Overview
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- This section contains:
- income tax rates, taxable bands and personal allowances for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013
- National Insurance contributions rates for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013
- the Retail Prices Index (both RPI and RPIX which excludes mortgage interest payments) and the Consumer Prices Index
- the rates for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP), Additional Statutory Paternity Pay (ASPP), Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
- the rates for the National Minimum Wage (NMW)
- the maximum compensation limits for various classes of tribunal claims
- the advisory fuel rates for company cars
- rates of common social secrity benefits from April 2011 and from April 2012
Income tax rates, taxable bands and personal allowances
| Â | Â 2011-2012 | Â 2012-2013 |
|  Basic rate: 20% |  £0-£35,000 |  £0-£34,370 |
|  Higher rate: 40% |  £35,001-£150,000 |  £34,371-£150,000 |
|  Additional rate: 50% |  Over £150,000 |  Over £150,000 |
|  Personal allowance |  £7,475 |  £8,105 |
|  Personal allowance: aged 65-74 |  £9,940 |  £10,500 |
|  Personal allowance: aged 75 and over |  £10,090 |  £10,660 |
National Insurance contributions
| Â | Â 2011-2012 | Â 2012-2013 |
| Lower earnings limit, primary Class 1 |  £102 per week |  £107 per week |
| Upper earnings limit, primary Class 1 |  £817 per week |  £817 per week |
|  Primary threshold |  £139 per week |  £146 per week |
|  Secondary threshold |  £136 per week |  £144 per week |
| Employees' primary Class 1 rate | 12% of earnings £139-£817 per week; 2% above £817 per week | 12% of earnings £146-£817 per week; 2% above £817 per week |
| Employers' secondary Class 1 rate | 13.8% on earnings above £136 per week | 13.8% on earnings above £144 per week |
| Employees' contracted-out rebate | Â 1.6% | Â 1.4% |
| Employers' contracted-out rebate: salary-related schemes | Â 3.7% | Â 3.4% |
| Employers' contracted-out rebate: money-purchase schemes | Â 1.4% | Â Abolished |
Retail Prices Index (RPI) - all items
| Â | Â 2011 Index | Â Annual increase (%) | Â 2012 Index | Â Annual increase (%) |
| January | 229.0 | 5.1 | 238.0 | 3.9 |
| February | Â 231.3 | 5.5 | 239.9 | 3.7 |
| March | 232.5 | 5.3 | 240.8 | 3.6 |
| April | 234.4 | 5.2 | Â | Â |
| May | Â 235.2 | 5.2 | Â | Â |
| June | 235.2 | Â 5.0 | Â | Â |
| July | 234.7 | 5.0 | Â | Â |
| August | 236.1 | 5.2 | Â | Â |
| September | 237.9 | 5.6 | Â | Â |
| October | 238.0 | 5.4 | Â | Â |
| November | Â 238.5 | 5.2 | Â | Â |
| December | Â 239.4 | 4.8 | Â | Â |
Retail Prices Index (RPIX) - all items excluding mortgage interest payments
| Â | Â 2011 Index | Â Annual increase (%) | 2012 Index | Annual increase (%) |
| January | Â 228.2 | 5.1 | 237.3 | Â 4.0 |
| February | Â 230.5 | 5.5 | Â 239.3 | Â 3.8 |
| March | Â 231.7 | 5.4 | 240.2 | Â 3.7 |
| April | Â 233.7 | 5.3 | Â | Â |
| May | Â 234.5 | 5.3 | Â | Â |
| June | Â 234.5 | 5.0 | Â | Â |
