The Employment Rights Bill received Royal Assent on 18th December, becoming the Employment Rights Act 2025.

The reforms under the Employment Rights Act will be implemented on a phased basis across 2026 and 2027, and will require employers to update their employment contracts, policies and practices. Details on the documents which we will be updating in light of these changes can be found on our Employment Rights Act 2025 planner.

One incoming change is that, as of 1st January 2027, anyone engaged under a contract of employment with six months' service will be protected from unfair dismissal. However, what the new rules mean in practice is that all all employees recruited on or before 1^st July 2026 will automatically gain unfair dismissal protection on 1^st January 2027 (and a week earlier if they are dismissed without statutory notice). We explore what employers can do to prepare for this change in Part 1 and Part 2 of Unfair Dismissal Series. 

Further information can be found on the REC's Legal Timeline and on our recent publication titled 'Employment Rights Act 2025: Where are we now?'

As of 1 May 2026, the new GCA (previously known as CCS) Supply Teachers and Education Framework has officially gone live. The bidding process for recruitment agencies and businesses seeking a place on the framework closed in December 2025, and GCA has now issued confirmation notices to organisations that have successfully secured a position. As part of the new framework arrangements, GCA has also introduced revised charge rates that all businesses and agencies supplying under the framework will be required to follow. Full details of the updated rates can be found here.

The Department for Education (DfE) is mandating that from September 2026, agencies working with academy trusts must 'not exceed the rates available through the GCA framework.' In relation to existing contracts, the DfE has stated that it "will not force [trusts] to exit an existing contract. We recommend you compare your contracted rates against the GCA framework rates for future planning once your agreement comes to an end, in case the GCA framework provides cheaper rates.”

The Legal Helpline has had an increase of calls regarding Statutory Sick Pay in light of the changes which came into force on 6th April 2026, namely including the removal of the 3 waiting days and lower earnings limit. You can find further information on our Legal Guide on SSP and our FAQs on the amendments.

The REC Legal Team have seen an increase in queries regarding the Conduct Regulations, specifically including circumstances in which a transfer fee/introduction fee can be charged. Further information can be found on our Legal Guide on the Conduct Regulations and our Conduct Regulations Factsheets.

With the wide host of legal changes coming into force in 2026-27, the REC's 12-month legal timeline is a great tool to plan ahead and stay on top of the changes.