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ARTICLE · 07 JULY 2025

When Will The Employment Rights Bill Be Implemented?

Lewis Silkin
Lewis Silkin
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Lewis Silkin

Lewis Silkin

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Day one unfair dismissal rights will not take effect until 2027 while most key employment law changes will happen in 2026 - according to the government's new roadmap...

United KingdomEmployment and HR
Colin Leckey
Colin Leckey
Gemma Taylor
Gemma Taylor
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Day one unfair dismissal rights will not take effect until 2027 while most key employment law changes will happen in 2026 - according to the government's new roadmap for implementing the Employment Rights Bill.

The Employment Rights Bill is nearing the end of its journey through parliament and is expected to pass soon – possibly before the summer recess or (probably more likely) in early September. Ahead of its passing, the government has just published a roadmap confirming that the measures in the Bill will take effect in phases.

The headline news is that day one unfair dismissal rights will take effect in 2027, not Autumn 2026 as the government first indicated. Most other changes will take place in April or October 2026, with a limited number of trade union-related reforms happening this year.

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