It’s been some time since we’ve shared an update about the Employment Rights Bill. In case you missed it, the Employment Rights Bill is Labour’s plan to ‘Make Work Pay’, introducing a series of legislative change that improves fairness and security at work, aimed at bolstering the UK economy.
The Bill was announced in October 2024, and since then, there’s been a lot of discussion behind the scenes as the Bill moves through parliament, as part of the consultation and reform process. An Amendment Paper was released in March 2025, adding updates and further detail to key clauses and policy. It’s a rather hefty document, at some 274 pages (!) – if you’re interested to go deeper, you can read it here.
In July 2025, Labour finally released their ‘Implementation Roadmap’, which lays out a phased delivery plan for the proposed changes, from now through to 2027.
There are some surprises – mainly, that it looks like we will be waiting until sometime in 2027 to see any changes made to key issues, such as the banning of zero-hour contracts or the introduction of ‘Day 1’ unfair dismissal rights, which both hit headlines when the Bill was first introduced. Labour are framing this as ensuring they give adequate time to prepare for the reforms, which might well be a welcome move for most UK businesses!
Here is our overview on the new proposed timeline, and when we can expect to see implementation on the key areas, as laid out in the Bill.
Some measures are due to take effect shortly following the Royal Assent of the Bill. These include:
Measures that will take effect in April 2026 include:
Measures that will take effect in October 2026 include:
Measures that will take effect in 2027 include:
Further detail on these policies, and more specific timelines for implementation, will be provided following consultation.
The first round of really key changes for UK businesses is due to hit in April 2026, with the changes to Paternity Leave, Parental Leave and Statutory Sick Pay. We expect to receive further clarity on these in the coming weeks and months.
You can read the Implementation Roadmap and full commentary on the development and rollout process here. Consultations on the Employment Rights Bill will continue through into 2026, and the Roadmap details the comprehensive process currently underway with workers, trade unions, businesses and other key stakeholders.
At Metro HR this is certainly keeping us on our toes, but we’re working hard to stay on top of the development of the Employment Rights Bill, in order to support our clients, and their businesses, to prepare for the upcoming reforms. We will continue to monitor the rollout of the Bill as it moves through parliament towards implementation, and will keep you updated as we learn more.
To explore how we can support you and your business to get ready for the Employment Rights Bill, why not book a call with us to explore what might be possible.
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