Recruiters have welcomed news that employment legislation will from now on only be introduced twice a year.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced last week that all domestic employment laws will be introduced on either 6 April or 1 October each year.

The DTI’s decision comes in response to complaints from firms that UK employment legislation appears too haphazardly.

"The people involved in making the legislation find it difficult to keep up with the changes, let alone people like us who are trying to make a living without having to deal with legal hurdles all the time," said Joe Sellick, director of interim management recruiter Sellick Partnership.

Employment relations minister Gerry Sutcliffe said: "It is good news for small businesses that don’t have the resources to monitor employment law changes."