All workers have a right to at least 5.6 weeks’ paid annual leave.

There is not a statutory right to paid leave on bank and public holidays. If the employer gives paid leave on a bank or public holiday, this can count towards your minimum holiday entitlement.

Children and vulnerable adults are to be better protected from today with the start of the new Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS).

The new scheme will be delivered by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). Its tighter regulations are at the heart of the Government’s strategy for increasing the protection of vulnerable members of our society.

From 12 October 2009 the PoVAFirst service has been renamed the ISA Adult First Service.

The CRB has reduced the fee for Standard Disclosures.

As from October 2009 the National Minimum Wage (NMW) is as follows:-

• £5.80 per hour for all workers aged 22 years and over
• £4.83 per hour for workers between 18 and 21
• £3.57 per hour for workers of 16 & 17 years of age

The government has also promised to extend the adult minimum wage rate to 21-year-olds from October 2010