Ready for next month's law changes?
Posted 7 September 2007 at 8:17AM by Simon Dickson in Hints and tips
Another date for your calendar: 1 October sees a number of law changes which will affect many small businesses. The national minimum wage increases to £5.52 an hour; annual holiday entitlement increases to 24 days (including public holidays, sadly) for those working five days a week; and you'll need to be 18 to buy tobacco products in England and Wales.
There are also a number of changes from the 2006 Companies Act coming into effect at the same time. Among them is an end to the statutory requirement for private companies to hold an AGM, and a relaxing of rules on written resolutions, which can already be circulated via electronic means, including email. The new Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has produced a PDF booklet explaining what it all means for private companies.
As ever, the best starting point for information on legislation is the Business Link website: its page of regulation updates lists everything you need to know, and tells you where to find more if you want it. You can also sign up to receive regular alerts via email, to ensure you don't miss a thing.
The 1 October changes are part of a new government policy on common commencement dates (Word doc): all rule changes affecting business will come in on either 6 April or 1 October, to help us all plan for new regulation and to increase awareness of any changes. Best make that a recurring appointment in the calendar, then...
Tags: businesslink, laws, legislation, rules
New feature: Rate this post!
Average rating: 3.8/5
Comments
2. At September 7, 2007 1:07 PM, Maryann wrote:
So it will be illegal for under 18s to buy tobacco products, but will it be illegal for them to smoke them? - doesn't really seem to make sense!!!
3. At September 8, 2007 8:05 AM, Neil Bidwell wrote:
Lynette, you have such a valid point above, i wonder if they know about the law chance, Don't think they are going to be happy when they find out, but maybe quitting will be good for them
4. At September 8, 2007 4:38 PM, RAYMOND PIPE wrote:
I cannot imagine any child smoker quitting despite the law. How do 12 and 13 year olds obtain their weeds now! In many cases it's their parents or older friends purchasing for them!
More laws= more breakages!!!
5. At September 8, 2007 10:26 PM, Kieran wrote:
yes they will have to.
unfornuatly many people dont know about it! i work in a shop and was serving a 16yr old girl cigarettes and just in passing asked "do you know about the law change?" and she had no idea about it!
On the NHS website it says for those who want to use this opportunity to quit, when really it is forcing them to or encouraging illegal purchasing!
6. At September 10, 2007 11:16 AM, Chris Paton wrote:
Well, I think that some of these changes will be quite good.
24 days of holiday is not bad, and although minimum wage doesn't affect me, it's still quite good.
The smoking thing doesn't affect me at all, but if it cuts our youth out smoking, then all the better.
7. At September 10, 2007 8:02 PM, Rachel wrote:
im 17 and a smoker, and i only recently found out about the law changes.i wont be quitting, il juy be spending a lot of money buying a lot of cigarettes on the 30th september!! it's a ridiculous law; i can understand the age restrictions on alcohol as those too immature to use it sensibly will endager the lives of others along with their own, but i dont see that logic with cigarettes?!
8. At September 11, 2007 4:41 PM, Chris Paton wrote:
So when I have to walk through that barrier of smoke every time I walk down the street, or decided to sit outside, when a smoker (usually an old lady) sits down beside you and lights up and breathes smoke on you...of course thats not killing my lungs!
I still don't understand what the fasination with cigarettes are, but its there life when they smoke out the way on there own, I couldn't care less. It's when they do it near me and I have to put up with it I draw the line.
Well, this wasn't too much on topic, but I hope this new law makes a difference
9. At September 11, 2007 4:54 PM, Darren Tadman wrote:
Does the new minimum wage cover 17 year olds?
10. At September 12, 2007 8:41 AM, Paul wrote:
Im a smoker, not a drinker, Biut if the Government really wanted the Country as a Whole to quit smoking as it is so terrible and bad for us? then why not BAN the Sale of such tobacco ??
Because its too much money to loose, Once again the Government Preaching about Smoking!! and all along its Their fault!! Always has been always will be!! FACT! Its the same with Alcohol!!
11. At September 12, 2007 10:25 AM, Anjanesh wrote:
mmm Rachel's post says it all. Does it justify smoking ?a bit of an irony here - a smoker critising the alcohol drinkers. Anyway , this post post proves that law cannot change things - People can. Smoking , weeds and drugs will keep spiralling until people themselves want to stop - which according to Rachel is never.It is a lost cause.
12. At September 12, 2007 3:53 PM, Gary wrote:
I heard somewhere about changes to the commercial waste laws. does anybody now if this effects small business
Post a comment
As 14 days have passed, comments are now closed for this entry.
1. At September 7, 2007 10:39 AM, Lynette wrote: