The most read stories on www.employeebenefits.co.uk between 15 November and 3 December 2015
1. The Autumn Statement’s impact on employee benefits
On 25 November, Chancellor George Osborne delivered the 2015 Autumn Statement and Spending Review.
2. Government to gather evidence on salary sacrifice
The government will continue to consider what action, if any, will be taken around salary sacrifice arrangements. It will gather further evidence, including from employers, to inform its approach to salary sacrifice.
3. British Gas holiday pay case reaches tribunal
The Employment Appeal Tribunal was scheduled to hear the case of Lock v British Gas on 8 and 9 December. The case could bring employers a step closer to receiving some certainty over commission and holiday pay.
4. Diesel supplement to remain in company car tax to 2021
The government will retain the diesel supplement in company car tax. There will be a three-percentage-point differential between diesel cars and petrol cars from April 2016 to 2021.
5. Rangers Football Club to pay staff living wage
On Friday 27 November, the club’s chairman, Dave King, announced that all employees would be paid the living wage with immediate effect following unanimous approval by the club’s board.
6. Auto-enrolment contribution rate rises to coincide with tax year
During the Autumn Statement, Chancellor George Osborne announced that the next two phases of minimum pension contribution rate increases under auto-enrolment will be pushed back to align with the tax year.
7. New income limits set for tax-free childcare
The upper income limit for parents to take advantage of the government’s new tax-free childcare scheme is to be lowered from £150,000 to £100,000 a year.
8. Consultation opens on income tax and national insurance alignment
The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) launched a consultation to establish where the complexities lie in the differences between income tax and national insurance contributions, and to seek views on how the system could be simplified.
9. GHD launches employee engagement platform
GHD launched an employee engagement platform to communicate its employee benefits, culture and values to 284 members of staff.
10. Share scheme tax rules to be simplified
The Finance Bill 2016 will introduce measures to streamline and simplify aspects of the tax rules for tax-advantaged and non-tax-advantaged employee share schemes.