Press Releases

The UK Government has revealed a major change in its approach to unfair dismissal rights under the upcoming Employment Rights Bill.

The original proposal was set to allow all workers the right to claim unfair dismissal from the first day of employment, but this has now been withdrawn.

It planned to abolish the two-year qualifying period and conduct a statutory probationary period that would give employers some protection during the early months of employment.

However, employers and the House of Lords raised concerns that the proposal may discourage hiring and questioned its practical impact, particularly on small businesses.

As a result, the Government announced their new plans to introduce a more balanced approach that reduces litigation risk while still offering employee protection.

Our Employment Law expert, Kristie Willis, explains what it is expected the Bill will bring and how employers are affected.

What changes will be introduced under the new Employment Rights Bill?

The revised proposal is expected to pass through Parliament shortly and take effect in April 2026.

However, an amendment introduced at the same time to remove the cap on unfair dismissal awards has been rejected by the House of Lords, causing the bill to be returned to the House of Commons.

The Bill is set to introduce several changes, including:

• A new six-month qualifying period for general unfair dismissal claims
• No statutory probationary period
• Existing day-one protections will remain the same, such as discrimination, whistleblowing and automatic unfair dismissal claims.
• The current proposal for the removal of the unfair dismissal compensation cap has been rejected by the House of Lords in favour of a requirement for the government to review the cap. We are now awaiting the House of Commons’ response to this, although it is expected to pass.

What does this mean for employers?

Although the removal of the proposed day-one protection will bring relief to many businesses, the shorter qualifying period will still require employers to adjust their hiring and management practices.

With only a six-month window before unfair dismissal rights apply, employers have reduced time to assess new employees’ performance and make informed decisions on termination.

The limited qualifying period means employers must strengthen their recruitment processes and hold regular, well-documented probationary reviews to assess performance.

If there are any performance concerns, these issues should be addressed early and clearly recorded to justify any decisions made in the first six months.

It is important to consider that even if employees cannot pursue an unfair dismissal claim in the first six months, in certain circumstances, they can still pursue automatic unfair dismissal claims and discrimination claims.

A formal midpoint review at three months, followed by a decisive assessment at five months, can help ensure employers have adequate time to act before the qualifying period ends.

The potential removal of the cap or possibly one element of it, may open employers up to the risk of larger awards and may make it more appealing for higher earners to pursue claims in the Employment Tribunal.

With the upcoming reforms, employers and businesses must stay compliant and update their contracts and onboarding processes.

Employers should be proactive in their assessment of new employees and if you are unsure about how the new reforms affect you, seeking legal advice is essential.

How will the Employment Rights Bill affect employers?

The Employment Rights Bill is set to introduce a range of reforms, including day-one paternity rights and whistleblowing protections relating to sexual harassment.

Employers must review their current policies and risk assessments to ensure they remain compliant once the legislation takes effect.

Our expert team can help you update your current procedures and create a clear plan that protects your employees and business.

For tailored advice on how the upcoming Employment Rights Bill will affect you, contact our employment law team today.

Essex Wildlife Trust, the county’s leading conservation charities, is celebrating 30 years of support from local lawyers, Palmers Solicitors.  

Enrolled as a Gold Investor in Wildlife Corporate Member in 1995, Palmers Solicitors has continued to raise awareness and donated thousands of pounds of funding to Essex Wildlife Trust.  

This long-standing commitment has played an important role in enabling the Trust to deliver its charitable aims of protecting wildlife, improving the natural environment and inspiring future generations to develop a lifelong love of the natural world. 

Alongside financial contributions, Palmers Solicitors has also actively taken part in the Trust’s volunteering and fundraising events.  

At Langdon Nature Reserve and Nature Discovery Centre in Laindon, the Palmers team helped to plant 40 trees in celebration of the firm’s 40th anniversary in 2023, while the firm regularly puts forward a team and sponsors a hole for the charity’s annual golf day.  

The legal firm also continues to contribute to Essex Wildlife Trust’s business magazine and hosts networking events to encourage other local companies to join as Investor in Wildlife Corporate Members. 

Grant Maton, Corporate Communications Office for Essex Wildlife Trust, said: “Our Investor in Wildlife Corporate Membership started in 1992, so Palmers was an early member, maintaining this support since then. This has enabled the Trust to look after over 87 nature reserves across Essex. Thank you Palmers, your support is very much appreciated”. 

Essex Wildlife Trust was founded in 1959 and now protects over 8,400 acres of land across 87 sites, with the support of more than 39,000 members.  

The charity manages nature reserves and discovery parks across the county, providing opportunities for education, volunteering and community engagement. 

Commenting on the milestone, Ricky Valks, Chief Development Officer at Palmers Solicitors, said: “The Trust has had such an important influence on preserving Essex’s stunning wildlife and we are extremely proud of our long-term support of their work.  

“Over the last three decades our team have really enjoyed getting involved with the Trust and its work, volunteering, raising funds and making other local businesses aware of this incredible cause.  

“I would like to thank everyone at the Trust for their kind words and their ongoing partnership with our firm. We are really excited to see what our relationship holds for the future.”

The Renters’ Right Act is set to bring some of the biggest changes to the private rental sector in decades.

With the Act gaining Royal Assent on 27 October 2025, it plans to create a fairer rental market, but for landlords, it brings new rules that will reshape how their properties are managed.

The act represents a major change in the balance between tenant protection and landlord flexibility.

While it introduces more regulation, it also offers an opportunity for landlords to strengthen long-term tenant relationships.

Our Senior Associate, Gareth Brazier, explains how the new act will affect you.

What is the Renters’ Rights Act?

The Renters’ Rights Act, effective from 1 April 2026, will transform the way landlords operate, how rent is reviewed and how possession is regained.

The leading change in the act is the abolition of Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, which will end the long-standing ability for landlords to remove tenants without reason.

Under the new laws, a tenant will be protected from eviction for the first 12 months, unless they breach their tenancy agreement, for example with anti-social behaviour or rent arrears.

As well as this, fixed tenancies will be replaced with Assured Periodic Tenancies, which means there is no set end date to the tenancy.

Tenants will have greater security, and if they choose to leave, they only have to give two-months notice.

Whilst landlords can only regain possession in certain circumstances, such as rent arrears or the landlord requiring the property for development or their own housing needs.

What are the new rules on rent increase?

The Act has introduced new restrictions on rent increases, which are now limited to once per year, using the procedure and relevant notice under Section 13 of the Housing Act 1988.

As rent rises must reflect market rates, this makes it important for landlords to maintain accurate market data and clear records to justify any adjustments to rent.

Property condition is also coming under scrutiny as the Decent Homes Standard will apply to private rentals for the first time and homes must meet stricter safety and living condition requirements.

The new act is set to introduce Awaab’s Law for private landlords, in which they will face strict deadlines of 14 days to investigate, 7 days to fix and 24 hours to resolve emergency hazards such as damp or mould.

Bans on rent bidding and rejecting tenants because they receive benefits or have children are a noticeable change in the act, designed to limit discriminatory renting.

With landlords having to join a mandatory Ombudsman scheme to ensure accountability, it may be hard to see how the new act can benefit them.

What can landlords do to protect their rights?

With a lot of change approaching in the rental sector, preparation for landlords is key.

Our team can help familiarise you with the imminent changes and latest legislation and review how your tenancy agreement will be affected.

By staying informed and documenting the process carefully, it will not only attract but also retain better tenants in a changing market.

If you are unsure about how you can be protected legally with the new Renters’ Rights Act, contact our Commercial Property or Property Litigation team for help.