The government has published a roadmap for how it intends to implement the Employment Rights Bill and deliver its Plan to Make Work Pay.
The aim of the roadmap is to provide clarity for workers and organisations on how and when the government will engage and consult on the bill and the plan. It also lays out anticipated start dates for different parts of the bill, and will include guidance to support employers, workers, trade unions and other stakeholders to become familiar with it and have a proper amount of time to prepare and plan ahead for the reforms.
The government has additionally stated that from summer 2025 it will take a phased approach to engagement and consultation on the policy measures, as well as phasing commencement.
Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Jonathan Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, said: “Thanks to our Employment Rights Bill, millions of workers will benefit from greater fairness and security at work. We are consulting on key aspects of our Plan to Make Work Pay and taking a staggered approach to implementing several of the most significant reforms. We are ensuring that there is a proper business readiness period so that organisations fully understand the details of our reforms and can prepare long before they come into force.
“This means that key measures such as reforms to statutory sick pay, simplifying the trade union recognition process, and day one paternity leave and unpaid parental leave will come into effect in April 2026. It means that banning unscrupulous fire and rehire practices, the strengthening of trade unions’ right of access and employment tribunal time limits will take effect in October 2026. And it means that undertakings for employers such as gender pay gap action plans, banning exploitative zero hours contracts, and changes to unfair dismissal will happen in 2027.”
