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In 2025, the UK is set to carry out significant changes in Employment Law, aiming to enhance workers’ rights. These changes are designed to address modern challenges in Employment Law, enhance financial support for workers, and promote fairness and equality. Here’s a summary of the key changes taking effect this year:

1. Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023

Starting April 2025, new parents whose babes require neonatal care will be entitled to additional statutory leave. Leave will be available from the first day of employment, but to qualify for paid leave, employees must have 26 weeks of constant service and meet a minimum weekly earnings threshold (£123). This law provides crucial support for families during challenging times, aligning workplace policies with modern parental needs.

2. National Minimum Wage Increases

From April 2025, the National Minimum Wage will rise, providing a boost to workers’ earnings:

• The National Living Wage will increase from £11.44 to £12.21
• 18–20-year-olds wages will increase from £8.60 to £10
• Under 18’s and apprentices wages will increase from £6.40 to £7.55

Employers must review their pay structures to comply with these changes.

3. Changes to National Insurance Contributions

• Employers NIC rates rise from 13.8% to 15%
• Secondary Threshold for contributions will be reduced from £9,100 to £5,000
• Employment Allowances will also increase from £5,000 to £10,500 annually, to ease the stress on small businesses

These adjustments aim to balance fiscal needs with support for small and medium enterprises (SME).

4. Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023

Although this act came into full effect in October 2024, its impact continues in 2025, ensuring that all tips are passed on fully to employees and distributed in a fair, ethical way.

• Businesses where tips are left on a regular basis must have a tipping policy in place
• Workers are entitled to request a copy of their tipping record to support a claim in an employment tribunal if they believe they have not received the tips they are due
• Employers must have regard to the new statutory Code of Practice when allocating tips

The Employment Law changes in 2025 emphasise worker protection and financial support while placing new compliance responsibilities on employers. Businesses should take proactive steps to update policies, payroll systems, and training to adapt to the new regulations. For employees, these changes mean stronger rights and better conditions, reflecting a broader push towards fairer workplaces.

If you need any assistance or advice, don’t hesitate to contact our Employment Solicitor Ilinca Mardarescu on imardarescu@astonbond.co.uk, or call our office on 01753 486 777.

Workplace disputes are a common challenge in the UK and addressing them promptly and effectively is crucial for maintaining a positive work environment. Whether it’s a disagreement between colleagues, issues with management, or concerns about unfair treatment, handling disputes reasonably can prevent escalation and maintain team spirit.

Here are key steps to manage workplace disputes:

Having open communication encourages open, respectful conversations between the parties involved. Misunderstandings can be resolved simply by talking through the issues.

Managers or HR should approach disputes without bias. Listening to both sides impartially helps foster trust and ensures a fair resolution.

Employers are required to have written grievances and disciplinary procedures. Make sure these are followed and that employees know how to raise concerns.

If the dispute continues, consider involving a neutral third party. Workplace mediation can be an effective way to reach an agreement without taking formal legal action.

In cases where internal measures fail, employees may need to take their grievances further. This could mean making a formal complaint, involving ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), or even pursuing an Employment Tribunal.

Workplace disputes are best resolved quickly and fairly, helping to maintain a healthy, productive workplace culture. If you are experiencing any workplace issues and need advice, don’t hesitate to contact our Employment Solicitor Ilinca Mardarescu (imardarescu@astonbond.co.uk) or call Aston Bond on 01753 486 777.

The fight for Black rights and racial equality has been a long and global struggle, stretching across centuries and continents. From the abolition of slavery to today’s anti-discrimination laws, important legislative wins have driven progress forward. In this blog, we’ll look at 10 key pieces of legislation from around the globe that have been crucial in advancing Black rights.

1. Slavery Abolition Act (1833) – United Kingdom

This landmark legislation abolished slavery throughout most of the British Empire, freeing over 800,000 enslaved Africans, particularly in the Caribbean, South Africa, and Canada. While it did not end systemic racism or colonialism, it was a crucial step towards ending slavery globally, inspiring other countries to follow suit in the fight against this brutal institution.

2. 13th Amendment (1865) – United States

The 13th Amendment officially ended slavery within the U.S. in 1865, following the devastation of the Civil War. Although it represented a monumental leap forward, freeing millions of Black people, it was followed by systemic racism, segregation, and disenfranchisement, particularly in the Southern states.

3. Emancipation Act (1869) – Cuba

Cuba was one of the last countries in Latin America to abolish slavery, with the Emancipation Act of 1869 gradually freeing enslaved people on the island. Full abolition was achieved in 1886, following years of struggle. The Act laid the groundwork for a broader abolitionist movement throughout the Caribbean, where slavery had been central to the economy. The legacy of slavery continues to shape Cuba’s social landscape, but the Emancipation Act was a critical turning point in the island’s history.

4. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) – United Nations

After World War II, the global community came together to create the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). While not a binding legal document, the UDHR was a historic declaration that established the right to equality and freedom from discrimination for all people, regardless of race. This international framework laid the groundwork for numerous national and international laws designed to combat racial discrimination worldwide and remains a key reference point in global human rights efforts.

5. Group Areas Act (1950) – South Africa

This was a cornerstone of apartheid, formalising racial segregation and severely restricting where Black people could live, work, and own property. Though it was a repressive law, its impact was widespread, sparking global outrage and resistance movements. The struggle against apartheid, symbolised by this legislation, eventually led to the dismantling of the regime and the creation of one of the world’s most progressive constitutions, which guarantees equality for all.

6. Civil Rights Act (1964) – United States

This landmark legislation outlawed racial discrimination in public places, employment, and education. It became a blueprint for civil rights movements worldwide, helping to inspire similar efforts in countries like South Africa and across the Caribbean and African nations as they fought against both colonialism and internal discrimination.

7. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) (1965) – United Nations

Adopted by the United Nations in 1965, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) is one of the most important international treaties in the fight against racism. It obligates member countries to work towards the elimination of racial discrimination and promote equality in all aspects of life. ICERD has been approved by over 180 countries and continues to provide a legal framework for tackling racial inequality globally.

8. Immorality Act Repeal (1985) – South Africa

South Africa’s Immorality Act was a notorious apartheid law that prohibited interracial relationships and marriages. The 1985 repeal of this law was a critical step towards dismantling apartheid and ending the institutionalised racial segregation that plagued the nation. This move signified the beginning of broader legislative reforms in South Africa, which culminated in the end of apartheid in the early 1990s and the election of Nelson Mandela as the first Black president of South Africa in 1994.

9. Constitution of Brazil (1988)

Brazil has the largest population of African descent outside of Africa, yet the country has long struggled with racial inequality. This legislation marked a turning point in recognising racial equality and prohibiting racial discrimination. In the years that followed, Brazil introduced affirmative action programmes to address centuries of racial disparities. This constitution remains foundational in the fight for Black rights in Brazil, where racial inequality persists despite these legal protections.

10. Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (2000) – South Africa

This law was designed to prevent unfair discrimination based on race, gender, and other factors, creating legal mechanisms to enforce racial equality. This was part of South Africa’s broader effort to heal the deep wounds left by apartheid, with a focus on ensuring that such institutionalised discrimination could never happen again.

All over the world, people of African descent have struggled against oppression, discrimination, and inequality. These key legislations mark major milestones in the global journey towards justice and equality for Black people. Though the struggle is far from over, these laws demonstrate that progress is possible when nations confront their histories and commit to creating a more equitable future. The journey towards true equality continues, and it’s up to each of us to keep pushing it forward.

With the Labour Party’s recent victory in the UK general election, led by Keir Starmer, several significant changes are expected in policy and governance. Implementing a manifesto is a challenging, but crucial, process for a new political party. This process involves translating campaign promises into actionable policies and legislation.

Here are the key steps involved in implementing a political manifesto.

1. The party should recognise the most critical and feasible promises from their manifesto and develop a timeline and sequence for addressing these.
2. The party then needs to work with experts, stakeholders, and advisors to develop detailed policy proposals and draft legislations based on the manifesto promises.
3. They would then have to negotiate with other lawmakers, interest groups, and stakeholders to gain support for the proposed legislation. They could use public campaigns, media, etc. to get public support and explain the benefits of the proposed legislation.
4. Next, they can introduce the drafted bills to the legislative body for debate and approval. The bills usually go through committees where they are examined in detail, and amendments may be proposed.
5. The full legislative body debates, votes on it, and if passed, it moves to the next stage.
6. Government departments and agencies implement the new legislation and policies and allocate budgets and resources to ensure the necessary funding is in place for implementation.

All of the above can take some time so when we will see any fruition on the promises made will vary widely depending on the type of legislation it is.   

What is certain is that the country will soon start seeing changes which, it is hoped, will stand the country in good stead moving forward.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used by teachers more and more in the classroom, which is changing the way that education is provided. Here are some examples of how educators are utilising AI and the impact it is having on students:

•  Personalised Learning:

AI is being utilised to develop adaptive learning systems that modify course material based on the requirements of specific students. These platforms evaluate the performance of the students and modify the curriculum to concentrate on areas where they might require more help.

• Automated Grading & Learning Analytics:

Assignment and quiz grading is being automated by AI technologies. This makes it possible for professors to give students feedback on time and consistently, which helps students recognise areas that need work right away.

Analytics powered by AI can reveal patterns in student performance and learning habits. Educators can utilise this information to make well-informed choices regarding intervention and strategy implementation.

