With the Employment Rights Act finally gaining Royal Assent in December 2025, we take a look at what's in store for employment law in 2026. Our updated tracker highlights some of the key changes for 2026: April 2026 New pay rates: Each April new statutory minimum rates apply for the year ahead. From 1 April 2026, minimum pay rates per hour will increase to: ·         National Living Wage: o 21 and over - £12.71 – 4.1% increase (or £977 increase per year for full time staff o

The Home Office has opened a major consultation on plans to overhaul the UK settlement system—proposals that could reshape long-term migration routes, employer sponsorship strategies, and the expectations of anyone currently working toward Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). These changes, set out in the policy paper   A Fairer Pathway to Settlemen t , are among the most far-reaching in years. In our latest episode of The Employment Law Podcast, our immigration partners, Alex F

Non-compete litigation is climbing sharply, with High Court claims issued by employers against former staff up 43 per cent this year, according to a new report. A rise in business creation (up 3.5% year on year) and a slowdown for permanent hiring sending professionals into self-employment are cited as two possible reasons for this rise. Commenting to People Management, Constantine Law partner, Alan Lewis , warns that October 2026 will mark a major turning point: the use of

The Employment Rights Bill should receive Royal Assent this month.  On 28 October 2025, the House of Lords considered the House of Commons’ amendments to the Employment Rights Bill.  The Lords proposed changes to: 1.       zero-hours clauses (amending their own amendment); 2.       the day-one right to unfair dismissal protections (insisting on a 6-month qualifying period, rather than day-one); and 3.       industrial action ballot thresholds (disagreeing with the proposal t

The House of Lords has this week stood firm against the government’s proposal to introduce "day-one" unfair dismissal rights, and have once again reaffirmed their position that there should be a six-month qualifying period. Peers argued that businesses need greater clarity and stability before such sweeping changes take effect. Speaking to People Management, Constantine Law partner, Alan Lewis , pulled no punches, describing the proposed shift from a two-year qualifying perio

Welders are included in the immigration salary list In her article for BE News, Constantine Law partner, Rebecca Tester , looks at the recent changes to immigration laws and how this is impacting the built environment sector. Rebecca discusses the areas of the sector most likely to be impacted by the changes, which roles might be given a temporary reprieve through the immigration salary list, and looks to what the industry can expect in the months ahead. Read Rebecca's full p

The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) was published 365 days ago.  It has been billed as the biggest shake-up to employment law rights in this...

In the latest episode in our podcast series, our new business immigration team, Alex Finch and Rebecca Tester introduce themselves before going on to discuss recent major changes to the UK’s immigration system. The UK government’s recent white paper on immigration sets out reforms designed to reduce net migration, shift focus towards domestic workforce development, and recalibrate the balance between attracting global talent and controlling settlement. Among the most signif

Constantine Law partner, Alex Finch , writing in The Engineer, paints a fairly bleak picture for employers looking to sponsor workers in...