There are four kinds of date. In force: already law and started. Regulations made: a statutory instrument fixes the date. Announced: the government has named a date but no instrument exists yet. Later: no date at all. Here is where each measure stands, as at 9 September 2026.
In force
- 6 April 2026: statutory sick pay from day one with no lower earnings limit; paternity and unpaid parental leave from day one; holiday records kept for six years; the protective award rises to 180 days.
- 7 April 2026: the Fair Work Agency starts.
Regulations made
- 1 October 2026: tribunal time limits rise from three months to six (SI 2026/954).
- 1 January 2027: unfair dismissal after six months' service, with the compensation cap removed (SI 2026/559). This is not a day-one right, and there is no statutory probation period.
Announced
- 30 October 2026: the duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, liability for harassment by third parties, and the written statement of the right to join a union. No commencement instrument existed on 8 September 2026.
- 1 January 2027: restrictions on fire and rehire.
Later
Flexible-working changes, bereavement leave, the collective-redundancy threshold, NDA changes and guaranteed-hours offers: 2027 or no date, still in consultation.
Why it matters
If you build for 30 October as if it were law, you are early, which is fine. If you skip 1 January because it sounds far off, you will be late, because the regulations are already made.
Sources
- legislation.gov.uk: SI 2026/373, SI 2026/323, SI 2026/559, SI 2026/954
- gov.uk: Implementing the Employment Rights Act: roadmap and timeline updates
- acas.org.uk: Employment Rights Act 2025
We make no claims about your situation. This is not legal or HR advice. Confirm on gov.uk and ACAS and with your own adviser.
The Small Employer Action Pack has every date with its status, the action plan in date order, and the documents, for £47.