The UK’s Employment Rights Act 2025 has received Royal Assent, introducing the most extensive changes to employment law in two decades. The Act, formerly the Employment Rights Bill, sets out reforms that will take effect in stages from April 2026 through to 2027, with several measures already active.
The legislation shortens the qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims, expands union access to workplaces, and strengthens family-friendly and sickness rights. It also introduces new consultation duties and reporting requirements designed to improve transparency and enforcement.
Peter Cheese, chief executive of the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, said the milestone signalled a need for practical action from employers.
“With Royal Assent now granted, employers need to know that some elements of the now-called Employment Rights Act 2025 are effective immediately,” he said. “It’s time to switch gear and move from speculation to preparation. Employers and HR professionals need to understand the roadmap for change that the Government has set out and when changes will impact how they hire and manage people at work.”
Under the Government’s implementation timetable, new rules on trade union access to businesses will take effect from April 2026, while unfair dismissal protections for new hires will apply from January 2027, extending rights to anyone who has completed at least six months in employment.
Cheese added that while consultations on secondary legislation would begin in January 2026, the CIPD would continue to work with policymakers to ensure reforms “improve security at work without undermining recruitment or growth.” He also called for accessible guidance for small employers that lack in-house HR support.
The Department for Business and Trade said the Act “modernises and strengthens employment protections for millions of workers” while creating “a fairer, more flexible framework for employers.” It follows a year of parliamentary scrutiny and consultation with business and labour groups.
Analysts have described the Act as a structural reset for UK employment law, aligning workplace protections more closely with European standards while retaining the UK’s flexible labour market model.