| July | Â 233.9 | Â 5.0 | Â | Â |
| August | Â 235.4 | Â 5.3 | Â | Â |
| September | Â 237.3 | 5.7 | Â | Â |
| October | Â 237.4 | Â 5.6 | Â | Â |
| November | Â 237.9 | 5.3 | Â | Â |
| December | Â 238.8 | Â 5.0 | Â | Â |
Consumer Prices Index (CPI)
| Â | 2011 Index | Annual increase (%) | 2012 Index | Annual increase (%) |
| January | 116.9 | Â 4.0 | Â 121.1 | 3.6 |
| February | 117.8 | 4.4 | 121.8 | Â 3.4 |
| March | 118.1 | 4.0 | 122.2 | Â 3.5 |
| April | 119.3 | 4.5 | Â | Â |
| May | 119.5 | 4.5 | Â | Â |
| June | 119.4 | 4.2 | Â | Â |
| July | 119.4 | 4.4 | Â | Â |
| August | 120.1 | 4.5 | Â | Â |
| September | 120.9 | 5.2 | Â | Â |
| October | 121.0 | 5.0 | Â | Â |
| November | 121.2 | 4.8 | Â | Â |
| December | Â 121.7 | 4.2 | Â | Â |
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Statutory Maternity/Adoption/Paternity Pay and Statutory Sick Pay
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| Â | Â 2011-2012 | Â 2012-2013 |
| Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) | £81.60 per week (payable to those earning above the lower earnings limit of £102) | £85.85 per week (payable to those earning above the lower earnings limit of £107) |
| Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) | 6 weeks' pay at 90% of average earnings; 33 weeks at £128.73 (or 90% of normal weekly earnings if this is lower) | 6 weeks' pay at 90% of average earnings; 33 weeks at £135.45 (or 90% of normal weekly earnings if this is lower) |
| Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) | £128.73 per week (or 90% of normal weekly earnings if this is lower); paid for 2 weeks | £135.45 per week (or 90% of normal weekly earnings if this is lower); paid for 2 weeks |
| Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP)/Additional Statutoty Paternity Pay (ASPP) | £128.73 per week (or 90% of normal weekly earnings if this is lower); paid for a maximum of 26 weeks | £135.45 per week (or 90% of normal weekly earnings if this is lower); paid for a maximum of 26 weeks |
| Statutory Maternity Allowance (SMA) | £128.73 per week for 39 weeks (or 90% of normal weekly earnings if this is lower); paid to those who have not worked for their employer long enough to qualify for SMP | £135.45 per week for 39 weeks (or 90% of normal weekly earnings if this is lower); paid to those who have not worked for their employer long enough to qualify for SMP |
National Minimum Wage rates
Â| Â | From 1 October 2011 | From 1 October 2012 |
|  Workers aged 21 and over |  £6.08 per hour |  £6.19 per hour |
|  Workers aged 18-20 |  £4.98 per hour |  £4.98 per hour |
|  Workers aged 16-17 |  £3.68 per hour |  £3.68 per hour |
|  Apprentices* |  £2.60 per hour |  £2.65 per hour |
|  Accommodation offset |  £4.73 per day |  £4.82 per day |
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* The apprentices rate applies to those apprentices who are under 19 or those who are over 19 but in the first year of their apprenticeship
See also the useful Croner Employment Ready Reckoner on the NMW.
