At a glance
| Change | Starts | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| Day-one paternity and unpaid parental leave | 6 April 2026 | All employers |
| Statutory Sick Pay from the first day, with no Lower Earnings Limit | 6 April 2026 | All employers |
| Sexual harassment becomes a qualifying whistleblowing disclosure | 6 April 2026 | All employers |
| Collective redundancy protective award doubles to 180 days’ pay | Dismissals from 6 April 2026 | Employers proposing 20+ redundancies at one site within 90 days |
| Simpler statutory trade union recognition | April 2026 | Employers receiving a recognition request |
| Fair Work Agency established, with new enforcement rules | April 2026 (rules from 7 April) | All employers |
From 6 April 2026, the Employment Rights Act 2025 (ERA) introduced a first major wave of workplace reforms in Great Britain. The changes expanded family leave, improved Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), strengthened whistleblowing protection for sexual-harassment disclosures, increased collective redundancy penalties, and simplified trade union
Day-one family leave
Paternity leave and ordinary unpaid parental leave became available from the first day of employment, removing the previous service requirement. Employees can therefore give notice of paternity leave from day one, and unpaid parental leave is no longer dependent on completing a qualifying period.
The reforms also removed the restriction preventing paternity leave from being taken after shared parental leave, and introduced bereaved partner’s paternity leave following the death of a child’s mother or primary adopter.
Employer impact
HR systems, onboarding packs, leave policies, and payroll processes needed updating so new starters can request and take these rights immediately. Employers should also train managers to handle day-one leave requests without treating them as a probationary or performance concern.
Statutory Sick Pay reforms
SSP is now payable from the first day of illness rather than after a three-day waiting period. The Lower Earnings Limit was also removed, meaning workers no longer need to earn a minimum amount to qualify for SSP.
Employer impact
More employees are eligible for SSP, and payments begin earlier in an absence. Payroll and absence-management systems must calculate entitlement from day one, while managers should apply absence policies consistently and avoid penalising short-term sickness absences.
Stronger whistleblowing protection
Sexual harassment became a “qualifying disclosure” under whistleblowing law on 6 April 2026. Workers who report sexual harassment now have protection from detriment and unfair dismissal, placing these disclosures within the established whistleblowing framework.
Employer impact
Employers should ensure reporting channels are accessible, confidential where possible, and clearly separate from informal complaint routes. Investigations should be prompt, documented, and free from retaliation; adverse treatment of a worker because they made a protected disclosure can create substantial legal exposure.
Collective redundancy penalties doubled
The maximum protective award for failure to comply with collective redundancy consultation duties increased from 90 days’ pay to 180 days’ pay per affected employee. The higher maximum applies to dismissals taking effect on or after 6 April 2026.
Employer impact
The financial risk of inadequate or delayed consultation has doubled. Employers planning 20 or more redundancies at one establishment within 90 days should begin consultation early, engage meaningfully with employee representatives, and retain evidence of the information provided and decisions taken.
Trade union recognition simplified
The statutory trade union recognition process was reshaped. Unions no longer need to demonstrate that most workers in a proposed bargaining unit are likely to support recognition, removing the need for petitions or similar supporting evidence. Where recognition is decided by ballot, a simple majority of votes cast is sufficient; the former 40% support threshold was removed.
Employer impact
Recognition applications may become easier for unions to bring. Employers should prepare for more requests, ensure accurate worker and bargaining-unit information is available, and engage constructively with the Central Arbitration Committee process.
Fair Work Agency and enforcement
The government’s implementation roadmap confirms that the Fair Work Agency was established in April 2026 as part of the ERA reforms. Separate enforcement-related regulations came into force on 7 April 2026, supporting the new enforcement framework.
Employer impact
Employers should expect more active enforcement of employment rights, particularly around pay, leave, working time, and record-keeping. Maintaining accurate records, especially for holiday, sick pay, family leave, and consultation, is now a core compliance priority.
What employers should review
- Contracts and handbooks: Update family-leave, sickness, whistleblowing and redundancy policies.
- Payroll and HR systems: Configure SSP from day one, remove. earnings-threshold checks, and support day-one leave requests.
- Manager training: Cover harassment disclosures, family leave, sickness absence, and collective consultation obligations.
- Redundancy planning: Build in earlier consultation and stronger documentation to reduce exposure to a 180-day protective award.
- Union-readiness: Review workforce data, recognition procedures, and communication plans.
Bottom line
April 2026 marked a significant shift toward earlier entitlements, stronger protection for workers, and higher penalties for non-compliance. Employers that updated policies, systems, and manager training before the changes took effect were better placed to manage the operational and legal risks; those that did not should treat this as an immediate compliance review.
This article is general guidance, correct when last reviewed. It isn't legal advice. Talk to us about your own situation.