Dear Members

Happy New Year!

IReeN Virtual National Meeting – Thursday 11th February 2021 @1-3pm

We are writing to you today to let you know that the virtual members meeting will be going ahead on Thursday 11 February 2021 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Following Jerry Catterson’s retirement at the end of last year, our new HMRC contact is Paula Wyatt and she will be providing members with a HMRC update.

The draft agenda for this meeting will be as follows:

• IReeN matters and update
• HMRC update heading for April 2021 and all things electronic exchange – Paula Wyatt HMRC
• We will approach HMRC IR35 to see if they are available
• The latest on pensions – Andy Nichols of The Pension Regulator
• IReeN members share and tell

If you would like to attend this free event, then you will need to complete and return the:

If you have any difficulties accessing the booking form please email the committee at ireen.committee@gmail.com

We hope you can join us for this event.
In the meantime, here is the latest news (but don’t forget news is also posted IReeN.UK on a regular basis )

Budget date confirmed

The autumn Budget for 2020 was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, the Budget will now take place in the spring on 3 March 2021.

Statutory Payment Rates announced
The statutory payment rates for 2021/22 have been announced and are as follows. The rates are subject to Parliamentary approval.

Employer’s Guide to the Right to Work

Although the UK has now left the EU, under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 employers still have a duty to ensure that employees are legally entitled to work in the UK. They should therefore continue to make the necessary documentary checks at the recruitment stage for new employees or when they TUPS employees across.
 

Further checks may be necessary where the documents have an expiry date.

The type of documents that an employer can accept are listed in Annex A of the Employer’s Guide to the Right to Work.

The guidance was updated on 17 December 2020 and includes the new temporary checks for the EU-Exit grace period.

1. An update on right to work checks for EEA and Swiss nationals
during the grace period (1 January – 30 June 2021)

2. An overview of the new routes under the points-based system.

3. The temporary adjusted right to work checking process during COVID-19

You can check the right to work online by using the online service on Gov.ukhere

The new guide can be viewed or downloaded from gov.uk:

EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

The UK government has moved to a new points-based visa system which will generally apply to all workers coming to work in the UK from abroad.

However, citizens of the EU, European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss nationals who were resident in the UK on or before 31 December 2020, do not need apply for a visa under the new points-based immigration system if they wish to remain in the UK. They should instead apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). Applications are free and the deadline for applications is 30 June 2021.
For further details

New self-isolation guide for employees & employers

A new guide has been published on Gov.uk for employees and employers which focuses on self- isolation due to Covid-19 and dealing with the clinically extremely vulnerable. 

The government has written to all the clinically extremely vulnerable advising them to take extra shielding measures to protect themselves until 21 February 2021.  They should work from home where possible and if they are unable to, they should not attend work.  The letter is a formal shielding notification.  They may be eligible to be furloughed or to claim SSP.

The guide provides advice on what action should be taken by an employee or employer where it is necessary for the employee to self-isolate. 

There is also a section and links on when to pay SSP, how to deal with paid or unpaid leave, dismissals, and redundancy where the employee is clinically extremely vulnerable.

The guide can be viewed or downloaded

NMW/NLW Increases from 1 April 2021

The new rates for the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates have been announced. The new rates will increase for pay reference periods starting on or after 1 April 2021.

The new minimum wage rates will also apply to eligible workers in Northern Ireland from 1 April 2021.

Currently the National Living Wage rate applies to those aged 25 and over.  However, from 1 April 2021 the new rates will be extended to those aged 23 and 24.

The new rates are set out below.

Starter Checklist to be updated

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced that they are updating the Starter Checklist. The form which should be completed for all new starters even if they present a P45, is being streamlined and a new section added for the new Scottish Student Loans (Plan 4).
The new form will be published by HMRC in March 2021 and should be used by employers from 6 April 2021 onwards.

HMRC to publish details of Furlough claims

As previously announced, HMRC will be publishing details of employers who have claimed a grant through the Furlough scheme (CJRS) from 1 December 2020. The details will be published from February 2021 unless publication leads to threat or violence against employees. HMRC has updated their guidance on what these exceptions are and they can be found here

The Electronic Exchange with Government user Network. WWW.IReeN.uk View our IReeN LinkedIn group?

IReeN.UK 16/1/2021