Danielle Wright
- 9 Apr 2026
- Law Blog
- Employment Law
As reported in previous blogs, a wide package of employment law reforms came into force this week. Associate Solicitor Danielle Wright has provided a brief overview of the changes below.
Family‑Friendly Rights
Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave are now day‑one rights for all workers. Bereaved partners can take up to 52 weeks of unpaid paternity leave if a mother or adopter dies within the child’s first year.
Statutory Sick Pay
SSP is now payable from the first day of sickness absence. The lower earnings limit has been removed, meaning all workers qualify. SSP is now set at 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 per week, whichever is lower.
Whistleblowing Protection
Disclosures relating to sexual harassment are now expressly protected. Workers are protected from dismissal or detriment linked to making such disclosures.
Collective Redundancy Consultation
The maximum protective award for failing to collectively consult where 20 or more redundancies are proposed has doubled from 90 to 180 days’ pay.
New Duty to Keep Holiday Records
As of 6 April 2026, a new statutory duty was imposed on employers to keep adequate records of statutory annual leave entitlement, holiday pay including how it was calculated, any carry over of holiday from previous holiday years and any payment in lieu of untaken holiday on termination.
Those records must be retained for six years from the date they are created and made available for inspection, including by the newly established Fair Work Agency. Failure to keep adequate records may constitute a criminal offence punishable by a fine.
Fair Work Agency Now Operational
From 7 April, the Fair Work Agency has begun monitoring and enforcing compliance with employment legislation including national minimum wage, holiday pay, SSP and unlawful deductions from wages. It has powers to inspect workplaces, request documents and bring certain claims on behalf of workers.
Updated Rates
New National Minimum Wage (NMW), National Living Wage (NLW) and statutory family pay rates are now in effect as follows:
National Minimum Wage / National Living Wage (from 1 April 2026)
Workers aged 21+ (NLW): £12.71 per hour
Workers aged 18–20: £10.85 per hour
Workers aged 16–17: £8.00 per hour
Apprentice rate: £8.00 per hour
Accommodation offset: £11.10 per day
Statutory Payments (from 6 April 2026):
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): £123.25 per week
Statutory family-related pay (including maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, parental bereavement and neonatal care pay): £194.32 per week, or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower
Looking Ahead
Employers with more than 250 staff are encouraged to begin preparing voluntary gender pay gap and menopause action plans ahead of mandatory requirements in 2027.
How We Can Help You
These reforms form part of one of the most significant shifts in employment law in recent years. Whether you are reviewing policies, updating processes, or simply trying to understand how the changes apply in practice to your organisation, guidance is available.
If you would like support navigating any of the new requirements or understanding their impact, please get in touch.
Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash