Employment Rights Act 2025: every date that matters to employers

Law checked as at 20 October 2026. Great Britain. Updated monthly.

Parliament passed the Employment Rights Act 2025 in December 2025. The government is bringing it in piece by piece over 2026 and 2027. Some dates are law. Some are only announced. Boards get caught out when they plan on the wrong one.

Each row has one of three labels:

• In force Already law. You should be compliant now.
• Fixed in law The date is set by regulations already made.
• Expected (not yet fixed) The government has announced a target, but the regulations have not been made yet. Plan for it. Do not tell your board it is certain.

I keep these dates and labels identical to the free ERA 2025 Compliance Audit.

Fixed in law: coming next

• 30 October 2026Fixed in law
  All reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, liability for third-party harassment, and a power for ministers to specify the steps. You need a risk assessment covering third parties, an updated policy, training and clear reporting. The all reasonable steps checklist
• 30 October 2026Fixed in law
  Union right of access to workplaces, with an access Code of Practice and required-information rules. Agree now who responds to an access request, and how fast.
• 30 October 2026Fixed in law
  Remaining recognition reforms (unfair practices, bargaining unit freeze), facility time and equality reps. Brief managers on what they must not do once a recognition application is made.
• 30 October 2026Fixed in law
  Protection against detriment for taking industrial action, with all detriments prescribed. Staff can now claim for any detriment for taking protected industrial action.
• 30 October 2026Fixed in law
  Seafarers’ wages and working conditions. Shipping operators only.
• 1 January 2027Fixed in law
  Unfair dismissal qualifying period cut from two years to six months, and no cap on the compensatory award, where the effective date of termination is on or after 1 January 2027. Notice you give in November or December that ends in January is caught. Review every probation and every planned exit now. Free probation policy template

Expected: dates not yet fixed in law

• October 2026Expected (not yet fixed)
  Adult Social Care Negotiating Body regulations (England). Adult social care providers in England only.
• 9 November 2026Expected (not yet fixed)
  Tribunal contract claims on termination: six months in Scotland. Draft order, subject to approval by the Scottish Parliament. Plan Scottish exits on the basis that contract claims may get six months.
• December 2026Expected (not yet fixed)
  Seafarer Protection Regulations. Shipping operators only.
• By the end of 2026Expected (not yet fixed)
  Tipping law strengthened. If your staff receive tips, check your tipping policy and how you consult on it.
• 1 January 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  Written statement of the right to join a union, for all new and existing workers. Intended date, no commencement regulations yet. Plan who issues it, and how, ready for the standard wording the government will set in regulations.
• January 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  Fire and rehire protections. Check any planned change of terms against the expected rules before you give notice. Employment Contract Pack
• April 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  Bereavement leave, including up to two weeks for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks (day one, unpaid). Draft the policy now.
• April 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  HMRC’s minimum wage team moves to the Fair Work Agency. HMRC enforces for the Agency until then. NMW Payroll Checker
• April 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  Fair Work Agency enforcement of holiday pay and holiday records. Make calculations and records inspection-ready. Holiday pay records
• Spring 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  Equality action plans become mandatory for 250+ employees, subject to legislation. Have a plan with at least one gender pay gap action and one menopause action. Equality & Pay Transparency Pack
• Autumn 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  Flexible working: refusals must be reasonable, with set consultation steps. Prepare managers and templates. Free flexible working policy, ERA 2025 version
• 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  Stronger dismissal protection for pregnant women and new mothers. Put HR sign-off on decisions affecting pregnant employees and returners.
• 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  Guaranteed hours offers, reasonable shift notice and short-notice cancellation pay. Timings to be confirmed after consultation. Map regular hours over 12-week periods.
• 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  Organisation-wide collective redundancy threshold. Track proposed redundancies across all sites on a rolling 90-day basis. Redundancy Process Pack
• 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  NDA rules for harassment and discrimination. Update settlement and confidentiality templates once the rules are confirmed. Settlement Agreement Pack
• 2027Expected (not yet fixed)
  Umbrella company regulation, blacklisting extension, industrial relations framework, e-balloting for recognition and derecognition.
• No date setExpected (not yet fixed)
  Fair Work Agency enforcement of SSP.
• No date setExpected (not yet fixed)
  Repeal of the 50% industrial action ballot turnout threshold.

In force

• 18 December 2025In force
  Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023. No action needed.
• 18 February 2026In force
  Repeal of most of the Trade Union Act 2016, simpler industrial action notices, protection against dismissal for industrial action. Relevant if you recognise a union.
• 1 April 2026In force
  Certification Officer levy repealed. Unions and employers’ associations only.
• 6 April 2026In force
  Day-one paternity leave and unpaid parental leave. Remove the service requirement for paternity leave and unpaid parental leave. Statutory paternity pay still needs 26 weeks’ service.
• 6 April 2026In force
  Bereaved partner’s paternity leave (up to 52 weeks, unpaid). Add it to your family leave policy.
• 6 April 2026In force
  SSP from the first day of sickness, lower earnings limit removed. Check payroll and your absence policy. Free absence management policy
• 6 April 2026In force
  Collective redundancy protective award up to 180 days, for dismissals taking effect on or after this date. Failing to consult now costs up to 180 days’ pay per employee. Redundancy Process Pack
• 6 April 2026In force
  Reports of sexual harassment can be protected whistleblowing disclosures. Update your whistleblowing policy. Free whistleblowing policy
• 6 April 2026In force
  Duty to keep holiday records for six years. Failing to keep them is a criminal offence. The duty is not retrospective. Fair Work Agency enforcement is not yet in force. Holiday pay records
• 6 April 2026In force
  Equality action plans (gender pay gap and menopause, 250+ employees). Voluntary for now. Gender Pay Gap Reporter
• 6 April 2026In force
  Union recognition: 40% threshold and ‘likely majority’ test removed. Unions now find statutory recognition easier to win.
• 6 April 2026In force
  NDA rules: regulation-making powers only. Main rules expected 2027.
• 7 April 2026In force
  Fair Work Agency set up: minimum wage, employment agencies, gangmasters, modern slavery and labour exploitation, unpaid tribunal awards. NMW Payroll Checker
• 25 August 2026In force
  Electronic and workplace balloting for industrial action ballots.
• 1 October 2026In force
  Tribunal time limits move from three months to six for most claims, including part-time, fixed-term and blacklisting claims, and contract claims on termination in England and Wales. Applies where the act complained of, or the effective date of termination, is on or after 1 October 2026. Keep records and witness notes longer. ERA 2025 audit

How to use this list

Put the fixed dates in the board calendar. Put the expected ones on the risk register with an owner, and say the date could move. When regulations fix a date, I move the row and change the label.

Start with 1 January 2027. Most employers have people in probation now whose notice would end in the new year.

This article reflects the law in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) as checked on legislation.gov.uk on 20 October 2026. It is general guidance, not legal advice.