ERA 2025 - What’s Changing — and When

The Employment Rights Act 2025 is the most significant overhaul of UK employment law in a generation, and its phased rollout means employers and workers need to stay alert to what arrives at each stage.

December 2025 marked the first wave of reforms, including the repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and major rollbacks of the Trade Union Act 2016. Protections against dismissal for taking industrial action strengthened immediately, signalling a clear shift toward restoring workplace voice and fairness.

April 2026 brings some of the most transformative changes. Workers gain day‑one rights to paternity leave, unpaid parental leave, and Statutory Sick Pay — with the lower earnings limit removed. This phase also introduces expanded whistleblowing protections and the creation of the Fair Work Agency, a new enforcement body designed to ensure rights are upheld in practice, not just on paper.

From October 2026, employers will face new duties to prevent harassment, a ban on fire‑and‑rehire practices, extended tribunal time limits, and strengthened rights for trade union representatives. Public sector procurement will also shift under a new two‑tier code.

By 2027, the focus turns to security and equality: guaranteed hours contracts, fair notice of shifts, compensation for late changes, equality action plans, stronger protections for pregnant workers, and regulation of umbrella companies.

The ERA 2025 isn’t just a legal update — it’s a reset of workplace expectations. A fairer, more secure future of work is being built step by step.