Have you implemented April’s employment law changes? A quick summary for healthcare providers

With April well underway, now is a good time to ensure your practice has implemented the latest employment law changes that came into effect on 6 April 2025. These updates affect everything from pay rates to leave entitlements and are particularly important for healthcare providers navigating complex workforce demands. Staying compliant not only protects your organisation but also helps you support your teams more effectively.

Whether you’ve already updated your policies or are still working through them, here’s a helpful summary of what should now be in place:

New: Neonatal leave and pay

From this April, eligible employees will be entitled to neonatal leave and pay if their baby is admitted to neonatal care. This is in addition to existing rights to maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave.
This change is particularly significant for the healthcare workforce, where balancing family and work responsibilities can already be a challenge. Offering this extra support during a critical time can help improve morale, reduce stress, and retain valued staff.

Action point: Consider how your internal policies, staff handbook, or onboarding materials might need to be updated to reflect this new entitlement.

Employer national insurance contribution changes

Two key updates will take effect that could have a financial impact on healthcare employers:
• The employer national insurance rate will increase from 13.8% to 15%
• The earnings threshold above which employers must pay NICs will drop from £9,100 to £5,000 per year

With many practices employing large teams – across admin, clinical, and support roles – it’s important to factor this change into financial planning and budgeting.

National minimum and living wage updates

This year brings a notable shift: the national living wage will now apply to all workers aged 21 and over, instead of 23 and over.

For healthcare providers who employ younger staff, such as receptionists, trainees, or apprentices, this could have a wider payroll impact than in previous years.

Action point: Review your team’s pay structure and ensure you’re meeting the new minimum requirements across all age brackets.

Statutory pay rate increases

From 6 April 2025, the following statutory weekly pay rates will increase:

Type of statutory pay	New rate (from April 2025)
Statutory sick pay	£118.75 per week
Statutory maternity, paternity, adoption & parental pay	£187.18 per week
Statutory bereavement pay	£187.18 per week

Make sure your payroll systems and documentation are updated accordingly to ensure compliance.

Looking ahead: Bigger reforms still to come

You may also have heard about the Labour government’s wider plans to reform employment rights under its ‘Make work pay’ agenda. These proposals could lead to further significant changes in areas like day-one employment rights, flexible working, and trade union legislation.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on any developments and will share updates with our customers as and when new laws are passed.

Helping you stay compliant and informed

At Agilio, we understand the challenges of managing a healthcare practice while keeping up with evolving legal requirements. If you’re looking for tools to support your compliance, streamline staff management, or reduce admin burden, our team is always here to help.