HSE’s Working Minds campaign, the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 and what to do if you face insolvency
Today’s post talks about the latest campaign from HSE on how to tackle workplace stress, new legislation around supporting employees requiring Neonatal Care and our tips on what to do if your business faces insolvency.
Stress Awareness Month: Tackle Workplace Stress
During April, the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) Working Minds campaign is inviting employers to follow five simple steps that can help to prevent and reduce workplace stress.
The Working Minds campaign involves 5 Rs:
- Reach out and have conversations.
- Recognised the signs and causes of stress.
- Respond to any risks you have identified.
- Reflect on actions you’ve agreed and taken.
- Make it Routine.
Employers are being encouraged to focus on one R for each week of the month.
The Working Minds campaign is designed to help employers meet their legal duty to prevent work related stress and support good mental health in the workplace. It includes a range of tools that includes free online learning, Talking Toolkits, risk assessment templates and examples.
New neonatal care law now in force
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 came into force on 6 April 2025. This law provides a new leave and pay entitlement for parents with a baby in neonatal care.
Depending on how long their baby is in neonatal care, parents will now have the right to have up to 12 weeks leave and pay. This right is in addition to other time off and pay.
Who is the leave and pay available to?
The time off is available to the birth parent, father or partner, spouse, civil partner or adoptive parent.
When can the leave be taken?
A parent with a baby up to 28 days old that is admitted to neonatal care is eligible for up to 12 weeks leave. The leave must be taken within 68 weeks of the baby’s birth.
How do parents need to inform their employer?
Parents can self-declare and should contact their workplace HR representative to go through the specifics of their personal situation.
Acas has provided some helpful guidance on the new law, which can be found here.
Dan Ellis, Acas Interim Chief Executive, said: “Becoming new parents can be an incredibly stressful time, especially if their baby requires care in hospital for a while. Any employee that requires time off to help care for their child in these circumstances should be treated with compassion and understanding. Our advice provides employers and managers with guidance on how they can support staff members who need to take neonatal care leave.”
See: https://www.acas.org.uk/acas-publishes-new-guidance-on-neonatal-care-leave
Why Seeking Help When Your Business Faces Insolvency is the Right Move
Running a business comes with financial risks, and sometimes, companies struggle to stay afloat. While facing insolvency is undoubtedly stressful, seeking professional help early can prevent serious legal consequences.
A recent case involving a Cheshire builder highlights the risks of mishandling insolvency and why business owners should act responsibly when financial difficulties arise.
A Cautionary Tale: Builder Faces Sentence for Misconduct
Gary Roberts, a builder from Cheshire, was recently sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, after fraudulent behaviour while his company, GR Developments 1 Ltd, was in financial trouble.
In 2021, he took £17,000 from a customer for home improvements, knowing his company was insolvent, and failed to complete the work. He also paid himself over £11,000 from company funds at a time when the business was entering liquidation.
His actions left the homeowner out of pocket and living in a home with its back exposed to the elements. He has been banned from serving as a company director for 10 years and has been ordered to pay more than £10,000 in compensation to his victim.
The Insolvency Service emphasised the seriousness of his misconduct, noting that businesses have a duty to act responsibly even when facing financial difficulties.
Why Seeking Help is Crucial
While seeking help may seem embarrassing, it can bring benefits that may even include saving the business from going under. Here are some key benefits.
- Avoid Legal Consequences – Directors who continue trading or remove assets when they know a company is insolvent risk severe penalties, including disqualification, fines, and even imprisonment.
- Protect Your Reputation – Mishandling insolvency can cause lasting damage to your professional reputation, making it difficult to secure future business opportunities or financial support.
- Maximise Financial Options – Consulting insolvency professionals early can help explore options like restructuring, administration, or voluntary liquidation, potentially saving the business or reducing losses.
- Minimise Losses for Creditors and Customers – Acting responsibly ensures that customers, suppliers, and creditors are treated fairly, reducing financial harm to others.
- Ensure Compliance with the Law – Insolvency laws exist to protect businesses and the wider economy. Seeking expert advice ensures you follow the correct legal processes and avoid doing something, even unintentionally, that creates problems for you later.
Conclusion
Facing insolvency is challenging, but acting responsibly can protect you, your business, and your stakeholders. The case of Gary Roberts serves as a reminder that failing to handle insolvency properly can lead to severe consequences.
If you are concerned that your business may be in financial trouble, don’t wait – give us a call for a confidential, no blame discussion that will help you to navigate the situation legally and ethically.
Post Office Moving to Full Franchising
The Post Office has announced plans to transfer its last 108 company-run branches to franchise partners, completing its move to a fully franchised network. The change, due by autumn (subject to government funding), affects around 1,000 staff, who will be offered roles with new owners or voluntary redundancy.
Post Office chairman Nigel Railton has said that the 108 branches will stay in place or relocate nearby.
New franchisees may include Tesco, Ryman, and independent sub-postmasters, which may bring Post Office counters into new retail settings.
Concerns and Reactions
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has criticised the plan as ‘privatisation by the back door’ and called for government intervention. They argue that franchising has already led to a decline in service levels in some areas.
What’s Next
The Post Office says franchising will help save £40m and improve postmaster pay by up to 10%, while still meeting its commitment to maintain at least 11,500 branches across the UK. Local consultation on branch changes is expected in the coming weeks.
Tip for business owners: If your business relies on nearby Post Office services, keep an eye out for local updates and consider alternative access points or digital solutions if service levels change.
See: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd02nr0y0rjo
Could the Home Building Fund Help You?
Homes England has a Home Building Fund available to help housebuilders based in England that are struggling to access finance from traditional lenders.
Whether the homes are destined for sale or rent, the Fund can provide loans that are tailored to your business’ circumstances and can be used to pay for development costs.
In order to qualify for help, you need to:
- Be a UK-registered corporate entity or limited liability partnership.
- Be planning to build 5 or more homes on a site in England.
- Have outline planning permission in place on land that you have a controlling interest in.
To learn more about the Fund, see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/levelling-up-home-building-fund-development-finance