Date (or expected date) measure comes into forceDetail of the measureAction points
18 Feb 2026Trade union/industrial action changes took effect, including:
  • Stronger protection from dismissal for taking part in lawful industrial action
  • Shorter 10-day notice for industrial action to start
  • 12-month mandate
  • Simplified notices
  • Changes to political funds and picketing
Backed by Commencement No.1 Regulations 2026 and DBT guidance on transitional/saving provisions		Brief senior team/line managers on the new thresholds and notice rules.

Update staff handbooks and union-relations procedures

Train HR on dismissal risk — participation in industrial action now an “automatically unfair” category
6 Apr 2026First major commencement window:
  • Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): removes Lower Earnings Limit and waiting days (SSP payable from day one).
  • Day-one rights to Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave.
  • Removal of prohibition on taking paternity leave after a period of shared parental leave.
  • Whistleblowing enhancements (incl. links to harassment disclosures).
  • Increase to protective award (doubled to 180 days).
  • Trade union recognition process simplified; electronic/workplace balloting
    enabled.
  • Fair Work Agency (FWA) launches as single enforcement body (7 April).
Payroll/HR: configure SSP rules (eligibility & waiting days).

Policies: update Paternity & Parental Leave, Whistleblowing, Sexual harassment, TU consultation/relations processes.

Manager training: handling day-one rights and updated timeframes.

Compliance: prepare for FWA investigations/record-keeping expectations.
1 Oct 2026 (expected)Second tranche:
  • Sexual harassment: new duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent harassment and a duty not to permit third-party harassment.
  • Union rights: duty to inform workers of their right to join a union; strengthened union access; new rights for reps, including facilities for TU officials and learning reps, time off and facilities for TU equality reps.
  • ET time limits extended to 6 months.
    Tightening of tipping consultative duties.
Harassment prevention: run a “reasonable steps” analysis (risk assessments, bystander training, supplier/venue controls for third-party
risk), and document your steps—key for tribunal defence.

Union relations: add right-to-join notices to onboarding, intranet and
payslips; update site-access protocols.

Record keeping: review and update privacy notices and retention periods
to ensure dismissal/interview/other relevant data retained for at least 10
months.

Update: tipping consultation processes
1 Jan 2027 (expected)Fire and re-hire: dismissals for refusing “restricted” contractual changes treated as automatically unfair (subject to narrow financial-distress exception).

Unfair dismissal: qualifying period reduces from two years to six months; statutory compensation cap removed.		Contracts/Change control: adopt a structured consultation and
alternatives analysis before any contractual change; refresh redundancy/variation processes.

Probation/early performance: align probation lengths with 6-month threshold; tighten early-service performance, conduct and documentation practices.

Managing disputes: train managers on fair process from week one.
2027 (dates TBC by regulations)Restrictions on dismissal during/after pregnancy or statutory family leave.

Power to make regulations on steps to be regarded as reasonable to prevent sexual harassment.

Zero & low hours work: duty to offer guaranteed hours reflecting a reference period; reasonable notice of shifts; compensation for short-notice cancellations; measures apply to agency workers too.

Flexible working: further changes expected to procedures.


Collective redundancies: new organisation-wide threshold alongside the “at one establishment” test.

Bereavement leave: new day-one right.

Equality action plans: mandatory plans (gender pay gap/menopause) expected to move from voluntary in 2026 to required in 2027 subject to employer size threshold.

Holiday pay record-keeping: enhanced duties (six-year retention). (Government indicates 2027 phasing; final dates depend on secondary legislation.)		(Scotland: align with existing gender pay duties where applicable).

Records: ensure holiday pay records can be retained/reported for six years
Sector-specific — Social Care in Scotland (2026–27, TBC)Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs) process provided for social care sectors in Scotland and Wales (England has a parallel route). Dates and details to follow via regulations/Scottish Ministers.If you operate in or supply to social care in Scotland, track Scottish Government consultations; plan for minimum terms emerging from FPA processes (pay, hours, training).