Employment Essentials: The April 2026 Legislative Changes

April this year brings a shower of employment legislative changes with the vast majority coming into force on 6 April. Here we provide a quick reminder of the changes and the numbers employers need to know.

For more detail of these changes and more changes to come see our regularly updated Employment Essentials: Employment law changes 2026 and beyond.

1 April

National minimum wages increases

The National Minimum Wage rates increase:

• For those aged 21+ year olds (the national living wage): £12.71 per hour (previously £12.21)
• For 18 to 20 year olds: £10.85 per hour (previously £10.00)
• For 16 to 17 year olds: £8.00 per hour (previously £7.55)
• For apprentices: £8.00 per hour (previously £7.55)
• Accommodation set off £11.00 per hour (previously £10.66)

5 April

Maternity pay

The standard rate of statutory maternity pay increases to £194.32 per week (previously £187.18).

6 April

Sick pay changes and rate increase

• Removal of the first three days waiting qualifying period for entitlement
• Removal of the lower earnings level (LEL) threshold requirement
• The standard rate of statutory sick pay (SSP) increases to £123.25 per week (previously £118.75)
• For those who earn less than the standard SSP rate, the rate will be the 80% of their normal weekly earnings

In some cases, transitional provisions will apply.

Collective redundancy consultation protective award limit increased

The maximum period of the protective award (the remedy a tribunal can award when an employer fails to meet its collective redundancy consultation obligations, requiring the employer to pay remuneration to employees) will be doubled from 90 to 180 days' gross pay per affected employee.

Family related statutory leave pay rates increased

The standard rates of statutory paternity, adoption, shared parental leave, parental bereavement and neonatal care leave pay increases to £194.32 per week (previously £187.18).

Tribunal compensation award limits

• a week's pay - £751 (previously £719).
• maximum basic award/statutory redundancy payment - £22,530 (previously £21,570).
• maximum compensatory award – the lower of £123,543 (previously £118,223) or 52 weeks' pay.

Note: The new rates apply where the "appropriate date" occurs on or after 6 April 2026 (e.g. for unfair dismissal the effective date of termination) not the date of the corresponding tribunal hearing.

Discrimination injury to feelings awards

The Vento–bands on injury to feelings and psychiatric injury awards in discrimination claims increase in respect of claims presented to the tribunal on or after 6 April to:

• Lower band: £1,300 to £12,600 (previously £1,200 to £12,100)
• Middle band: £12,600 to £37,700 (previously £12,100 to £36,400)
• Upper band: £37,700 to £62,900 (previously £36,400 to £60,700)
• Most exceptional cases: £62,900+ (previously £60,700+)

Paternity leave and parental leave become day 1 rights

• Removal of the one-year qualifying service requirement for (unpaid) parental leave.
• Removal of the 26 weeks qualifying service requirement for paternity leave.
• Removal the restriction on employees taking paternity leave and pay following shared parental leave and pay.
• A new right for bereaved fathers and partners to take up to 52 weeks of paternity leave if the mother or primary adopter dies within the first year of the child's life.

It should be noted that while the right to take paternity leave becomes a day-one right, the right to statutory paternity pay remains subject to a 26-week qualifying service into the 15th week before the week the baby is due requirement.

Whistleblowing

Reports of sexual harassment is explicitly added as a category of 'protected disclosure' under whistleblowing legislation.

Holiday leave records

New duty for employers to keep records evidencing holiday leave and pay compliance for six years.

Fair pay agreement in the social care sector

Social Care Negotiating Bodies established.

Trade union recognition

Provisions simplifying the process of trade union recognition come into force, including:

• Removal of the requirement at the application stage (and at other stages of the recognition scheme) for a union to demonstrate that there is likely to be majority support for trade union recognition.
• Removal of the 40% support threshold at the recognition ballot stage (reverting to a simple majority threshold).
• Prevents workers who joined the bargaining unit after a recognition application being received by the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) from being counted for various purposes.
• Prevents a new recognition agreement entered into by an employer with a non-independent union (so-called sweet-heart unions) from stopping a recognition process.
• Preparing for replacing the existing 10% threshold for the CAC to accept a trade union application (and at other stages of the recognition scheme), Under para 65 of Sch 6, the 10% is retained but provide for that percentage to be amended by regulations to between 2% and 10%.

Some of these changes will be subject to transitional provisions.

7 April 2026

Fair work agency

Fair Work Agency established with transfer of existing enforcement activity from HMRC National Minimum Wage (NMW) Enforcement team, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), and Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EASI).

New enforcement powers relating to sick pay and holiday pay will be implemented at a later date.

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