Have your say in our latest readers’ poll. Back in Janaury, Employee Benefits reported that four sets of regulations being introduced in April as part of the Employment Rights Act 2025.
These are Employment Rights Act 2025 (Parental and Paternity Leave) (Removal of Qualifying Periods etc) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2026; Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave Regulations 2026; Employment Rights Act 1996 (Application of Section 80B to Parental Order Cases) (Amendment) Regulations 2026; and Employment Rights Act 1996 (Application of Section 80B to Adoptions from Overseas) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
Unpaid parental leave will be available immediately when an individual starts a new job, extending this flexibility to around 1.5 million additional parents and helping families share caring duties more easily. An estimated 32,000 more fathers each year will also be able to take paternity leave from day one of employment, and there will be further statutory sick pay reforms of abolishing the three‑day waiting period and removing the lower earnings limit.
Additionally, a new entitlement for bereaved partners will also take effect, offering up to 52 weeks of leave to fathers and partners whose spouse or partner dies before their child’s first birthday.
In light of this, do you feel prepared for the upcoming changes in April under the Employment Rights Act?
