The number of non-fatal workplace injuries reported in the UK has risen to 61,663 in 2024, an increase of over 1,000 cases compared to the previous 12-month period, according to data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The figures come from the RIDDOR reporting system and signal a continued need for employers to strengthen workplace safety protocols.

The most common cause of injury was slips, trips, and falls, which accounted for 31% of all incidents. Handling, lifting, or carrying made up 17% of cases, followed by workers being struck by moving objects at 10%.

The release of the statistics coincides with the World Day for Health and Safety at Work, a global event aimed at promoting safe and healthy workplace practices. For UK employers, the timing highlights the importance of meeting obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, particularly as injury numbers are trending upward.

British Steel has officially ended its redundancy consultation, securing over 2,700 jobs at its Scunthorpe site. The decision follows the company’s withdrawal of its HR1 form submitted to the Department for Business and Trade in March, signalling a halt to previously announced plans to shut down its blast furnaces.

The reversal comes after the UK government passed the Steel Special Measures Act in April, emergency legislation aimed at preserving domestic steelmaking capabilities. Under the act, the government acquired powers to procure raw materials on behalf of the company, preventing the planned shutdown of the Queen Anne and Queen Bess furnaces.

This intervention follows Chinese owner Jingye’s earlier announcement that the blast furnaces were financially unsustainable, with daily losses of around £700,000. Jingye had suspended raw material procurement, triggering fears of widespread job losses and jeopardising the UK’s last remaining blast furnace operations.

With the furnaces now supplied and operating continuously, British Steel has stabilised production, averting immediate job losses. Industry stakeholders view the outcome as critical for maintaining sovereign steelmaking capacity, especially amid growing concerns over national security and supply chain resilience.

If the closures had gone ahead, the UK would have become the only G7 nation unable to produce virgin steel domestically.

UK businesses that rely on agency workers, especially those on zero-hours contracts, must start preparing for a major shift in employment law. Under new measures introduced in the government’s Employment Rights Bill, agency workers will soon be entitled to greater job security, improved working conditions, and more predictable scheduling.

The changes are part of a broader move to reduce what the government calls “one-sided flexibility,” which has long affected zero-hours and low-hours contract workers. Employers will be required to give clearer information on terms of engagement, including guaranteed hours. There will also be rules requiring reasonable notice of shifts and compensation when work is cancelled or altered at short notice.

The new legislation aligns the rights of agency workers more closely with those of directly employed staff, including protections against unfair dismissal. This means businesses can no longer use agency workers as a workaround to avoid compliance with fair work practices expected under these reforms.

The Employment Rights Bill is expected to pass into law by summer 2025. Implementation will be phased, with some provisions taking effect in autumn 2025 and the rest following in 2026.

Employers, particularly small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or those without in-house HR teams—are being urged to review their employment contracts, policies, and staffing strategies now. Failure to comply could expose businesses to legal and financial risks once the new rules take effect.

HMS Pharmacy in Loughborough, Leicestershire, has been sold following the retirement of its long-term owner after 25 years. The business, which dispenses approximately 10,500 items monthly, was acquired by Dr Milan Chande and his family, marking their entry into the pharmacy sector.

The pharmacy operates from a two-storey premises featuring two consultation rooms and a vacant upper floor, offering potential for further development. The buyers previously acquired a dental practice in Leicester in 2021.

The sale was brokered by Christie & Co and comes amid growing transactional activity in the region, with several other pharmacy sales underway in Leicestershire. The deal underlines continued interest from first-time buyers in established community pharmacy businesses with growth potential.

Punch Pubs & Co has expanded its estate by acquiring four pubs from Everards, a Leicester-based brewing and pub company. The acquisition includes The Old Kings Head in Long Buckby, The Paget in Loughborough, The Cricketers in Leicester, and the Dog & Gun in Whetstone.

The deal adds to Punch’s existing portfolio of over 1,300 pubs across the UK. The transition is being managed in coordination with the current publicans and their teams to ensure operational continuity.

Everards, which has invested £3 million into its estate over the past year, stated that the sale will support ongoing reinvestment across its remaining venues.