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Employing people

For small businesses and start-ups, taking additional members of staff is a big step. It brings added responsibility and cost, so it needs to be given a great deal of thought.

Employing people - Things to consider

  • Decide how much to pay – you must pay your employees at least the national minimum wage
  • Check if the candidate has the legal right to work in the UK and be aware you may have to do other additional employment checks
  • Apply for a disclosure and barring service check (DBS check - formally known as a CRB check) if you work in a field that requires one, for example with vulnerable people or security
  • Think about operating a hybrid working business model. Look at setting up a structure where your workforce can work from home and in the office. This can save costs and also help you meet your decarbonisation plans
  • Ensure there is health and wellbeing support. Think about introducing health and wellbeing champions into your workforce and ensure colleagues are comfortable having these discussions
  • Get employment insurance – you need employers' liability insurance as soon as you become an employer
  • Send details of the job (including terms and conditions) in writing to your employee. You need to give your employee a written statement of employment if you are employing someone for more than one month
  • Tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by registering as an employer. You can do this up to 4 weeks before you pay your new staff.

Encouraging applications from disabled people can be advantageous to your business as it can:

  • Increase the number of high-quality applicants
  • Develop a diverse workforce that reflects the diversity of your clients
  • Bring additional skills to your business
  • The costs of accommodating disabled employees are often low.

Employment Allowance

Small business employers can get from £5000 to £10,500 each and every year from April 2025 by claiming this relief on National Insurance bills. Employment Allowance is for nearly all employers that pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions on their employees’ and directors’ earnings. This includes businesses and charities.

The Disability Confidence Scheme

This scheme encourages employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain, and develop disabled people. By signing up to this it shows your company is an equal opportunity employer attracting more talent and increasing diversity.

Nottinghamshire Opportunities

Another way to recruit staff is by placing your vacancies on this new web platform from Nottinghamshire County Council. It targets individuals across the county and helps businesses and training providers to showcase courses, apprenticeships, and jobs.

Working Well East Midlands

This initiative can help businesses with recruiting new staff, supporting you in maintaining a healthy workforce as well as having the opportunity to give something back to the community and supporting our NHS. It’s a completely free services being delivered by East Midlands Chamber, in partnership with Standguide Ltd, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and Derby City Council and is available to SMEs across Nottinghamshire.

Advertise your part-time jobs for free with JobShop

JobShop is a free online jobs portal where local businesses can promote part-time opportunities directly to Nottingham Trent University students. Nottingham Trent University is also one of the largest Universities in the UK, with over 40,000 students and many of these students are actively searching for part-time roles through the JobShop website.

Talentview Construction

Talentview Construction is a free online platform that's Government backed and CITB industry levy funded, specially designed to help young people find their first jobs - apprenticeships, traineeships, and work experience in construction and the built environment. Employers can showcase their business to talented new recruits. Upload all your early career vacancies, including traineeships, apprenticeships, and graduate jobs, and search for suitable candidates as well as directly contact students and apprentices, and connect more closely with schools, universities, and construction colleges.

Carers in employment initiative

This is a free scheme that supports Nottinghamshire organisations and works closely with your HR teams and senior managers to help retain staff who, due to their unpaid caring responsibilities, may be at risk of leaving the workforce. They can also help you recruit more unpaid Carers into employment. If you would like to see how this scheme can add value to your recruitment and productivity targets, then please contact Jayne Davies, employer engagement worker.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are a great way for employers to nurture their own talent. They also provide an excellent route for people to enter the labour market allowing individuals to train on the job and gain a qualification at the same time. They have become a key government policy in the UK. Since April 2017, large employers in the UK have been required to pay an apprenticeship levy and other employers are required to contribute some of the costs.

Our business support team is aware of the local apprenticeship providers and happy to make named introductions based on your needs.

Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)

If you are looking to employ people, then it’s useful to speak to the local DWP / Job Centre engagement team. They can tell you about any available grants, and help you advertise so you can find the right people to fill your vacancies as quickly as possible.

Nottingham University - short term Recruitment

Nottingham University have a recruitment agency called Unitemps which can support local businesses with to recruit a part time staff member and they will run the payroll for you. So, if you need a graduate to undertake some specialist work such as marketing , product design, Website development etc and this work wouldn't fit around the normal duration of an internship or project placement then this approach is worth exploring. Businesses will be charged an hourly rate which is invoiced based on timesheet submissions. If they are interested in this then they can contact  for further information

Help with redundancies

Rapid response service

If you must make redundancies, Job Centre Plus can give you and your employees support and advice through their rapid response service.

Ashfield District Council - Career boost

Did you know that we can support individuals with finding employment? Please take a look at our career boost pages.

HMRC link: Help and support email service

If you would like to stay informed and receive regular updates from HMRC, you can register online and manage specific topic subscriptions. HMRC also have an employer bulletin, which is a bi-monthly magazine for employers and agents, providing up to date information on payroll topics.

Page last updated: 21 November 2024