Workers' Rights Revolution: UK Employment Rights Act Comes Into Force Today
Millions of UK workers will benefit from landmark new employment protections from today, 6 April 2026, as sweeping changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025 take effect — described by the Labour government as the biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation.
What Changes Today
The most significant change is to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), which becomes a day-one right for all workers. Previously, employees had to wait three days before receiving any sick pay — a rule that critics argued forced ill workers to come in when they should have been resting. From today, SSP is payable from the very first day of illness, at a rate of £123.25 per week.
Equally important is the abolition of the Lower Earnings Limit, which previously excluded around 1.3 million low-paid workers — disproportionately women, disabled people, and younger workers — from SSP eligibility. Under the new rules, all workers qualify regardless of their income level, with those earning below the threshold receiving 80% of their average weekly earnings.
Paternity Leave and Family Rights
Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave also become day-one rights today, removing the previous requirement for 26 weeks of service before a new parent could take paternity leave. The maximum protective award for employers who fail to consult on collective redundancies doubles from 90 to 180 days' pay per affected employee.
Sexual harassment disclosures are now recognised as qualifying whistleblowing disclosures, giving workers who report harassment stronger legal protections against dismissal or detriment. Employers must also keep detailed holiday pay records for a minimum of six years.
The Fair Work Agency
Tomorrow, 7 April, sees the launch of the Fair Work Agency — a new enforcement body that consolidates existing employment rights enforcement functions. The agency will have wide-ranging powers to investigate breaches of holiday pay, sick pay, and minimum wage rules, and can bring Employment Tribunal claims on behalf of workers.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) estimates the sick pay reforms alone will provide a £10 billion boost to the economy. TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak has welcomed the changes as long overdue, noting that the UK's previous sick pay system was among the least generous in Europe.
Why It Matters
For workers across the UK — particularly those in hospitality, retail, and care sectors — today's changes represent a meaningful shift in financial security. The removal of the three-day waiting period means workers will no longer face the impossible choice between their health and their income. For employers, the changes bring new obligations, and business groups have urged the government to provide clear guidance to avoid confusion during the transition.
What's Next
Further provisions of the Employment Rights Act are expected to come into force in 2027, including stronger protections against unfair dismissal — with the qualifying period reduced from two years to six months — and mandatory gender pay gap and menopause action plans for larger employers. The government has framed today's changes as the first phase of a broader transformation of the UK labour market.
Full details of the changes are available at Acas and Business.gov.uk.
