Employment law changes are coming in 2026: what employers need to know

The UK government has begun rolling out a series of employment rights changes that will affect employers in England between 2026 and 2027. These reforms are being introduced gradually to give businesses time to prepare and ensure workplaces stay compliant.

Key employer highlights

A number of new workplace rules and protections will start to take effect shortly. The key changes you should be aware of include:

Changes introduced in February 2026:

• Trade union and industrial action reforms: updated requirements related to how industrial action is organised.

Changes introduced in April 2026:

• Statutory Sick Pay: More employees qualify, with no earnings threshold and no three-day waiting period.

• Day-one family leave: Employees are entitled to Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave from the first day in a new job.

• Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave: New right to time off following the death of a child's mother or primary adopter.

• Collective redundancy protections: Increase to the protective award for non-compliance.

• Whistleblowing protections: Stronger protections for workers who report sexual harassment.

• Simpler enforcement through the Fair Work Agency: A new body to uphold workers' rights and support businesses with compliance.

• Holiday pay records: Employers are required to keep adequate records to show they have complied with holiday pay and entitlement rules. These records need to be retained for 6 years from the date they were made.

• Action plans: Employers with 250 or more employees are encouraged to publish the steps they are taking to reduce their gender pay gap and support employees experiencing menopause.

What's still to come?

Changes to unfair dismissal protections will be introduced on 1 January 2027, but may require action now including reviewing employment policies. Watch the short video below for an overview and find more detail on this website.

Further changes will be introduced across 2026 and 2027, including changes to trade union legislation and reforms to protect employees against harassment. This site will be updated with more guidance in due course.

Stay informed and get support

Because these changes are being introduced in stages and guidance is being updated regularly, it’s important to keep checking the official government information on employment changes at www.business.gov.uk/campaign/employment-changes for the latest updates and detailed timelines.

If you have questions about how these upcoming changes might affect your business, or if you need support with wider employer-related matters such as recruitment, workforce planning or growth strategy, complete our enquiry form to be put in touch with your local business support team.