Employment Rights Act 2025
The employment rights bill officially became law on 18 December 2025 after receiving Royal Assent, which is the formal agreement by the King to turn the bill into an act of parliament. It is now known as the Employment Rights Act 2025.
The act introduces new provisions and amendments to existing employment legislation, including updates to the Employment Rights Act 1996. The government says that these changes aim to strengthen job security, improve working conditions and enhance fairness in the workplace.
Implementation
The provisions within the act will come into place over a phased two-year period, with most scheduled between 2026 and 2027.
The Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and the majority of the Trade Union Act 2016 took immediate effect following Royal Assent. This means that minimum service level notices can no longer be issued and employers can no longer require named workers to work during strikes.
Actions for employers:
Employers are advised to ensure they are aware of the breadth of the act and should consider the following:
-
Review the updates and timescales from the government.
-
Consider how current policies and procedures may be impacted.
-
Consider the impact on any future policies being developed.
Further information on the regulatory changes:
Consultation timeline and further information:
Next steps:
The NHS terms and conditions of service already provide for some of the measures in the act, but we continue to review any impact the changes may have on the terms and conditions and will update the handbook where necessary.