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Tribunal compensation limits
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| Â Employment Right | Maximum award - from 1 February 2011 | Maximum award - from 1 February 2012 |
| Unfair dismissal | Â | Â |
| Basic award |  £12,000 | £12,900 |
| Compensatory award |  £68,400 | £72,300 |
| Additional award |  £10,400-£20,800 (i.e. 26-52 weeks' pay) | £11,180-£22,360 (i.e. 26-52 weeks' pay) |
| Redundancy pay |  £12,000 | £12,900 |
| Discrimination | Â No limit | No limit |
| Dismissal for union/employee representative or pension trustee reasons | Â | Â |
| Basic award |  £12,000 (minimum: £5,000) | £12,900 (minimum: £5,300) |
| Compensatory award |  £68,400 | £72,300 |
| Dismissal for health and safety reasons or for making a protected disclosure | Â | Â |
| Basic award |  £12,000 | £12,900 |
| Compensatory award | Â No limit | No limit |
| Guarantee pay |  £111.00 (5 days in any period of 3 months @ £22.50 per day) | £117.50 (5 days in any period of 3 months @ £23.50 per day) |
| Breach of contract |  Tribunal: £25,000; High/County Court: no limit | Tribunal: £25,000; High/County Court: no limit |
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Advisory fuel rates for company cars
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From 1 March 2012
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| Engine size | Petrol | LPG |
| Â Up to 1400 cc | Â 15p | Â 10p |
| Â 1401 cc - 2000 cc | Â 18p | Â 12p |
| Â Over 2000 cc | Â 26p | Â 18p |
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| Â Engine size | Â Diesel |
| Â 1600 cc or less | Â 13p |
| Â 1601 cc - 2000 cc | Â 15p |
| Â Over 2000 cc | Â 19p |
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From 1 December 2011
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| Engine size | Petrol | LPG |
| Â Up to 1400 cc | 15p | Â 10p |
| Â 1401 cc - 2000 cc | Â 18p | Â 12p |
| Â Over 2000 cc | Â 26p | 18p |
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| Â Engine size | Diesel |
| Â 1600 cc or less | Â 12p |
| Â 1601 cc - 2000 cc | Â 15p |
| Â Over 2000 cc | Â 18p |
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From 1 September 2011
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| Engine size | Petrol | LPG |
| Â Up to 1400 cc | 15p | Â 11p |
| Â 1401 cc - 2000 cc | 18p | Â 12p |
| Â Over 2000 cc | Â 26p | Â 18p |
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| Engine size | Diesel |
| 1600 cc or less | 12p |
| 1601 cc - 2000 cc | Â 15p |
| Over 2000 cc | Â 18p |
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From 1 June 2011
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| Â Engine size | Â Petrol | LPG |
| Up to 1400 cc | Â 15p | Â 11p |
| 1401 cc - 2000 cc | Â 18p | 13p |
| Over 2000 cc | Â 26p | 18p |
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| Â Engine size | Diesel |
| Â 1600 cc or less | 12p |
| Â 1601 cc - 2000 cc | 15p |
| Â Over 2000 cc | 18p |
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See also HMRC website.Social security benefits
| Â | From April 2011 | From April 2012 |
| Attendance Allowance | Â | Â |
| Higher rate | £73.60 | £77.45 |
| Lower rate | £49.30 | £51.85 |
| Carer's Allowance | £55.55 | £58.45 |
| Disability Living Allowance | Â | Â |
| Care component | Â | Â |
| Highest | £73.60 | £77.45 |
| Middle | £49.30 | £51.85 |
| Lowest | £19.55 | £20.55 |
| Mobility component | Â | Â |
| Higher | £51.40 | £54.05 |
| Lower | £19.55 | £20.55 |
| Employment and Support Allowance | Â | Â |
| Personal allowances | Â | Â |
| Single under 25 and lone parent under 18 | £53.45 | £56.25 |
| Single 25 or over and lone parent 18 or over | £67.50 | £71.00 |
| Incapacity Benefit | Â | Â |
| Long-term Incapacity Benefit | £94.25 | £99.15 |
| Short-term Incapacity Benefit (under state pension age) | Â | Â |
| Lower rate | £71.10 | £74.80 |
| Higher rate | £84.15 | £88.55 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | Â | Â |
| Contribution-based JSA: personal rates | Â | Â |
| Under 25 | £53.45 | £56.25 |
| 25 or over | £67.50 | £71.00 |
| Income-based JSA: personal allowances | Â | Â |
| Under 25 | £53.45 | £56.25 |
| 25 or over | £67.50 | £71.00 |
| Maternity Allowance | Â | Â |
| Standard rate | £128.73 | £135.45 |
| Earnings threshold | £30.00 | £30.00 |
| State pension | Â | Â |
| Standard rate for man or woman with a full contribution record | £102.15 | £107.45 |
| Wife qualifying on her husband's contributions | £61.20 | £64.40 |
| Couple's pension | £163.35 | £171.85 |
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