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Writer: Chris Williams August 22nd 2025 3min read “Ready or Not – The New Laws Have Arrived”
- chris10011
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
🔺 Key Legislative Updates
Wage Increases Across the Board
21+ workers: £12.21/hour (up from £11.44)
18–20-year-olds: £10.00/hr
16–17-year-olds: £7.55/hr
Apprentices: £6.40/hr
Expanded Family and Sick Leave Rights
Statutory Sick Pay now £118.75/week
Family leave pay increased to £187.18/week
New: Paid Neonatal Care Leave — up to 12 weeks
Day-One Employment Rights
Statutory sick pay
Paid paternity and bereavement leave
Unfair dismissal protection (after probation)
Unpaid parental leave
🧩 Flexible Working: A New Standard
The Flexible Working Bill now gives employees the right to request flexible arrangements from day one of employment. Employers must:
Respond within 2 months
Allow 2 requests per year
Provide clear reasons for any rejection
This includes part-time, compressed hours, hybrid models, and more.
⚠️ Contingency Recruitment: Major Disruption Ahead
The Employment Rights Bill introduces reforms that directly affect contingency hiring:
Zero-hours agency workers may gain rights to guaranteed hours after a reference period
Umbrella companies will be regulated like recruitment agencies
End hirers may become liable for employment protections
Implications:
Staffing firms must reassess contracts and shift allocation models
Smaller agencies may need to partner or merge to meet compliance
Risk of increased use of “false self-employment” models
💡 What Should HR and Recruiters Do Now?
Audit your contracts: Ensure they reflect new wage and leave entitlements.
Review shift patterns: Especially for agency workers — can you offer regular hours?
Update flexible working policies: Make them visible in job ads and onboarding.
Prepare for umbrella compliance: Understand your liability and payroll structures.
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