April 2026

• Paternity leave becomes a day one right (statutory paternity pay still requires qualifying service)

• Paternity leave can be taken after shared parental leave

• Parental leave becomes a day one right

• Statutory sick pay payable from the first day of absence

• Lower earnings limit removed for statutory sick pay eligibility, paid at the lower of SSP or 80% or normal earnings

• Fair Work Agency established

• Maximum protective award for failing to collectively consult will increase to 180 days from 90 days

• Sexual harassment becomes a qualifying disclosure for whistleblowing law

October 2026

• Restrictions on fire and rehire

• Requirement that employers take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of workers

• Employment tribunal time limits increase to six months from three for most claims

• Employers become liable for third party harassment unless they can show they’ve taken all reasonable steps to prevent this

January 2027

• Qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal claims reduces to six months

• The cap on compensatory awards for unfair dismissal is removed

2027 (Dates to be confirmed)

• New thresholds for collective redundancy consultations - still to be announced

• Refusal of flexible working requests must be justified as being ‘reasonable’

• Employers with 250+ employees must publish equality actions plans, including gender pay gap and menopause action plans

• Right to one week of bereavement leave after the loss of a loved one

• Right to guaranteed hours for zero hours workers and agency workers

• Right for casual workers to be paid if a shift is cancelled or cut short and to reasonable notice of shifts

• Enhanced dismissal protection for those on family friendly leave