Contract help!

[sausageface]

I've worked as a nanny for my current employer for a year and from this month they have reduced hours. A new contract has been drawn up (just amended the previous one with the new hours!) but we're both reluctant to sign it as unsure if we're doing things right.
If we sign a new contract dated this month, would that mean all of my benefits (the time needed to work to receive redundancy pay/mat pay etc) will be wiped so to speak and we'd be starting a fresh from this year? My employer very kindly pointed out that their needs change next September and that if I sign a new contract this month, I may not be entitled to redundancy pay, despite actually working there for over the 2 year mark and she doesn't want that to be the case.

Are we over thinking this? Is the contract technically irrelevant in these situations as I've been on their payroll since Jan 2018 and that's the important thing? If not, how do we sort the contract to cover myself/keep this last year of work banked so to speak.
Hope that makes sense!

It should be an amendment sheet rather than an full new contract I think.

You will have continuity of employment regardless as far as I am aware as you have the old contract and the new one and it's simply an update. You employer is keeping the same PAYE scheme, so as far as HMRC are concerned nothing has changed other than the salary amount. The salary amount can change eligibility for some things.

Your employer can call ACAS or their payroll provider for guidance as to how to do a contract amendment, rather than a whole new contract. That way there is no doubt about the continuity of service should that ever be raised as an issue at a later date.

When my hours where reduced when the kids started school my employer just wrote a letter stating that from X my hours would be......and the reason for the reduction we both signed and dated that as that's all PAYE for nannies required :)

Thanks so much for the advice guys. Have forwarded on to my employer!