April 2026: key dates for employers

Increase in Employment Tribunal limits

• For dismissals on or after 6 April 2026 a “week’s pay” which is used to calculate statutory redundancy pay and the Employment Tribunal basic award increases from £719 to £751.
• The maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal is currently capped at the lower of £118,223 or 52 week’s pay and this increases to £123,543.

Note however that from 1 January 2027, the cap on the unfair dismissal compensatory award will be removed and the qualifying period for an unfair dismissal claim will be reduced from two years to six months.

• We are still waiting for the updated Vento bands for injury to feelings awards which are currently:
  • Lower band of £1,200 to £12,100 (less serious cases).
  • Middle band of £12,100 to £36,400 (cases that do not merit an award in the upper band).
  • Upper band of £36,400 to £60,700 (the most serious cases), with the most exceptional cases capable of exceeding £60,700.

Employment Rights Act 2025: implementation

The Government is taking a phased approach to implementation of the Act and all the measures below take effect on 6 April 2026 unless stated otherwise:

Collective redundancy protective award

The maximum protective award for failure to collectively consult under section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 is doubled from 90 days’ gross pay per employee to 180 days’ pay. This significant increase is intended to make non-compliance far less financially viable and to prevent employers from “pricing in” the cost of ignoring consultation obligations. Employment Tribunals will retain discretion to make proportionate awards below the maximum, based on the facts of each case.

A consultation on the threshold for triggering collective redundancy obligations commenced on 26 February 2026 and ends on 21 May 2026. For more details see our article on Thresholds for triggering collective redundancy obligations.

Paternity leave and Parental leave

There is a new day-one right to paternity leave where the Expected Week of Childbirth is on or after 6 April 2026 (but the child is born early) or the child is born or placed for adoption on or after 6 April 2026. This means that the current qualifying period of 26 weeks’ continuous service is removed (it is still needed for statutory paternity pay). It is also possible to take paternity leave after shared parental leave which was not permitted previously. Note that paternity leave can still be taken before shared parental leave which is the current position.

The current 12 months’ service requirement for parental leave is also removed and parental leave, which is unpaid, becomes a day-one right.

There is a new day-one right to Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave. This provides up to 52 weeks of leave where the primary carer, usually the mother or primary adopter, dies within 52 week of the birth or adoption and the bereavement is on or after 6 April 2026. There is no statutory pay and paid leave is at the employer’s discretion.

Statutory sick pay (SSP)

Employees will receive SSP from day one of sickness absence, removing the current three-day waiting period. The lower earnings limit is also abolished and replaced with a new earnings-linked calculation whereby SSP is paid at 80% of normal weekly earnings or the flat SSP rate whichever is lower.

For more details see our previous article on SSP changes: what employers need to know.

Whistleblowing and sexual harassment disclosures

The Act broadens the definition of a qualifying disclosure under section 43B of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to include disclosures that sexual harassment (as defined in section 26(2) of the Equality Act 2010) has occurred, is occurring, or is likely to occur. This means that whistleblowing protections against detriment and unfair dismissal (for employees) are extended where disclosures are made about sexual harassment and where the individual reasonably believes that disclosure is in the public interest.

Working time records

The Act imposes new obligations on employers to keep records relating to compliance with annual leave and pay for annual leave. This provision was not included in the original roadmap for implementation published in July 2025 and it was not referred to in the recent updated timeline (11 February 2026). However, recent Regulations provide that the duty to keep adequate records comes into force on 6 April 2026.

Records must show compliance with entitlement to annual leave, additional annual leave and annual leave of irregular hours and part-year workers. Records must also be kept to show compliance with entitlement to pay for annual leave and pay for any annual leave untaken when employment ends. Records must be kept for six years and enforcement will be carried out by the Fair Work Agency, see below.

Trade union recognition

The statutory trade union recognition scheme is simplified with many changes taking effect on 6 April 2026 (and others in October 2026). A key change is the removal of the current requirement for trade unions to meet the 40% support threshold, that is, the need to have the support of at least 40% of the workforce in the proposed bargaining unit. Instead, trade unions will need to demonstrate a simple majority of support for recognition.

Fair Work Agency (FWA)

The FWA is established on 7 April 2026. It will focus on consolidating enforcement of rights including the national minimum wage and agency worker protections and tackling worker exploitation. The FWA brings together the functions of:

• The Gangmaster and Labour Abuse Authority
• The Director of Labour Market Enforcement
• The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate
• HMRC’s National Minimum Wage Unit

The timeline for its enforcement powers was uncertain until very recently. However, Regulations made on 16 March 2026, and which come into force on 7 April 2026, provide that the FWA’s enforcement powers can be carried out from the same day as it is established. The FWA is expected to have significant authority, including the ability to investigate employers, conduct workplace inspections, issue civil penalties for underpayment, and represent workers in legal proceedings. Note that the FWA does not create new legal obligations.

Equality action plans

From April 2026, employers with 250 or more employees are expected to introduce voluntary equality action plans. These plans outline steps taken to promote gender equality, address the gender pay gap, and support employees through the menopause.

The Government launched the action plans on 4 March 2026 and they cover a range of topics:

• Recruiting staff
• Developing and promoting staff
• Bringing diversity into your organisation
• Increasing transparency
• Supporting women with health conditions and menopause

Within each topic there are links to other guidance. For details see our article on Equality Action Plans.

Although voluntary at the moment, these measures signal a growing expectation for transparency and proactive equality initiatives. Equality action plans will be mandatory in 2027.

UK Immigration fees

The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2026 updates a wide range of immigration and nationality fees which take effect on 8 April 2026. These include:

• Work applications made outside the UK
  • Skilled worker up to three years main applicant and each dependant from £769 to £819
  • Skilled worker over three years up to five years main applicant and each dependant from £1,519 to £1,618
  • Innovator Founder main applicant and dependants from £1,274 to £1,357
  • Start up main applicant and dependants from £465 to £495
  • Global Business Mobility senior or specialist worker up to three years main applicant and dependants from £769 to £819
• Work applications made inside the UK
  • Skilled worker up to three years main applicant and each dependant from £885 to £943
  • Skilled worker over three years up to five years main applicant and each dependant from £1,751 to £1,865
• Other applications made in the UK
  • Indefinite leave to remain main applicant and dependants from £3,029 to £3,226
• Nationality
  • Naturalisation (British citizenship) from £1,605 to £1,709
• Sponsorship
  • Work sponsor licence (large sponsor) from £1,579 to £1,682
  • Work sponsor licence (small sponsor) from £574 to £611

For full details of the changes see Home Office immigration and nationality fees and for more information about the new Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules see our recent article on Immigration Rules changes.

Links to articles

• Fire and rehire
• Tipping and Code of Practice
• Detriments and industrial action
• Flexible working
• Updated implementation timeline