Great Britain · dates as at 17 Oct 2026

Employment Rights Act changes, dated and in plain English.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 is landing in stages through 2027. Dateledger keeps one dated list of what changes and when, shows how firm each date is, and gives you a short checklist for each change. Join free and we email you a monthly update, and straight away when a date moves.

The two dates to know first

30 October 2026Date set in regulationsSexual harassment: the "all reasonable steps" dutyAll employers in Great Britain 1 January 2027Date set in regulationsUnfair dismissal after six months, not two yearsAll employers in Great Britain

Every date on this site shows a status, so you can see which are set in regulations and which are only expected.

The dated list

Changes in date order. A date is only called firm when commencement regulations say so.

In force
Date set in regulations
Expected
To confirm

6 April 2026In force

Changes already live from April 2026

Day one paternity leave and unpaid parental leave, statutory sick pay from the first day with no lower earnings limit, a doubled maximum protective award for collective redundancy, whistleblowing cover for reporting sexual harassment, and the Fair Work Agency set up on 7 April.

All employers in Great Britain
1 October 2026In force

Tribunal claim time limit: three months becomes six

The time limit for most Employment Tribunal claims went from three months to six on 1 October 2026. For breach of contract claims in Scotland it takes effect on 9 November 2026.

All employers in Great Britain
30 October 2026Date set in regulations

Sexual harassment: the "all reasonable steps" duty

The employer duty to prevent sexual harassment of employees moves from "reasonable steps" to "all reasonable steps", with new rules on harassment by third parties such as customers and suppliers.

All employers in Great Britain
30 October 2026Date set in regulations

Trade union access and recognition

A strengthened right of access to workplaces, reforms to recognition and derecognition, and new rights for union representatives. Mainly relevant if a union is, or may be, active in your workplace.

Employers with union activity
By the end of 2026Expected

Tipping law changes

GOV.UK says tipping law will be strengthened by the end of 2026. We have not found a start date in any commencement regulations, and the detail is not final.

Hospitality, leisure and other employers that receive tips or service charges
1 January 2027Date set in regulations

Unfair dismissal after six months, not two years

The qualifying period for unfair dismissal drops from two years to six months and the cap on compensatory awards is removed. The test is the effective date of termination.

All employers in Great Britain
January 2027Expected

Fire and rehire protections

GOV.UK lists fire and rehire protections for January 2027. It gives the month but no day, and we have not found commencement regulations yet.

Employers planning to change contract terms
January 2027Expected

Telling workers about the right to join a union

GOV.UK lists a duty to inform workers of their right to join a trade union for January 2027. The government's September 2026 response says it is intended to start between December 2026 and January 2027. It is not in the 30 October regulations.

All employers in Great Britain
2027, no month yetTo confirm

Other changes listed for 2027

Flexible working, bereavement leave, guaranteed hours, pregnancy protections, the collective redundancy threshold, NDAs and more. GOV.UK gives the year only, and some timings depend on consultations.

Varies by change

Dates as at 17 Oct 2026, checked against GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk. GOV.UK says all future dates remain subject to parliamentary processes and may change.

How to use it

Start with the two dates above and the page for each. Each page says what changes, who it affects and what to check.
Use the status to decide how much to do now. "Date set in regulations" is worth preparing for now. "Expected" is worth diarising and watching.
Join the free timeline to hear when a date or status changes.

This is general information to help you prepare. It is not legal advice and does not guarantee that you comply with the law.

Questions

Who is this for?

Owner managers, office managers and HR leads in small and medium employers in Great Britain with no in-house legal team. It is general information to help you plan, not advice about your own situation.

Are these dates certain?

No. GOV.UK says all future dates remain subject to parliamentary processes and may change. Each change on this site shows a status: in force, date set in regulations, expected, or to confirm. We only show "date set in regulations" when we have found the commencement regulations.

Does it apply in Northern Ireland and Scotland?

This site covers Great Britain. Northern Ireland has separate employment law. Some Scottish details differ, for example the date the new tribunal time limit applies to breach of contract claims in Scotland.

Is this legal advice?

No. Dateledger is not a law firm and no solicitor and client relationship is created. Check official sources, and take advice from a qualified adviser before making decisions about a particular employee or dismissal.

How often will you email me?

At least once a month with a short round-up of what has changed and what is coming, and straight away if a date or status changes. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

Is anything on sale?

Not yet. The dated timeline is free. The tick list on the sign-up form shows what people would use, and we only build what people ask for.

Is Dateledger part of the Government or Acas?

No. Dateledger is independent and is not part of, or endorsed by, the UK Government, Acas or the Fair Work Agency.

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