If you run a business with 10 to 49 employees, the Employment Rights Act 2025 arrives as a run of dates spread across two years. This page keeps the ones that matter to you in one place, sorted by status. It is checked against the government's implementation timetable and the Acas hub, and the check date sits at the top of the page.
As checked on 13 September 2026, the government timetable was last updated on 25 August 2026 and states that all future dates remain subject to parliamentary processes and may change. Government implementation timetable. Acas keeps a dated list of the same measures. Acas on the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Four labels: in force, scheduled with a date, enacted without a date, and proposed (none at the check date). A measure moves from scheduled to in force only when the commencement regulations have been made and the date has passed. Where the commencing instrument has been identified, it is named; the other rows link the government or Acas page that records the date.
The changes apply in England, Scotland and Wales. Statutory sick pay is UK-wide. Northern Ireland has its own employment framework and is not covered here.
In force
Scroll across the table if needed.
| Measure | Since | Instrument or source | What it touches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory sick pay from the first day of sickness; lower earnings limit removed | 6 April 2026 | SI 2026/373 | Payroll settings, absence policy |
| Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave as day-one rights | 6 April 2026 | Government timetable | Handbook, leave process |
| Holiday and holiday-pay records kept for at least six years | 6 April 2026 | Acas on keeping records | Where records live, who keeps them |
| A report of sexual harassment is a whistleblowing qualifying disclosure | 6 April 2026 | Acas hub | Grievance and whistleblowing wording |
| Fair Work Agency launched; enforces the minimum wage, employment agencies and gangmaster licensing, with holiday pay and sick pay enforcement to follow, not before April 2027 | 7 April 2026 | Government guidance | Pay records ready for inspection |
Scheduled
Scroll across the table if needed.
| Measure | Date | Instrument or source | What it touches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tribunal time limits rise from three months to six for most claims (breach of contract in Scotland due 9 November 2026, subject to approval of a draft Scottish order) | 1 October 2026 | SI 2026/954; Government guidance | How long leaver and dismissal records are kept |
| Duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment; liability for harassment by third parties | 30 October 2026 | Acas on the changes | Risk assessment, reporting route, briefings, contracts |
| Written statement of the right to join a trade union given with the statement of particulars; guidance expected September 2026 | 30 October 2026 | Government guidance | Onboarding pack |
| Trade union access rights, subject to parliamentary approval; a union may request access and the employer must respond within 15 working days, but the Central Arbitration Committee cannot impose an access agreement on an employer with fewer than 21 workers | 30 October 2026 | same | Know the threshold and the response time |
| Unfair-dismissal qualifying period falls to six months, by reference to the effective date of termination; written reasons at six months; compensatory cap removed | 1 January 2027 | SI 2026/559; Government guidance | Probation terms, reviews and records |
| Protections against dismissal for refusing a contract change | January 2027 | Government timetable | Any contract-change process |
Enacted, no date yet
The government timetable places these in 2027 without a day. For guaranteed hours and reasonable notice of shifts it says timings will be updated after consultation. None needs work yet; note them and watch the timetable.
- Guaranteed hours and reasonable notice of shifts, with short-notice payments
- Bereavement leave, including pregnancy loss
- Changes to flexible working
- Stronger pregnancy and maternity dismissal protection
- Non-disclosure clauses in harassment and discrimination cases
- Umbrella company regulation
Out of scope for most small employers
Gender pay gap and menopause action plans apply to employers with 250 or more employees; they are voluntary now and expected to become mandatory from spring 2027. Government guidance on employer action plans. Collective consultation rules apply where 20 or more redundancies are proposed at one establishment within 90 days; the protective award for a breach rose to 180 days' pay on 6 April 2026. Government guidance on collective redundancy. The adult social care negotiating body, due from October 2026, applies to that sector in England only. Government implementation timetable.
How this page is maintained
The check date at the top is the date the sources above were last opened. The page is reviewed at least monthly and around each commencement date, which is the rhythm set in our editorial workflow. A changed source means a correction on this page, not a quietly moved date.
For what to do about each measure, see the guides to sorting the changes into an action list, the probation checklist for the six-month unfair dismissal qualifying period, preventing sexual harassment before 30 October and the new-starter checklist.
Common questions
Is the Employment Rights Act 2025 already in force?
Parts of it: statutory sick pay from the first day, day-one paternity and unpaid parental leave, and the six-year holiday-records duty have applied since 6 April 2026. Other measures are scheduled for 1 October 2026, 30 October 2026 and 1 January 2027, and some have no date yet. The government timetable carries the caveat that future dates may change. Government implementation timetable; Acas on the Employment Rights Act 2025.
When does the six-month unfair dismissal qualifying period start?
The six-month qualifying period is scheduled for 1 January 2027 under regulations made on 26 May 2026, and applies where the effective date of termination falls on or after that date. SI 2026/559.
Which Employment Rights Act changes apply to a business with fewer than 21 staff?
Most of them. From 30 October 2026, subject to parliamentary approval, a union will be able to request access and the employer will have 15 working days to respond, but the Central Arbitration Committee will not be able to impose an access agreement on an employer with fewer than 21 workers. The written statement of trade-union rights is due from all employers from 30 October 2026, as scheduled. Government guidance on trade union reform.
This article provides general information for England, Scotland and Wales. It is not advice on an individual situation. Check current guidance and seek appropriate advice before making employment decisions.
Sources checked 13 September 2026.
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