• Virtual Teaching Assistance:

Chatbots and virtual assistants driven by AI are being utilised to give students immediate support. In addition to offering extra support outside of scheduled class times, these resources can respond to inquiries, provide clarifications, and mentor students through the learning process.

• Automated Administrative Tasks:

Teachers’ administrative responsibilities are being streamlined by AI, freeing them up to concentrate more on teaching. Teachers may focus on student engagement and support by freeing up critical time with automated grading, attendance tracking, and other regular duties.

Even though artificial intelligence (AI) in education has many advantages, its application must be carefully considered, taking into account data protection, ethical issues, and the need for a well-rounded strategy that integrates technology with efficient teaching techniques.

Despite the obvious benefits, it us clear that one thing AI can’t do is provide the personal touch.  AI cannot interact with students and talk about feelings in English literature in the same way, cannot extol the virtues of what science can achieve, cannot celebrate students’ individually – and more importantly cannot care about students’ well-being and ensure their safeguarding in the same way a human can.

I personally use AI in my business as a digital marketer quite a bit. It assists me in various ways such as using Chat GPT to gather ideas or Quillbot to assist me in paraphrasing. It has helped me to get my work done more efficiently as at times I don’t have to spend as much time thinking for ideas and I’m also picking up on how AI paraphrases and thinks of new ideas and applying that to my own work.

Here at Aston Bond, we are all for AI being used to enhance everyday life but strongly believe relationships are at the heart of human nature.  That’s how we do business, and we believe that will remain unchanged for many years to come.

It’s that magical time of the year, and at Aston Bond, we’re diving headfirst into the holiday spirit! As we wrap up another incredible year of hard work, dedication, and growth, it’s time to come together and celebrate the warmth of the season.

Our offices are transforming into winter wonderlands with twinkling lights, festive decorations, and a contagious air of excitement. The holiday cheer is contagious as colleagues collaborate to bring the spirit of Christmas to every corner of our workspace.

As we celebrate the holiday season, we’re also eagerly looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that the upcoming year will bring. Together, we’re poised to tackle new goals, support each other, and continue the journey of success.

From all of us at Aston Bond, we wish you a joyous holiday season filled with warmth, laughter, and moments of connection. Please feel free to share any Christmas decorations at your home or workplace! Here is a few we have done so far by our brilliant team:

The High Court heard arguments today on a “knock-off” trade mark dispute between Thatchers and Aldi, during which a judge will blind taste test two different ciders.  

Her Honour Judge Melissa Clarke will determine  whether Aldi’s Taurus brand—which has been accused of “riding on the coat tails” of the Somerset brewer— is being “passed off” as  Thatcher’s hazy lemon cider. . With the debut of the Taurus drinks in May of last year, Thatchers is suing Aldi for passing off and infringing on intellectual property.

Thatchers’ Martin Howe KC stated at a hearing at the Rolls Building that Aldi’s launch of its Taurus product gave it a “unfair advantage” because of the product’s packaging’s resemblance to Thatchers’. According to Howe, “this has given Aldi an advantage.” He has argued that despite appearing to have done little to promote the product, Aldi  have made significant sales which, he has stated, was essentially their entire strategy from day one.  The resemblance in the products’ looks here is paramount and he argues can easily be misleading.

‘There is a real risk that some consumers, bearing in mind the very rapid nature of the transaction, plonking it in their trolley thinking it is the Thatchers product.’

Howe informed the court that he, his junior, and a student had all conducted a comparable test using two cups marked “A” and “B,” and he asked the judge to conduct a blind tasting test to see if the items tasted different. According to him, “the do taste materially different, at least to a substantial number of people,” which will distort consumers’ perceptions of the product and harm the brand.

Although Her Honour Judge Melissa Clarke  would have the ciders delivered to Oxford where she would taste them privately, Clarke agreed to conduct a taste test. The judge joked, “I have a no-alcohol while sitting rule.”  

The court heard that Aldi refuted the allegations and any desire to mislead customers or “ride on the coattails” of Thatcher’s registered trademark.

The trial continues and is still ongoing.

If you have any infringement concerns or are concerned about damage being done to your brand’s reputation, please do not hesitate to contact our award winning head of litigation: James Dyche at jdyche@astonbond.co.uk

The chancellor’s Autumn Statement focused mostly on tax reduction, but the policy choices won’t stop taxes from remaining at their highest point ever.

Economists refer to these “hidden” tax increases as “fiscal drag,” and it can have a substantial effect on household earnings.  The phrase refers to a procedure wherein more people are “dragged” into paying more personal income taxes without any increase in tax rates. Jeremy Hunt chose to keep income tax and national insurance (NI) thresholds unchanged, which means they would stay locked until 2028 even though he announced a reduction in NI rates. Normally, tax thresholds increase in tandem with inflation—that is, the pace at which retail prices rise—but since 2021, they have remained unchanged.

