Did you know? Employment rights are changing from April 2026
From 6 April 2026, several changes to the Employment Rights Act come into force. These updates strengthen employee rights around sick pay, family leave and record‑keeping.
We’re already working on updated contracts and a new version of the Employee Handbook to reflect these changes. In the meantime, here’s a quick overview of what’s changing.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) – paid from day one
From 6 April 2026:
- SSP will be payable from the first day of sickness, not day four
- The lower earnings limit is removed, meaning more employees will be eligible
This means more people will qualify for SSP, particularly lower‑paid and part‑time workers.
Annual leave records – new legal requirement
Employers are now legally required to keep records of:
- Annual leave taken
- Any payment in lieu of untaken leave
- How holiday pay is calculated
These records must be kept for six years. We’re reviewing our processes to ensure we are fully compliant.
Family leave – now a day one right
From 6 April 2026:
- Paternity leave becomes a day one right (leave only – statutory pay rules are unchanged)
- Unpaid parental leave (up to 18 weeks per child) also becomes a day one right
This gives more flexibility to employees from the start of their employment.
Bereaved partner’s paternity leave
A new right is introduced for bereaved parents:
- Up to 52 weeks of unpaid leave if a child’s primary carer dies within the first year
- Available as a day one right
- Sits alongside existing bereavement leave entitlements
While rare, this provides important support in exceptionally difficult circumstances.
What happens next?
We are:
- Updating contracts of employment
- Producing a revised Employee Handbook
- Reviewing policies, payroll and record‑keeping processes
- Making sure managers are aware of the new day one rights
We’ll share further updates once the new contracts and handbook are ready.
If you have questions in the meantime, please contact HR.
Alex Taylor
Project Manager