On 1st July, the Government released a new roadmap for the Employment Rights Bill, marking the most significant shake-up to UK employment law in over a decade. For small businesses, these changes aren’t just theoretical, they’re practical, real-world shifts that will start affecting your workforce as early as this Autumn.
For small businesses, the message is clear: it’s time to get ahead of what’s coming.
What’s happening, and when?
The roadmap outlines a staged introduction of new rights and responsibilities for both employees and employers. Here’s a whistle-stop tour of the key milestones:
Autumn 2025:
- Union activity: Key legislation restricting strikes will be repealed, including the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and parts of the Trade Union Act 2016.
- Protection against dismissal for industrial action will be introduced, meaning small businesses need to be extra cautious when managing disputes.
April 2026:
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) reform: The lower earnings limit and waiting period will be scrapped, businesses will need to offer sick pay from day one, regardless of income.
- Family leave: Paternity and unpaid parental leave become immediate entitlements from the start of employment.
- Redundancy rules: The collective redundancy protective award will double, raising the stakes for not consulting properly.
- Workplace fairness: A new Fair Work Agency will be launched to enforce these rights.
- Whistleblowing protection will be broadened.
- Union recognition gets easier, and electronic balloting will be allowed.
October 2026:
- “Fire and rehire” banned in most cases, affecting how businesses can restructure or renegotiate contracts.
- Harassment prevention: Employers must take “all reasonable steps” to protect staff from sexual harassment, including by third parties like customers and suppliers.
- Tips transparency: Businesses will need to consult with staff on how tips are distributed.
- Social care sector: A new negotiating body will work to improve pay and conditions.
- Union access to workplaces will be expanded.
Sometime in 2027:
- ‘Day one’ unfair dismissal protections will apply, potentially with a statutory probation period.
- Zero-hours and low-hours contracts: Employers may have to offer guaranteed hours, give proper notice of shifts, and pay for cancellations.
- Flexible working: Refusals will need to be clearly justified.
- Pregnancy and maternity protections will be strengthened, especially around dismissal.
- Bereavement leave will be introduced.
- Gender and menopause reporting: Larger businesses will need action plans to close the gender pay gap and support employees experiencing menopause.
- Further harassment protections with stronger enforcement and clearer guidance.
Why this matters to small businesses
For small employers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by shifting regulations—especially when changes span months or years and not every headline makes it clear what applies to you.
This roadmap, however, offers a rare chance to get ahead of the curve. By pinpointing key dates, you can start making informed decisions now, rather than scrambling later.
Here’s what we suggest focussing on first, and why they matter:
- Statutory Sick Pay (April 2026): You’ll need to offer SSP without a minimum earnings threshold, and from the first day of absence. This may affect budgeting and internal processes, especially for lower-paid or part-time staff.
- Contractual Changes (October 2026): If you’ve ever used “fire and rehire” to update contract terms, it’s time to rethink your approach. Also, review how your harassment policies extend protection to staff from external parties like clients and customers.
- Zero-Hours Contracts (2027): New requirements to offer guaranteed hours and provide proper notice for shift changes could shift how you plan staffing—especially if you rely on flexible workers. Compensation for cancelled shifts will also need to be factored into your planning.
- Unfair Dismissal & Redundancy Protections (2027): Early-stage employment decisions will require more care. With proposed ‘day one’ rights and stronger protection for women post-maternity, your current onboarding and redundancy processes may need reworking.
There are still unanswered questions, like how a potential 9-month probationary period might be enforced, or whether certain types of work will be exempt from the zero-hours reforms. Keeping track now means you’re ready when the detail drops.
That’s why staying informed is so crucial. The team at SafeHR are keeping a close eye on developments and are here to help you make sense of what’s changing, so when the time comes, you’re already one step ahead.
Want more details?
We’ve unpacked the full timeline, explored what’s changing, and offered practical insights for small employers in our Employment Rights Bill Guide.
So, if you want to stay ahead of the curve and prepare your business, the guide is a great place to start.
It’s written with HR support for small businesses in mind, because we know the challenges you face, and we’re here to help you navigate them with confidence.
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