During Stress Awareness Week 2024, held during November, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) used the occasion to remind employers of their need to carry out their legal duty to prevent work-related stress and support good mental health at work. According to HSE figures, 17.1 million working days were lost to work-related stress in 2022/23. An average employee suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety takes an average of 19.6 days off work a year, almost the equivalent of a working month.

The latest inflation figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for October 2024 rose to 2.3%, up from 1.7% in September. This marks the first increase in inflation since July, and it has sparked interest among business owners, economists, and policymakers alike. The rise in inflation was widely anticipated, and as a result the Bank of England have already signalled that any future cuts to the base rate will happen gradually.

UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK’s export credit agency, has launched a new initiative aimed at helping British engineering, design, and technical services firms secure international contracts. The Early Project Services Guarantee (EPSG) is designed to make UK expertise more attractive to overseas buyers while filling a key financing gap for the early stages of major projects.

The UK Government has launched a consultation to tackle so-called “subscription traps,” aiming to make it easier for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions and secure refunds. These proposals are designed to simplify cancellation processes and improve transparency, potentially saving UK families up to £1.6 billion annually. “Subscription traps” occur when consumers are misled into signing up for subscriptions, often via free trials or introductory offers, only to find themselves locked into costly plans due to unclear terms or complex cancellation procedures.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has reported that shoppers lost over £11.5 million to online criminals between November 2023 and January 2024. Each victim lost an average of £695. A total of £10.6 million was lost the previous year. The Black Friday season can be a good time to find bargains for businesses as well as individual shoppers. However, it’s evident that online criminals are doing their best to take advantage of the increased shopping activity.

New arrangements will apply to business to business (B2B) parcels sent from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework, effective from 31 March 2025. The changes were originally due to come into effect from 30 September 2024, but this was delayed to March next year. Businesses will need to make sure they are prepared for these changes, which include distinct processes for business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) shipments.

Since coming into power, the Labour government has made its Make Work Pay plan a centrepiece of their policies. As a result, we have already seen a number of changes being proposed and implemented. This includes the new Employment Rights Bill which is currently making its way through Parliamentary processes. The government’s Make Work Pay policy paper makes interesting reading on what it intends to do.

Next month, councils across England will be given new powers to transform high streets by tackling long-term empty shops. Starting from 2 December, High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs) powers will allow local authorities to auction leases for persistently vacant commercial properties, a move that is hoped will bring new businesses and community groups back to once-busy centres.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has announced plans to share more detailed information on business rates valuations, making the system more transparent for ratepayers across England. Starting in 2026, businesses will have access to tailored information about their properties, and by 2029, they will be able to see specific valuation details and evidence.

A recent case involving a former company director in Hartlepool and Guisborough underlines the importance of checking employees’ right to work in the UK. Edris Ali, 39, who previously ran a pizza restaurant and a car wash, was banned as a director for ten years after hiring six illegal workers from Iran, Sudan, and Cote d’Ivoire. The workers were discovered during Immigration Enforcement visits, leading to substantial fines and legal action against Ali.

Following the Bank of England’s decision to reduce the base rate from 5% to 4.75%, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have announced a reduction in their late payment interest rates. HMRC interest rates track the base rate. Late payment interest (payable if you pay tax late) is set at base rate plus 2.5%. Repayment interest (which HMRC pay you on refunds or overpayments) is set at base rate minus 1%, with a minimum rate of 0.5%.

The government published the Employment Rights Bill in October, which is intended to help deliver economic security and growth to businesses, workers and communities across the UK. The bill will bring forward 28 individual employment reforms, from ending exploitative zero hours contracts and fire and rehire practices to establishing day one rights for paternity, parental and bereavement leave for millions of workers.

As of 1st October, the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act came into force that ensures workers keep 100% of the tips, gratuities, and service charges they earn. While many employers already pass on tips to staff, this new legislation will close loopholes so that all tips go directly to workers.

As part of a series of announcements made in recent weeks by the Chancellor, the government is making a push for greater use of electronic invoicing (e-invoicing). HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will soon launch a consultation on encouraging the wider use of e-invoicing, with the goal of simplifying business transactions and reducing administrative burdens but perhaps especially, reducing errors in tax returns so that HMRC can ‘close the tax gap’.