New UK workplace legislation now in place

UK business needs to make sure it has prepared for new legislation which came into force on 1 October, warns John Davies, ACCA head of business law. 'This was the second key date in 2008, under the UK Government's system of storing up new workplace measures for release just twice a year,' said Davies.
 
The new legislation affects businesses in a number of different areas. Changes to company law, for example, include a new minimum age of 16 for company directors, and new rules regarding disclosure of trading information. The national minimum wage has also risen, and there are changes to the contractual benefits enjoyed by women on maternity leave.

Other legislative changes cover businesses licensed by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which now have to provide borrowers with more information about their accounts, and debt administration and credit repair services which are now regulated by the OFT. There are also new rules to protect consumers with regard to doorstep selling.
 
Estate agents are also affected, as those agents dealing with residential property now have to belong to an independent approved ombudsman scheme.

Go to the ACCA website for more information on the changes that came into force on 1 October 2008.