What are my rights (UK only please)?

I have another problem with the boss from hell. We get paid weekly on a Wednesday. I process the wages and last week paid them early because of the Christmas period. This week he is saying that I cannot process them early, which is not a problem as Wednesday is not a bank holiday this week, and that I can't do them until Monday which means they won't clear until Thursday. I tried to reason with him and he said don't argue with him. Can he actually do this? Technically he is withholding our wages for no apparant reason.

The boss is actually the owner of the company. (small local business)

Unfortunately I believe he can do this simply because he is the owner of the company. I suggest all the employees get together and make him aware that you all depend on your wages going into your banks on a Wednesday. I would then point out that various direct debits go out and if the wages are late you may be subject to bank charges, ask if he is willing to pay any charges. If everyone collectively sticks together he cannot hold it against any one individual. Good luck.

He sounds a right git. I truly believe he is in the wrong over this. Can you go 'over his head' and see a senior member of staff to mediate? Surely there is someone who can stop him from denying the staff their wages on the correct date?
I daresay you will have to be careful or he may make life very uncomfortable for you.

Bosses can basically do what they please unfortunately? How would you seek to resolve this issue otherwise?
I've worked for agencies in the past and they are notoriously slow or inefficient at being prompt?Hope you can appeal to his better nature, as that's about all the recourse you would have initially.

What does your Contract of Employment state? If it says you get paid weekly on a Wednesday, then WEDNESDAY it is, unless it is due to a bank holiday falling on wages day, in which case it should still be only ONE day late to the bank.
JUST because he is the boss, it does not entitle him to withold wages "because he feels like being a ****"
SHOW HIM THE CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

All employees who have worked for their employer for at least two months are entitled by law to a 鈥榳ritten statement of their terms and conditions of employment鈥? This written statement should include, amongst other information, details of how frequently wages should be paid, such as weekly or monthly.

If the statement specifies what day payment is to be received by the employees, then your boss is in the wrong. It is usual, however, for it just to state that wages are paid on a weekly basis, without stating a particular day, and in that case you'll have great difficulty in pressing a case for witholding, as you'll still be paid in that week.

Not pleasant, but true I'm afraid.

Look for another job get your wages and treat him like he treats you, mess up his filing system and stuff him.

mmmm tough one. Wed for me is a bank holiday `cos I live north of the border.
In my experience with smaller firms it all comes down to one more day in thier account suitsd them. Any way you do have rights as you say and if you were to make a legal thing of this the court would look for two things. firstly, they would look at how it has been done before, not just with your firm but with others (precident) Secondly they would look at what is thought to be fair and reasonable.
There may exist a thing in your bosses head that anytime, including last week he has paid you early, he was doing so out of good grace. The thing with weekly pay though is by the time you sort it out, unless its on the matter of principle, you will have been paid. Like I did say though I live North of the border and things can be different. You may want to sort out those bills and direct debits first, then see your legal begal. I do hope you get it resolved