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The government has made a major U-turn on one of its flagship employment reform pledges contained within their original manifesto, confirming that day-one protection from unfair dismissal will not be introduced. The announcement on 27 November follows mounting pressure from both employers and the House of Lords as the Employment Rights Bill (the Bill) moves through its final parliamentary stages.
With the Bill now in the “ping pong” phase (where amendments move back and forth between the House of Commons and the House of Lords), ministers faced growing concern that insisting on day-one rights could delay Royal Assent beyond the end of this year.
To break the deadlock, the government has dropped the proposal and instead adopted a compromise: the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal claims will be cut from two years to six months.
This change is expected to take effect in 2027, in line with the wider implementation roadmap.
Our Employment Rights Bill tracker has been updated to reflect this key development. If you have any questions or would like support in preparing for the implementation of the Bill, please contact our BHW’s employment law team on 0116 289 7000 or email info@bhwsolicitors.com.