Free Bradford seminar to cover payroll and employment rule changes expected from the 6th of April

Bradford employers are being encouraged to prepare for payroll and employment law changes expected to come into force on the 6th of April.

Accountancy and business advisory firm Azets, which is based at Carlton House on Grammar School Street, is hosting a free seminar in Bradford on Wednesday the 25th of February. The firm said the session will focus on new requirements around record-keeping for holiday entitlement, holiday pay calculations and annual leave, with records needing to be retained centrally for six years.

Azets said the event will also cover the role and enforcement powers of a new government body, the Fair Work Agency (FWA), which the firm said is also due to launch on the 6th of April. Topics are expected to include the agency’s ability to inspect premises, request records and apply penalties.

The seminar will also include an employment law update from Ben Palmer, a partner at Ison Harrison Solicitors, covering changes including day one rights for paternity leave, parental leave and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), according to organisers.

Julie Gunnell, Yorkshire-based associate director of payroll growth at Azets, said:

“These changes are hurtling down the tracks and it is alarming how few employers know about them.

“We are holding these seminars to help raise awareness and provide practical advice and support for businesses so they can get a handle on the new regulations in payroll but also in employment law too.

“There’s a great deal in the new regulations that could trip employers up and with potential fines and criminal sanctions, the implications are massive.

“This will be an invaluable in-person event for employers to get to grips with the new rules.”

The event, titled Payroll and Employer Update, is due to run from 9:30am to 11:30am at the Cedar Court Hotel on Rooley Lane, Bradford, and will include presentations, networking, and an opportunity to speak to advisers. Azets said speakers will include Julie Gunnell, employee benefits consultant David Pinner and tax partner Richard Whitelock, alongside Ben Palmer of Ison Harrison Solicitors.

Victoria Wainwright, Azets’ Bradford office managing partner, said:

“We believe in Bradford and are committed to doing all we can to help its businesses and the local economy thrive.

“This seminar will allow us to play our part by providing valuable support and advice to help businesses navigate the latest payroll and HR changes. We look forward to seeing many employers from the city at the event.”

Azets also referenced Office for National Statistics figures which it said showed 2.73 million VAT and/or PAYE businesses in the UK as of the March of 2025, including 191,000 in Yorkshire and The Humber. The firm also cited government research stating that 900,000 UK workers each year have holiday pay withheld, worth £2.1 billion, and that nearly 20% of minimum wage workers are underpaid.

Registration details for the free seminar are available here: https://discover.azets.co.uk/bradford-annual-payroll-and-employer-update