What's New

With migrant workers having accounted for 60% of net employment growth between 1996 and 2019, a leading think tank has highlighted significant changes ahead when the UK’s post-Brexit immigration regime comes into effect on 1 January 2021.

With the latest data showing the new variant of the coronavirus spreading more rapidly in London, the South East and the East of England. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced new restrictions taking effect on Sunday 20 December.

The UK formally left the EU at the end of January 2020 but has remained in an 11-month transition period during which it has continued to abide by EU rules and regulations in order to allow time for a trade deal to be agreed.

Reducing a three-year international consensus process to just three months, the UK National Standards Body has published international guidelines for organisations to protect staff while operating effectively.

Saying that he was aiming to provide certainty for millions of jobs and businesses, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced that the furlough scheme is to be extended until the end of April 2021 with the Government continuing to contribute 80% towards wages.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced the outcome of the Government’s latest review of the three-tier system and, while there are some slight improvements, the main direction of the changes is into more restrictive measures.

First Minister Mark Drakeford has warned that higher-level restrictions will have to come into force in order to control rapidly accelerating coronavirus rates across Wales.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has told the Scottish Parliament that there has been a fall in infection rates in the 11 areas that have been in level four, under the most severe restrictions.

To help improve its understanding of the impact that the coronavirus is having on employers and workers, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is carrying out two surveys regarding the impact of Covid-19 on work-related stress and mental health.

Addressing the House of Commons about plans to move London and parts of the South East into the strictest level of coronavirus rules (tier 3), Health Secretary Matt Hancock also reported that a new variant of coronavirus has been identified.