How businesses can best prepare for UK employment law changes in 2026

The government’s Employment Rights Bill (“ERB”) is being phased in over several years. A published roadmap confirms more changes land in April 2026 (notably on day-one rights for certain leave and sick pay), with further measures in October 2026 and beyond. If you put the groundwork in now - contracts, policies, systems, training - you’ll minimise disruption and costs later. GOV.UK Assets+1

What’s currently slated for 2026 (at a glance)

• Day-one rights for paternity leave and ordinary parental (unpaid) leave from April 2026; removal of the restriction on taking paternity leave after shared parental leave. Acas+1

• Statutory sick pay (SSP) payable from day one of absence and removal of the lower earnings limit - both expected April 2026. Acas

• Collective redundancy protective award maximum doubling from 90 to 180 days’ pay - expected April 2026. Acas

• The roadmap also flags additional changes scheduled from October 2026, and pushes some high-profile items (e.g., elements of zero-hours reform) into 2027 - so planning must span multiple years. GOV.UK Assets+1

Tip: keep watching official sources (GOV.UK, Acas) and reputable legal/HR bodies (CIPD, leading employment law firms) for refinements to scope and timing as secondary legislation and guidance are issued. Lewis Silkin+3GOV.UK+3Acas+3

12-point action plan to be “ERB-ready”

1. Contract audit (focus on day-one rights)
   Remove outdated qualifying-period language for parental leave and SSP. Add clear probation clauses, notice requirements, and flexibility clauses where lawful - especially important as “fire and rehire” restrictions and other contract-change guardrails harden through 2026. Mayer Brown

2. Leave & absence policies - rewrite and simplify
   Update your handbook for day-one paternity and ordinary parental leave, and re-map processes so managers know how to handle requests immediately on start dates. Align wording across policies, intranet, and onboarding docs. Acas

3. SSP from day one - retool payroll & budgeting
   Configure payroll to trigger SSP on day one and pay eligible workers regardless of current lower-earnings thresholds. Reforecast absence costs and adjust triggers in attendance/absence management policies. Acas

4. Redundancy planning & consultation
   With protective awards expected to double, tighten consultation timelines, document quality, and selection matrices. Train managers on lawful consultation and communications to reduce litigation risk. Acas

5. Scheduling & resourcing model (2026–2027 horizon)
   Even though some zero-hours reforms are pushed to 2027, start modelling minimum-hours guarantees, shift-notice rules, and cancellation compensation. If you rely on agency or casual labour, scenario-plan now to avoid a cliff-edge later. People Management+2The Guardian+2

6. HRIS workflow updates
   Build day-one eligibility checks into onboarding workflows; update self-service portals and manager toolkits; ensure document templates (offer letters, RTW packs) reflect the new rights/timelines. Acas

7. Manager training & playbooks
   Run short, role-specific briefings for line managers and payroll/HR teams on: handling day-one leave requests, SSP triggers, collective consultation steps, and record-keeping that stands up at tribunal. (Tribunal limitation tweaks and related timings are flagged for late 2026 - process discipline matters.) GOV.UK Assets

8. Data & record-keeping
   Strengthen audit trails for leave decisions, consultation notes, and shift scheduling. Good contemporaneous records are your best defence - and will help if time limits or remedies shift in late 2026. GOV.UK Assets

9. Communications plan
   Prepare simple, plain-English staff comms announcing the April 2026 changes (and what stays the same). Clarity reduces informal grievances and “policy shopping.”

10. Supplier & agency review
    If you outsource payroll, scheduling, or use staffing agencies, obtain written assurances and updated SLAs confirming 2026 compliance, including day-one SSP and leave handling.

11. Budgeting & forecasting
    Model cost impacts: extra SSP days, potential uptick in paternity/parental leave take-up, and higher redundancy protective awards. Share the 2026 - 2027 view with Finance early. Acas

12. Board-level oversight & risk register
    Add ERB milestones to your risk register and MI packs with owner, deadline, and RAG status. Cross-functional steering (HR, Legal, Ops, Finance) keeps delivery on track through April and October 2026 waves. Lewis Silkin

A quarter-by-quarter prep timeline

• Q4 2025 – Q1 2026: Legal audit of contracts and handbook; build HRIS/payroll changes; agree training plan; update SLAs with suppliers; create staff comms drafts. (Government and Acas guidance will continue to land - old it in as issued.) GOV.UK+1

• April 2026 go-live: Switch SSP to day-one, implement day-one paternity/ordinary parental leave, and adjust redundancy consultation playbooks to reflect the higher protective award exposure. Monitor volumes and costs for 60–90 days. Acas

• Summer–Autumn 2026: Embed learning from first quarter post-go-live; refresh manager training; complete any further policy tweaks needed for October 2026 timing changes flagged in the roadmap. GOV.UK Assets

• Late 2026 – 2027: Begin change-management for scheduling/zero-hours reforms and any union/recognition procedure updates as the next tranche moves forward. People Management+1

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Waiting for “final-final” guidance before making any changes - build configurable policies and templates now so you can pivot quickly when secondary legislation lands. Lewis Silkin

• Fragmented documentation - offer letters, handbook, intranet pages, and manager guides must all tell the same story.

• Under-training line managers - most claims start with a poor first response to a request or consultation.

• Forgetting payroll - systems need just as much attention as policies for April 2026. Acas