar with the changes, our At a
Ukraine in 2022. spending changes. Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. Glance Summary is here to help.

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