Employment Rights Act 2025: now law

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 for 2026 and 2027. 

However, the government has always been clear that the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 is to be repealed with immediate effect (i.e. from 18 December) and we expect parts of the Trade Union Act 2016, specifically those relating to ballot turnout and thresholds, to take effect from February 2026. 

Next steps

The NHS Terms and Conditions of Service already provide for some of the measures in the act, but we continue to review the situation for any necessary amendments and will provide further updates in due course.

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

• New laws bring the world of work into the 21st century - GOV.UK
• Employment Rights Act 2025 overview
• Employment Rights Bill - Acas

Read our previous updates:

• Update on the employment rights bill
• Update on the employment rights bill passage through parliament
• Government announcement: Employment Rights Bill