April Employment law increases including National Minimum Wage
27 March 2023
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5 minutes
April Employment law increases including National Minimum Wage
We published new family related pay rates and the national minimum wage increases in November and December last year. Here’s a reminder of these, plus additional increases announced:
Millions of UK workers will receive a pay rise as the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rise comes into effect on 1st April 2023.
Statutory pay increases from 10 April 2023
| Type of payment | Current rate | April 2023 rate | Applicable from |
| Statutory sick pay | £99.35 | £109.40 | 10 April 2023 |
| Statutory maternity pay | £156.66 | £172.48 | 10 April 2023 |
| Statutory maternity allowance (increase applies from 11 April) | £156.66 | £172.48 | 11 April 2023 |
| Statutory paternity pay | £156.66 | £172.48 | 10 April 2023 |
| Statutory shared parental pay | £156.66 | £172.48 | 3 April 2023 |
| Statutory adoption pay | £156.66 | £172.48 | 10 April 2023 |
| Statutory parental bereavement pay | £156.66 | £172.48 | 10 April 2023 |
National Minimum wage increases from April 2023
| Age bracket | Current NMW | New NMW |
| 23 years and over | £9.50 | £10.42 |
| 21-22 year olds | £9.18 | £10.18 |
| 18-20 year olds | £6.83 | £7.49 |
| 16-17 year olds | £4.81 | £5.28 |
| Apprentices | £4.81 | £5.28 |
Limits on Employment Tribunal awards increases from 6 April 2023
Employers will need to be aware of these increases for the purposes of calculating various awards. The limit on a week’s pay is also relevant to employers’ calculations of statutory redundancy payments; therefore, employers may need to budget for higher redundancy packages for any redundancies which take effect on or after 6 April 2023.
| Category of award | Current maximum | New maximum |
| A week’s pay for basic award and statutory redundancy pay | £571 per week | £643 per week |
| Compensatory award (capped at the lower of the Claimant’s annual pay or the statutory amount) | £93,878 | £105,707 |
| Basic award for automatic unfair dismissals (e.g. health & safety related) | £17,130 (min £6,959) | £19,290 (min £7,836) |
Vento bands for discrimination claims
In successful claims for discrimination, under the Equality Act 2010, an Employment Tribunal can award damages to employees for injury to feelings for instances such as where an employee has:
- Been humiliated by their employer;
- Received degrading treatment; or
- Suffered distress.
| Band | Current range | New range from 6 April 2023 |
| Lower | £990 – £9,900 | £1,100 – £11,200 |
| Middle | £9,900 – £29,600 | £11,200 – £33,700 |
| Top | £29,600 – £49,300 | £33,700 – £56,200 |
| Exceptional cases remain uncapped | ||
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