Employment law in the UK is heading into one of its biggest shake-ups in decades and if you employ people, these changes will affect you.
From fairer sick pay and stronger parental leave rights to the long-awaited crackdown on ‘fire and rehire’, the upcoming Employment Rights Bill signals a serious move toward improving workplace protections and modernising HR practices.
Whether you’re a business owner, HR professional, or operations lead, understanding what’s changing and when is essential. To help you get ahead, we’ve created a clear, at-a-glance flowchart showing what’s coming in 2026, 2027 and beyond.
A Fairer Starting Point for All
By April 2026, new measures will make it easier for employees to access key rights from day one. That includes:
- Paternity and unpaid parental leave from Day 1
- Statutory Sick Pay reform removing the lower earnings limit and waiting period
- Launch of a Fair Work Agency, helping enforce and support rights at work
- Strengthened whistleblower protections
These reforms aim to level the playing field and give all employees especially those in insecure or low-paid roles more immediate support.
Fire and Rehire? Not Anymore
One of the most significant proposals landing in October 2026 is a ban on fire-and-rehire practices, where employers dismiss staff only to re-engage them on worse terms.
Alongside this, businesses will need to:
- Take “all reasonable steps” to prevent workplace sexual harassment
- Comply with new tipping laws ensuring fair distribution of gratuities
- Prepare for a Fair Pay Agreement body for adult social care with other sectors likely to follow
While these may seem like distant dates, getting your policies and training aligned now will save time, cost, and stress later.
Strengthened Trade Union and Worker Protections
Looking further ahead, 2027 and beyond brings wider reforms around collective rights and workplace fairness:
- Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and key parts of the Trade Union Act 2016
- Simplified digital balloting for unions
- Day-one unfair dismissal rights consultations begin this year
- Rights for pregnant workers, clearer bereavement leave, and action against zero-hour contract abuse
These changes show a clear shift in how the law will define fair work and employers who plan ahead will find themselves at a competitive advantage when it comes to retention, culture, and compliance.
Don’t Get Lost in the Detail — We’ve Mapped It Out
Let’s face it: even the most experienced HR teams can struggle to stay on top of incoming legislation, especially with staggered timelines and phased consultations.
That’s why we’ve created a simple flowchart PDF that breaks the Employment Rights Bill down into a clear 6-step timeline showing exactly what happens and when.
Whether you're preparing for policy updates, budgeting for potential cost implications, or updating contracts and processes this, guide will help you get started, fast.
Change Is Coming — Don’t Wait to React
While many of these changes are months or even years away, the direction of travel is clear: more protection for workers, and more accountability for employers.
Now is the time to:
- Review your HR policies against what’s coming
- Train managers on what’s changing and why it matters
- Put plans in place early, so you’re not caught out later
Download the flowchart, share it with your team, and start the conversation.