Due to a recent era of high inflation, many workers were able to secure salary increases to help with the rising cost of living. However, since a larger percentage of their income is taxed or because they are now in a higher tax bracket than they were previously, they are also paying more tax. According to official estimates, 2.2 million more workers pay the base rate income tax of 20% than they did three years earlier, and 1.6 million more people fell into the 40% tax band during that same period. The freezing of tax bands, which determine the tax rates that apply to an individual’s wages, is referred to by critics as a “stealth tax” due to the slow implementation of the process as an individual’s income increases.

The chancellor’s cut in NI, which is a fixed percentage deducted from people’s wages and goes towards the cost of benefits, the NHS and the state pension, will partially offset this so-called stealth tax. But income tax revenues – the largest money maker for the Treasury – will continue to rise.

“The Treasury has done nothing to protect us from the misery of fiscal drag, and means the lion’s share of the damage done to our finances from these tax hikes will still continue to be felt years down the line,” said Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, even though the 2% reduction in NI “isn’t to be sniffed at.” Laith Khalaf, head of investment at AJ Bell, continued, “Fiscal drag is a powerful force, especially when tax thresholds are frozen in the face of an inflationary storm.”

The UK’s official forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), has estimated as a result of the policy, almost four million more people will be paying income tax and three million will move into the higher bracket by 2029.

Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies independent think tank, said the tax cuts for NI and businesses would not be enough to “prevent this from being the biggest tax raising Parliament in modern times”.

“Higher inflation pushes up tax receipts by more than it pushes up spending on debt interest or social security benefits. But rather than use the proceeds to ease the ongoing ‘fiscal drag’ effects of threshold freezes, or to compensate public services for higher costs, the chancellor opted to cut other taxes – most notably National Insurance and corporation tax,” he said.

The Resolution Foundation said households would on average be £1,900 worse off over the current parliament period from 2019 until the next general election. “The truth is, taxes are up not down,” said Torsten Bell, chief executive of the independent think tank which focuses on improving living standards for those on low to middle incomes. “The cuts [in the Autumn Statement] are dwarfed by tax rises already under way.”

If you need any further advice on how best to manage your money, consider taking independent financial advice from an accountant or IFA.  If you are interested in setting up any trusts for future financial planning, our Private Client department can assist.

Contact us with any queries, and we would be happy to assist.

Judges have decided that Deliveroo cannot be legally forced to participate in collective bargaining with a union that represents its riders. This ruling is the most recent development in a protracted legal dispute that started when a union attempted to represent a group of riders regarding working conditions and pay. Although lower courts had already rejected the case, an appeal was filed with the Supreme Court.

Nonetheless, the appeal was unanimously rejected by the Supreme Court’s judges.

Deliveroo riders did not have an “employment relationship” with the food courier company, according to Judge Vivien Rose, and thus were therefore not eligible for mandatory collective bargaining. In a ruling, Lady Rose and Lord Lloyd-Jones stated that a number of elements, such as the riders’ freedom to turn down job offers and to work for other companies, were “fundamentally inconsistent” with this kind of relationship. Through the formal process of collective bargaining, trade unions deal with employers on behalf of their members.

Due to the fact that riders are not considered “workers” under UK employment  law, the IWGB was initially denied authority to represent riders in 2017. It presented a legal argument, but the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), a labour law body, determined that riders were self-employed.

From then, the union has been pursuing several appeals, all of which have reached the Supreme Court. The question of whether the agreement between the food courier and its riders qualified under Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the freedom to form unions, was one of the arguments made in the case, which was dismissed on Tuesday.

According to the Supreme Court, there is no law in the UK that prohibits riders from organising or joining a union, nor is there any law that prohibits Deliveroo from engaging in collective bargaining with them. However, its decision stated: “The issue is whether Article 11 requires the United Kingdom to go beyond that current position and to enact legislation conferring on Article 11 workers the right to require their reluctant employer to recognise and negotiate with the union of their choice.” According to a Deliveroo representative, the UK has “repeatedly and at every level” acknowledged that its riders are independent contractors.

“This is a positive judgement for Deliveroo riders, who value the flexibility that self-employed work offers,” the spokeswoman continued.

The IWGB countered that: “Flexibility, including the option for account substitution, is no reason to strip workers of basic entitlements like fair pay and collective bargaining rights.”

Deliveroo said that it and the GMB Union had reached a “voluntary partnership agreement” in 2021, which recognised riders as independent contractors but granted the union collective bargaining rights on salary and benefits.

If you ever have any employment concerns with  which you require assistance, then we would be more than happy to help you here at Aston Bond.  Our employment solicitor, Ilinca Mardarescu has extensive experience acting on behalf of employees asserting individual rights and similarly, acting for companies defending claims brought by employees . Do feel free to contact her on imardarescu@astonbond.co.uk or call on +44 (0)1753 486 777.