Our Employment Rights Bill Knowledge Hub is a dedicated section of the Bhayani Law website, designed to help employers navigate what is widely seen as the most significant reform of UK employment law in a generation.

The hub includes our in-depth Employer Action Guides, which explain the key changes under the Employment Rights Bill and, crucially, what employers need to do to prepare. The guides focus on the following core areas of reform:

• Unfair dismissal
• Fire and rehire
• Workplace harassment
• Flexible working
• Collective redundancy
• Statutory sick pay
• Family-friendly rights
• Trade unions
• Equality reforms
• Zero-hours contracts and shift notice requirements
• Employment tribunal time limits
• Non-disclosure agreements
• The new Fair Work Agency

Each Employer Action Guide sets out practical steps employers should be taking now, alongside how Bhayani Law can support you in responding to these changes. You can also access our Employment Rights Bill roadmap, which presents the reforms in a clear, phased and employer-focused way.

In addition, we offer an Employment Rights Bill Audit and Planning Tool, designed to simplify every element of the legislation. The tool helps employers identify areas of risk, assess readiness, and provide clear, actionable solutions. Your personalised dashboard gives you clarity and confidence, with timelines and tailored recommendations to support planning and implementation.

If you are an existing Bhayani Law client, you can speak directly with your usual advisor about how the Bill may affect your organisation. We will also be publishing further tools and guidance, including practical planners and impact assessments, to support employers as the reforms progress.

If you are not currently a client, please contact us to discuss how we can support your business or to find out more about accessing our Employment Rights Bill resources. Contact 0333 888 1360 or email [email protected].

From 1 April 2026, the following statutory minimum rates of pay will apply:

• The National Living Wage (the minimum hourly rate for workers aged 21 and over) will increase from £12.21 to £12.71 per hour.
• The National Minimum Wage for workers aged 18–20 will increase from £10.00 to £10.85 per hour.
• The rate for 16–17-year-olds and apprentices will increase from £7.55 to £8.00 per hour.

These rates are legally enforceable, and employers should ensure payroll systems, budgets and contractual documentation are updated in good time.

Separately from the statutory rates above, the Living Wage Foundation has announced increases to the voluntary “real Living Wage” rates, which accredited Living Wage Employers are expected to implement by 1 May 2026:

• The real Living Wage (UK) is now £13.45 per hour (an increase of 6.7%).
• The London Living Wage is now £14.80 per hour (an increase of 6.9%).

These rates are not set by the Government and are separate from the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage. They are independently calculated based on the cost of living, both across the UK and in London, and apply only to employers who choose to become accredited Living Wage Employers.

The Living Wage Foundation reports that there are now nearly 16,000 accredited Living Wage Employers, including around half of the FTSE 100, alongside many household names and SMEs.

If you are an existing Bhayani Law client, your usual advisor can support you with pay compliance, Living Wage accreditation considerations and workforce planning. If you are not currently a client, please contact us to discuss how we can support your business with wage compliance and broader employment law obligations. Call 0333 888 1360 or email [email protected].

The Government has published proposed benefit and pension rates for 2026–2027, which indicate that from 6 April 2026, the statutory rates for sick pay and family-related leave will increase as follows:

• Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will increase from £118.75 to £123.25 per week.
• The weekly rate for the following payments will increase from £187.18 to £194.32:
  • Statutory Maternity Pay
  • Statutory Maternity Allowance
  • Statutory Adoption Pay
  • Statutory Paternity Pay
  • Statutory Shared Parental Pay
  • Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay
  • Statutory Neonatal Care Pay
• The Lower Earnings Limit will increase from £125 to £129 per week. However, under reforms introduced by the Employment Rights Bill, the Lower Earnings Limit will be removed for SSP entitlement from April 2026 onwards.
• The earnings threshold for Maternity Allowance will remain at £30 per week.

These rates are subject to confirmation, but employers should factor the proposed increases into payroll planning, budgeting and workforce cost forecasting.

If you are an existing Bhayani Law client, your usual advisor can support you with applying the new rates, reviewing policies and understanding how the Employment Rights Bill reforms will affect statutory sick pay eligibility. If you are not currently a client, please contact us to discuss how we can support your business with compliance and workforce planning. Call 0333 888 1360 or email [email protected].

Supporting neurodivergent employees isn’t just good practice; it’s a legal obligation under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments where needed to avoid discrimination. Employers who fail to act on occupational health recommendations or employee requests for support may face legal risk and lower team performance.

Key ways employers can support neurodivergent talent include:

• Early recognition and open engagement when an employee discloses a neurodivergent condition, so that support needs can be identified and agreed upon.
• Making reasonable adjustments, such as flexible task structures, clear instructions, adapted workloads, sensory adjustments or time management coaching.
• Manager and team awareness, with training to help colleagues understand neurodiversity, reduce stigma, and improve working relationships.
• Ongoing review, regularly checking that adjustments are working and updating them as needed to reflect the employee’s role and strengths.

Supporting neurodivergent employees effectively can boost engagement, enhance performance and reduce turnover, while aligning your organisation with inclusive employment practices.

Learn more: For practical insights, legal context and real examples, read our blog: From Awareness to Action: Supporting Neurodivergent Talent in the Workplace

Training to support your team

Bhayani Law offers Neurodiversity in the Workplace Training tailored for managers and teams. Our sessions help you:

• Understand neurodiversity and legal duties under the Equality Act
• Recognise strengths and challenges in neurodivergent colleagues
• Apply practical techniques for communication, reasonable adjustments, and inclusive management
• Build confidence in creating a supportive, compliant workplace

Whether you want awareness-level training or manager-focused workshops with actionable strategies, we can help your organisation move from awareness to meaningful support.

Book a session: Contact us on 0333 888 1360 or email [email protected] to discuss dates and formats that suit your business.

With significant changes in employment law and increasing expectations on managers, many employers are recognising the need to strengthen line manager capability. Line managers are often the first point of contact for issues such as absence, performance, conduct, flexible working requests and supporting diverse teams, yet many have had little or no formal HR training.

Our HR Essentials training is designed to give line managers the practical skills, confidence and legal awareness they need to manage people effectively and consistently, while reducing legal and employee relations risk.

The training focuses on core, everyday management responsibilities, including:

• Managing absence, performance and conduct confidently
• Handling difficult conversations and employee concerns
• Understanding equality, discrimination and reasonable adjustments
• Supporting wellbeing and neurodiversity in the workplace
• Applying HR policies fairly and consistently
• Knowing when to escalate issues and seek HR or legal advice

HR Essentials is particularly valuable in light of upcoming employment law reforms, as it helps managers understand their role in implementing change on the ground and avoiding costly mistakes.

Training can be delivered in person or virtually, and can be tailored to reflect your organisation’s policies, sector and risk profile.

If you are an existing Bhayani Law client, your advisor can discuss whether HR Essentials would be a good fit for your managers. If you are not currently a client, please contact us to explore how our training can support your organisation and complement your wider HR strategy. Call 0333 888 1360 or email [email protected].