You employ someone. A nanny, a carer, your first member of staff. The Employment Rights Act 2025 is now law, and it doesn't arrive all at once — it phases in through 2027, one commencement date at a time.
Miss a date and the rules you're operating under simply aren't the rules any more.
This page tracks every date that matters to a small or household employer, each one sourced to the government's implementation roadmap (last revised 16 July 2026). Drop your email in and we'll remind you before each change lands — free, no catch, unsubscribe whenever.
Timeline last checked: 26 July 2026. Sourced from the government's implementation roadmap, as revised 16 July 2026. If the government moves a date, we update this page and email every subscriber.
The three "waiting days" are gone and so is the lower earnings limit. If you employ a part-time nanny or carer who earns below the old threshold, they now qualify for SSP — paid at the lower of 80% of their normal weekly earnings or the flat rate.
Source: gov.uk roadmap.
The old 26-week and one-year qualifying periods are abolished. If your contract still quotes them, it's out of date.
Source: gov.uk roadmap.
One enforcement body for minimum wage, sick pay and more. Small employers are not exempt.
Source: gov.uk roadmap.
For most claims about acts on or after this date, an employee or ex-employee has six months to bring a tribunal claim, not three. Your exposure window on any dispute doubles. Keep records accordingly.
Source: gov.uk roadmap.
Employers must take "all reasonable steps" to prevent sexual harassment, including by third parties. Yes, this includes small employers.
Source: gov.uk roadmap.
For dismissals taking effect on or after 1 January 2027, an employee needs only six months' service to claim unfair dismissal — and the cap on the compensatory award is removed for those dismissals. Any employee you have with six months' service gains this right overnight. If a dismissal is coming, understand that the date that counts is the date the dismissal takes effect — starting the process in November may not be enough.
Source: gov.uk unfair dismissal factsheet.
We'll email subscribers the moment commencement dates are set.
Source: gov.uk roadmap.
One email before each change, telling you what it means for you and what to do. Plus the recurring stuff — minimum wage rises, P60 deadlines, pension re-enrolment — before they bite. Free. Unsubscribe any time.
New minimum wage every 1 April. P60s to your employee by 31 May. Statutory rates change every new tax year. Pension re-enrolment every three years. We remind you about all of it.
From 1 October 2026, the time limit for bringing most employment tribunal claims extends from three months to six months. The longer limit applies where the act complained of happens on or after 1 October 2026.
On 1 January 2027. For dismissals taking effect on or after that date, an employee with six months' service can claim unfair dismissal — down from two years — and the cap on the compensatory award is removed for those dismissals.
Yes. From 30 October 2026, every employer — including households and micro-businesses — must take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of their staff, including harassment by third parties.
New National Minimum Wage rates take effect on 1 April each year. The government announces the figures the previous autumn — never rely on a rate written into an old contract; check the current rates on gov.uk.
Every answer above is dated and sourced in the timeline higher up this page; the underlying source for each is linked there.
One email before each change, telling you what it means for you and what to do. Plus the recurring stuff — minimum wage rises, P60 deadlines, pension re-enrolment — before they bite. Free. Unsubscribe any time.