Please note that these regulations have been replaced and revoked by the The Health and Safety and Nuclear (Fees) Regulations 2021.
These Regulations revoke and replace the Health and Safety and Nuclear (Fees)
Regulations 2015. They increase all of the fees charged by HSE and other
licensing authorities by 4 per cent and make a change to allow HSE to
recover costs in relation to disputes under its Fee for
Intervention (FFI) regime.
HSE’s main cost recovery regimes have shown deficits in the last two years. Whilst the appropriate level of regulatory activity has been relatively stable, pay costs (the largest element of the rates) for the specialist staff required to deliver these functions has increased significantly to support recruitment and retention in very competitive markets. It has not been possible to fully offset the impact of these increases on the rates through operating efficiencies and other cost economies. In addition to inflationary pressures for 2016/17, there will also be increased employer national insurance costs (1.8% of pay bill) from April 2016, following removal of the 3.4% National Insurance rebate resulting from changes to the State Pension.
HSE introduced FFI in October 2012 and has always had a proportionate dispute process. An independent review of FFI (which included consultation with businesses) concluded that, although unpopular with some stakeholders, FFI has proven effective in achieving the overarching policy aim of shifting the cost of health and safety regulation from the public purse to those businesses that break health and safety laws.
