The Employment Rights Bill became law on 18 December 2025. Its changes are being rolled out in stages through 2026 and 2027, and many of them are directly relevant to UCU members at Loughborough.
What’s Already Changed
The most significant early changes are good news for workers taking industrial action. Dismissal for taking part in industrial action is now automatically unfair, with the previous 12-week limit removed. The minimum service level rules for strikes, which allowed employers to compel workers to work during strike action, were scrapped on 18 December 2025.
For union organisation, the notice period for industrial action has been cut from 14 days to 10, industrial action mandates now last 12 months rather than 6, and picket supervisors are no longer required. Crucially, the rule requiring 40% of eligible members to support action, which applied to important public services, has been removed. Ballots now simply require more votes in favour than against.
April 2026
From 6 April 2026, statutory sick pay will be paid from the first day of illness rather than the fourth, and the lower earnings limit for eligibility will be removed. Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave will become day one rights, removing the current qualifying period of 26 weeks and one year respectively.
The maximum protective award for failure to properly consult in a collective redundancy will double from 90 to 180 days’ pay, a significant strengthening of members’ rights in redundancy situations.
October 2026
Employers will be required to inform workers of their right to join a trade union, and union representatives will gain a new right to reasonable accommodation and facilities for carrying out their duties. Union equality representatives will also gain a right to time off for their duties.
The time limit for making an employment tribunal claim will increase from 3 months to 6 months, an important practical improvement for members considering legal action.
Workers taking industrial action will also gain protection against detriment, being treated less favourably by their employer, in addition to the existing unfair dismissal protection.
January 2027
Protection from unfair dismissal will become a right after just 6 months in a job, down from the current two-year qualifying period. This is a major change that will give far more workers the confidence to raise concerns without fear of dismissal.
“Fire and rehire”, dismissing staff and re-engaging them on worse terms, will become automatically unfair dismissal in most cases.
Later in 2027
Workers on zero-hours and low-hours contracts will gain the right to guaranteed hours if they want them, and workers will have the right to compensation if a shift is cancelled, moved, or cut short. Protections for pregnant workers and those returning from maternity leave will be strengthened, and a new right to statutory bereavement leave will be introduced.
This is a significant package of reforms, and UCU will be monitoring implementation closely. If you have questions about how any of these changes affect your employment at Loughborough, please contact your School/department/service representative or the LUCU committee at UCU@Lboro.ac.uk
Further reading: ACAS Summary of Changes to Employment Rights Act 2025