UK Employment Law Reforms
Latest updates:
The very latest news is that the government has agreed a 6 month qualifying period for unfair dismissal rather than continuing to insist on this as a day one right. This was one of the major points of conflict in the Parliamentary ping-pong between the two Houses of Parliament. The ERB is next in Parliament on 8 December. This change, which will be very much welcomed by employers, should mean it will now pass. Anne Sammon and Jon Fisher comment for Out-Law.
In other ERB news:
- It has been reported that the government will depart from their consultation timeline so we now expect to see major consultations issued after the ERB gets Royal Assent.
- The government published a further ERB consultation on a new draft code of practice on electronic and workplace balloting for statutory union ballots, with a response deadline of 28 January; and
- The government published more detail on its review of rights for unpaid carers. The government promises further consultation, with a final policy position expected at the end of 2026 or early 2027.
- When the ERB receives Royal Assent, the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 will be immediately repealed and a series of other trade union measures will come into force two months on, including: repeal of the majority of the Trade Union Act 2016, removing the 10 year ballot requirement for trade union political funds, simplifying industrial action notices and industrial action ballot notices and protections against dismissal for taking industrial action.
Four new Employment Rights Bill consultations were issued on 23 October.
23 October 2025
23 October 2025
23 October 2025
23 October 2025
[Recent event] View the recording of our recent Employment Autumn Update where we covered the latest news on the ERB and much more.
(And keep checking the Timeline & current thinking tab for the government’s roadmap and our latest news articles.)
Click on the tiles below to explore the reforms in more detail.
Immigration
The government has promised “sweeping reforms to the immigration system” aimed at reducing net migration in the UK. Measures include tightened requirements for sponsored workers and more limited opportunities for graduates, as well as significant new responsibilities for right to work checks.