These rates are for the National Living Wage (for those aged 21 and over) and the National Minimum Wage (for those of at least school leaving age). The rates change on 1 April every year.

National Living Wage
Age Band	April 2024 (current rate)	April 2025
21 and over	£11.44	£12.21
18-20	£8.60	£10.00
Under 18	£6.40	£7.55
Apprentice rate	£6.40	£7.55

Apprentices

Apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they’re either:

• aged under 19
• aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship

Updated employment guidance – L08 Employment available on our website

Our employment guidance leaflet, L08, has been updated to reflect employment law changes during 2024, and is now available on our website. This includes changes in relation to:

• Family friendly leave and pay
• Carer’s leave
• Parental bereavement leave
• Updated and extended equal opportunities policy 
• New national minimum wage rates
• Preventing sexual harassment

New legislation in relation to preventing sexual harassment

From 27 October 2024 the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act strengthens existing protection for workers against sexual harassment. The new law places a new duty on employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment. Employment tribunals will have the power to increase compensation by up to 25% if they find an employer has breached this duty.  

Harassment covers unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that has that effect.

Churches who employ staff will need to understand the new requirements and take steps to make sure that they can comply:

1. Keeping records that demonstrate they have taken reasonable steps as an employer to protect their staff;
2. Carrying out risk assessments to identify and address potential risk areas within the organisation (including looking at past incidents, cultural problem areas and third-party interactions);
3. Updating their policies on sexual harassment;
4. Making sure there are clear and confidential reporting routes for employees to report incidents of harassment;
5. Providing training for all employees;
6. Providing guidance for managers on how to spot changes in behaviour / situations where harassment may occur.

A template policy for Baptist churches is available as part of our L08 Employment leaflet.

New Level 2 Excellence in Safeguarding training course launched

After a year of development work, our new Level 2 Excellence in Safeguarding course is now available in all association areas. The new course is based on the 4Rs – Recognise, Respond, Record and Report, and provides a great overview for ministers, church staff and volunteers on how to safeguard in a Baptist church environment.

Please contact your association team for more details on dates, venues and how to book places.

New guide for safeguarding trustees

A helpful guide for those taking on safeguarding trustee responsibilities in their churches has just been published. It outlines the role and responsibilities of safeguarding trustees and the way in which they can support good safeguarding practice in their churches. This guide is available to download from our website.

 

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