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Hey there,
For this month's round up we're chatting all things family benefits - the upcoming changes in the UK, salary sacrifice and the types benefits parents want.
Plus, an invite to our next webinar: how to make your benefits budget go further in 2025.
Ready to dive in?
COO's Take
The pay rise penalty: why some parents say no to promotions
We live in a world where some parents are better off saying no to a pay rise. That’s how broken the system is, particularly in the UK.
The current lay of the land:
Earn just over £100K, and you lose 30 hours of free childcare 🤦🏻♂️
The Financial Times calls this a “huge marginal tax rate,” so steep that some parents need a £50K salary increase just to break even.
As a parent, I know how brutal childcare costs can be.
Too many working families face a tough choice: reduce hours or decline career growth.
One solution? Salary sacrifice schemes. These allow employees to pay for pensions, electric vehicles, or childcare pre-tax, keeping their income below key thresholds.
Want to learn more?
👉 We've broken down the 6 types of salary sacrifice benefits you can offer at your workplace.
Industry News
Parental leave in the UK is about to have a major upgrade
Big news for working parents! From April 6th, the UK is rolling out a suite of progressive policies that will benefit over 500,000 parents annually.
So, what’s changing? Let’s break it down.
1. New neonatal care leave and pay:
Parents of babies who are admitted into neonatal care up to 28 days old will be eligible to 12 weeks of paid leave - on top of any other leave they may be entitled to.
2. Proposed increase in statutory family-related pay:
The weekly rates for statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental pay will rise to £187.18, up from £184.03.
What HR needs to do:
✅ Updating policies to stay compliant (no one wants a legal headache!). Save time with our Parental Leave Policy Template.
✅ Adjusting payroll & benefits to reflect new statutory pay rates.
✅ Keeping employees informed so no one misses out on their entitlements.
HR Strategy & Best Practices
Family-friendly benefits: the secret to keeping top talent
43% of working women say they’ve considered quitting because of a lack of caregiving support from their employer. That’s a huge talent drain - one that family-friendly policies can help prevent.
How you can support parents through benefits
- On-site or subsidised nursery care - A workplace nursery scheme helps working parents return to work faster and with less stress. Here are some of our favourites.
- Flexible spending allowances (like Ben's) - Give employees the freedom to choose what benefits they want to opt into - like childcare, babysitters, after-school clubs.
- Flexible working options - 92% of employees say they’d stay longer at a company with flexible work policies. Hybrid & remote work aren’t just nice-to-haves - they’re retention tools!
Companies doing it best
- Spotify: equal parental leave for all genders.They offer all parents - not just mothers - six months of fully paid leave, normalises caregiving for all employees.
- Patagonia: supporting both child & elder care. Patagonia provides on-site childcare AND eldercare benefits, recognising that caregiving extends beyond parenting.
Want more ideas?
👉 Check out 7 ways employers can support parents in the workplace.
Upcoming Webinar
The art of the possible: how to make your benefits budget go further in 2025
Here's the thing: budgets are tighter, expectations are higher, and somehow… benefits are meant to feel more personalised, more impactful, more everything.
So how do you make it work?
Join us for a live session built for HR and Reward leaders who want to do more than just ‘manage’ their benefits - they want to maximise them.
When: 8th April | 4pm BST
That's a wrap!
💡 Want more expert insights?
Check out our latest reports, guides, and templates here.
📩 Got feedback?
Reply to this email - we love hearing from you!
🔔 Want to chat?
Book a quick demo to see how Ben can help your team simplify employee benefits.
Best,
The Ben Team