Employment Limits Ready Reckoner
for 2025/2026
April is always marked as a busy time of the year for employment lawyers and HR professionals having to adjust to increased limits for awards.
Below we have set out the new limits for:
1. The National Living & Minimum Wages 2025/2026 applicable as of 1 April 2025
2. The Annual Update from the Presidents of the Employment Tribunals to the Vento guidelines 2025 applicable as of 6 April 2025
3. The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2025applicable as of 6 April 2025 – selected provisions only
Nicholas Lakeland Partner | Head of Employment nicholas.lakeland@laytons.com +44 (0)20 7842 8000
Victoria Brockley Partner victoria.brockley@laytons.com +44 (0)20 7842 8000
This information is offered on the basis that it is a general guide only and not a substitute for legal advice. We cannot accept any responsibility for any liabilities of any kind incurred in reliance on this information.
1.National Living & Minimum Wages 2025/2026: effective 6 April 2025
2 The Annual Update from the Presidents of the Employment Tribunals to the Vento guidelines 2025 applicable on or after 6 April 2025
The guidelines give ranges for injury to feelings awards for injury to feelings in discrimination cases, varying according to the severity.
3.The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2025 which is effective in England, Scotland, and Wales, introduces increased limits for compensation events after 6 April 2025.
Additionally, statutory maternity pay (after the first six weeks), statutory adoption pay (after the first six weeks), statutory paternity pay, statutory shared parental pay and statutory parental bereavement pay will be £187.18 per week (increased from £184.03) or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. The same increase applies to maternity allowance from 7 April 2025. Statutory sick pay will also rise from £116.75 to £118.75 per week from 6 April 2025.
