March 23, 2026
By Heledd Ainsworth
Read time: 2 minutes
The employment law landscape is set to change during the course of 2026 and into 2027. Many of the changes are being introduced in the coming weeks, making April 2026 a significant milestone in the legislative reforms.
Our employment law expert, Heledd, breaks down the upcoming changes and key considerations when it comes to you and your business.
From 1 April 2026:
Increases to the National Minimum Wage –
- National Living Wage (21 and over) will increase to £12.71 per hour;
- 18 to 20 year old rate will increase to £10.85 per hour; and
- 16 to 17 year old rate will increase to £8.00 per hour.
From 6 April 2026:
Increases to other Statutory Payments
- The prescribed or flat rate for statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental pay will increase to £194.32 per week.
- Statutory sick pay (SSP) will increase to £123.25 per week.
Family Rights / Leave
- Paternity and Parental Leave – Day 1 Right: Employees will be eligible for paternity leave and parental leave from the first day of their employment.
NB: Employees will also be able to take paternity leave following a period of shared parental leave.
- Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave – Day 1 Right: Up to 52 weeks unpaid leave for partners on the death of the primary carer of a child (within the first year of the child’s birth or adoption placement).
Collective Redundancy Consultations
- Increase in the maximum penalty (the “protective award”) for breaching the collective redundancy consultation requirements from 90 days’ pay to 180 days’ pay per employee.
Whistleblowing Protections for Sexual Harassment
- Sexual harassment will be listed as a specific ‘protected disclosure’ under whistleblowing legislation.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
- Payable on the first day of sickness.
- Lower earnings limit will be removed – which means all employees, regardless of earnings, will be eligible for SSP.
Trade Union Recognition
- Rules on statutory union recognition will be loosened, making it easier for trade unions to win statutory recognition for collective bargaining purposes.
Equality Action Plans for Gender Pay Gap and Menopause – on a voluntary basis (will become mandatory in 2027)
- Large employers (250+ employees) to detail the evidence-based actions they are taking via “Equality Action Plans”, to reduce the gender pay gap and support employees through menopause.
From 7 April 2026:
Creation of the Fair Work Agency
- New body to strengthen the enforcement of employment rights.
To understand how these changes impact your business and how best to prepare, speak to a member of our award-winning employment team via the contact form or on 02920 829 100.
02920 829 100 
April 2026: Are you ready for the employment law changes?
