United Kingdom: Employment and HR

The UK Employment Rights Act 2025 establishes a groundbreaking obligation requiring employers to provide workers with written statements about their right to join trade unions. While the Act sets out this duty in principle...

The UK government has announced plans to limit non-compete clauses in employment contracts, raising questions about how businesses can protect their interests. What changes might be introduced, and what alternative strategies should employers consider to safeguard their competitive position?

A raft of trade union reforms takes effect on 30 October 2026, fundamentally reshaping workplace industrial relations in the UK. Independent trade unions will gain statutory rights to access workplaces physically and digitally, while employers face new obligations and potential penalties for non-compliance. What do these changes mean for organizations that have previously operated without union presence, and how should they prepare for this significant shift in the employment landscape?

Recent employment law cases examine critical workplace issues including equal pay claims based on market forces, the transfer of vicarious liability under TUPE, and the protection of controversial philosophical beliefs. These decisions provide important guidance for employers navigating complex discrimination, dismissal, and compensation matters.

From 1 October 2026, the time limit for bringing most employment tribunal claims doubled from three months to six months. This significant procedural change affects unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing detriment and unlawful deductions from wages claims. While the reform aims to provide more opportunity for workplace disputes to be resolved before litigation, it creates practical challenges around evidence preservation, document retention and settlement strategy that employers must address now.

New anti-harassment reforms are set to take effect on 30 October, introducing significant changes to employer duties and liability for third party harassment. This podcast mini-series explores the practical implications of these reforms, including how the new employer liability provisions may impact supplier relationships and business operations.

The Pensions Regulator has released a comprehensive market oversight report examining UK pension schemes' investment strategies in private markets, revealing significant differences in appetite between DC and DB schemes. Meanwhile, the government is consulting on major regulatory changes including GMP conversion rules, small pots consolidation, and the replacement of the state pension triple lock with a new double lock system.

Pension superfunds like Clara offer defined benefit schemes an alternative route to insurance buy-out, providing regulated consolidation with dedicated capital buffers at potentially lower costs.

The UK Government and HMRC have introduced new frameworks for releasing surplus funds from defined benefit pension schemes, fundamentally changing how trustees can distribute excess assets to employers and members. These proposed regulations establish specific conditions for surplus payments, including full funding requirements, member notification periods, and actuarial certifications...

Recent employment law cases examine critical workplace issues including equal pay claims based on market forces, the transfer of vicarious liability under TUPE, and the protection of controversial philosophical beliefs. These decisions provide important guidance for employers navigating complex discrimination, dismissal, and compensation matters.

From 1 October 2026, the time limit for bringing most employment tribunal claims doubled from three months to six months. This significant procedural change affects unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing detriment and unlawful deductions from wages claims. While the reform aims to provide more opportunity for workplace disputes to be resolved before litigation, it creates practical challenges around evidence preservation, document retention and settlement strategy that employers must address now.

Seismic changes to UK employment law will make dismissing employees far riskier from January 2027, particularly for high earners with valuable benefits like share options. Could Employee Shareholder Status, a little-used legal reform from 2013, provide employers with an elegant solution to manage these new risks?