Over the summer, the UK Government published its long-awaited Implementation Roadmap for the Employment Rights Bill which is a cornerstone of the Make Work Pay agenda. This detailed timeline offers much-needed clarity on when key reforms will be phased in from autumn 2025 through to 2027, and when consultations with stakeholders will take place.
While there is now more certainty about timing, the scale of change means careful preparation will be needed.
Employment Rights Bill consultation phases: 2025 to 2026
The Government has chosen a staged consultation process to ensure reforms are workable in practice. Beginning in the summer of 2025, employers and stakeholders will be asked for input on a range of measures.
One of the headline consultations will centre on the extension of unfair dismissal rights. Originally drafted as a “day one” right, ministers have since accepted the need for further debate around how probationary periods should operate. Other consultations scheduled for late 2025 will address controversial practices such as fire and rehire, along with proposed regulation of umbrella companies and the treatment of zero-hours contracts.
Additional topics will include bereavement leave, pregnancy protections, and a review of trade union rights, such as easier access to workplaces and electronic balloting. Consultations will continue into early 2026, with areas like tipping reform, collective redundancies, and flexible working enhancements all on the agenda.
These consultations are not mere formalities. They will shape secondary legislation, Acas Codes of Practice and official guidance. Employers should take the opportunity to respond and help ensure that reforms reflect real workplace needs.
Employment Rights Bill implementation timeline: 2025 to 2027
The reforms are designed to be phased in gradually, giving organisations time to prepare.
• Royal Assent (expected autumn 2025): Some changes will take effect immediately. These include the repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and the reversal of much of the Trade Union Act 2016. The intention is to rebalance trade union law, with stronger protections for those taking industrial action.
• April 2026: This stage brings more tangible change for employers. The protective award for collective redundancies will double, “day one” rights will be introduced for parental leave, and statutory sick pay reforms will take effect, including the removal of the three-day waiting period and the lower earnings limit. Whistleblowing protections will also be strengthened. A new Fair Work Agency will be created to consolidate workplace enforcement.
• October 2026: By this date, the Government intends to introduce a statutory ban on exploitative fire-and-rehire practices, as well as a new duty on employers to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, including harassment by third parties. Time limits for Employment Tribunal claims will also be extended, and reforms relating to tipping and trade union recognition will be implemented.
• 2027: The final stage of implementation is due to include some of the most significant reforms. These cover mandatory gender pay gap reporting and menopause action plans, expanded rights to flexible working, enhanced parental and bereavement leave, and restrictions on exploitative zero-hours contracts. Crucially, this is also when the reforms to unfair dismissal are expected to take full effect.
Heated debate - Day one, or six months unfair dismissal rights?
As mentioned above, perhaps the most contentious issue in the Bill is the proposal to make unfair dismissal a day one right. Currently, employees must have two years’ continuous service before they can bring a claim. The Government’s plan would remove this waiting period, while introducing a statutory probationary period of up to nine months where dismissal could be managed through a lighter-touch process.
On 22nd July 2025, the House of Lords voted in favour of an amendment which replaces day one protection with a six-month qualifying period. The argument is that this strikes a fairer balance: giving employees earlier access to protection while retaining a limited period of flexibility for employers.
However, on 15th September 2025, the House of Commons debated the Lords’ amendments and rejected the proposed six-month minimum period of service requirement, reaffirming its commitment to deliver unfair dismissal protection from day one of employment, subject to a statutory probationary period.
The Commons also rejected amendments that would have weakened proposed rights on guaranteed hours, ensuring that protections for zero-hours and agency workers remain intact.
Because the two Houses have taken different positions, the Bill has returned to the House of Lords for further consideration. Employers should therefore note that, while the Government’s current stance is firmly in favour of day one rights, the legislative process is still ongoing and subject to further debate.
How should employers prepare for the Employment Rights Bill?
The roadmap provides valuable foresight, but it also underlines the need for businesses to start preparing now. Key considerations include:
• Policy reviews: Contracts, handbooks, and HR policies will need updating to reflect new rights around dismissal, family leave, and sick pay.
• Improve recruitment processes: With expanded dismissal protections, employers should look at implementing a more rigorous and careful selection procedure and taking additional care during recruitment to ensure the right candidates are hired from the outset.
• Training and communication: Line managers should be trained on how to apply new rules consistently, particularly around probation, dismissal and flexible working.
• Process planning: Employers may need to revisit how probationary reviews are structured and ensure dismissal procedures are robust enough to withstand challenge once day one or six-month rights are in place.
• Tribunal readiness: With Employment Tribunals already facing backlogs, the expansion of dismissal rights is expected to lead to more claims. Employers should prioritise internal processes to minimise disputes escalating.
Legal implications of the Employment Rights Bill
At Ralli Solicitors LLP, our Employment Law team is already advising clients on the practical steps needed to prepare for these changes. From reviewing contracts and policies to supporting consultations and advising on dismissal procedures, we can help your business stay compliant, manage risk and prepare in readiness for potential employee disputes.
If you need advice on how you can do the same, please contact our Employment Law team on 0161 615 0660, or you can email enquires@ralli.co.uk with your query.