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The Employment Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026

S.I. 2026/1065 · Made 1 October 2026

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

TRADE UNIONS

Made 1st October 2026

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 155 and 159(3) of the Employment Rights Act 2025f1.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

2025 c. 36.

Contents

  1. 1Citation
  2. 2Interpretation
  3. 3Provisions of the 2025 Act coming into force on 30th October 2026
  4. 4Transitional provisions in relation to Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act
  5. 5Saving provisions in relation to paragraph 33 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act
  6. 6Saving provisions in relation to paragraphs 56 and 57 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act
  7. 7Transitional provisions in relation to section 64 of the 2025 Act
  8. 8Transitional provisions in relation to section 65 of the 2025 Act
  9. Signature
  10. Explanatory note

1Citation

These Regulations may be cited as the Employment Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026.

2Interpretation

In these Regulations—

  • “the 1992 Act ” means the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992f1;

  • “the 2025 Act” means the Employment Rights Act 2025.

3Provisions of the 2025 Act coming into force on 30th October 2026

The following provisions of the 2025 Act come into force on 30th October 2026—

(a)

section 20 (employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment);

(b)

section 21 (harassment by third parties);

(c)

section 22 (sexual harassment: power to make provision about “reasonable steps”);

(d)

section 56 and Schedule 5 (seafarers’ wages and working conditions);

(e)

section 59 (right of trade unions to access workplaces), so far as not already in force;

(f)

section 60 and Schedule 6 (trade union recognition), so far as not already in force, subject to the transitional provisions in regulation 4 and the savings provisions in regulations 5 and 6;

(g)

section 64 (facilities provided to trade union officials and learning representatives), so far as not already in force, subject to the transitional provisions in regulation 7;

(h)

section 65 (facilities for equality representatives), so far as not already in force, subject to the transitional provisions in regulation 8.

4Transitional provisions in relation to Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act

(1)

Paragraphs 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 66(2)(a), 66(2)(b), 66(3), 66(5)(a), 66(5)(b), 66(5)(c) and 66(5)(d) of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 11 or 12 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act (application in the event that employer rejects request for recognition or negotiations fail)f1 was received by the Central Arbitration Committeef2 before 30th October 2026.

(2)

Paragraphs 5, 9, 10, 19, 20, 21, 27 and 28 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act, in so far as not already in force before 30th October 2026, do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 11 or 12 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

(3)

Paragraph 35 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act does not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 55, 58 or 59 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act (application related to type of agreement, method of collective bargaining, or failure to carry out agreement as to a method) was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

(4)

Paragraphs 36, 37, 38, 39, 45, 46 and 66(5)(e) of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 66 or 75 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act (application where either party believes bargaining unit is no longer appropriate, or where employer believes that unit has ceased to exist) was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

(5)

Paragraphs 40 and 41 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act, in so far as not already in force before 30th October 2026, do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 66 or 75 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

(6)

Paragraphs 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 66(2)(c) and 66(4) of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 106, 107 or 112 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act (application related to employer’s request to end bargaining arrangements, or workers’ application to end arrangements) was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

(7)

Paragraphs 47 and 48 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act, in so far as not already in force before 30th October 2026, do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 106, 107 or 112 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

(8)

Paragraphs 56, 57 and 58 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 128 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act (application related to employer’s request to end bargaining arrangements where recognition automatic) was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

(9)

Paragraphs 59 and 60 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act, in so far as not already in force before 30th October 2026, do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 128 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

(10)

Paragraphs 61 and 66(5)(f) of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 106, 107, 112 or 128 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

(11)

Paragraphs 62 and 63 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act, in so far as not already in force before 30th October 2026, do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 137 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act (workers’ application to end bargaining arrangements where the union is not independent) was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

(12)

Paragraphs 64 and 66(5)(g) of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act do not apply in cases where an application under paragraph 137 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

5Saving provisions in relation to paragraph 33 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act

(1)

This regulation applies after paragraph 33 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act comes into force.

(2)

Where paragraph 33 applies to an application concerning a declaration that was issued by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026, then paragraph 49(1) of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Actf1 is to be read as though the references to paragraphs 116E(5) and 116K(5) of Schedule A1f2 included references to paragraphs 119D(4) and 119H(5) of Schedule A1f3 as they stood prior to 30th October 2026.

6Saving provisions in relation to paragraphs 56 and 57 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act

(1)

This regulation applies after paragraphs 56 and 57 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act come into force.

(2)

Where paragraph 56 applies in relation to an application for derecognition made on or after 30th October 2026 and there was a declaration by the Central Arbitration Committee under paragraph 27D(3) of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Actf1, then paragraph 122 of Schedule A1f2 is to be read as though reference to a declaration under paragraph 19P(4) of Schedule A1f3 included reference to a declaration under paragraph 27D(3) of Schedule A1 as it stood prior to 30th October 2026.

(3)

Where paragraph 57 applies in relation to an application for derecognition made on or after 30th October 2026 and there was a declaration by the Central Arbitration Committee under paragraph 27D(3) of Schedule A1, then paragraph 123 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Actf4 is to be read as though reference to a declaration under paragraph 19P(4) of Schedule A1 included reference to paragraph 27D(3) as it stood prior to 30th October 2026.

7Transitional provisions in relation to section 64 of the 2025 Act

The amendments made by section 64 of the 2025 Act do not apply to any employment tribunal claim brought under section 168(4)(a) or section 168A(9)(a) of the 1992 Act (time off for carrying out trade union duties or for union learning representatives)f1 in respect of an employer’s failure to permit an employee to take time off, where the date of the failure occurs before 30th October 2026.

8Transitional provisions in relation to section 65 of the 2025 Act

For the purposes of section 168B of the 1992 Act (time off for union equality representatives)f1, the requirements of subsection (3) of that section (notice to employer and training condition) are treated as satisfied in relation to an employee if—

(a)

immediately before 30th October 2026, the employee has the function of carrying out any or all of the activities mentioned in section 168B(2) in relation to qualifying members of the trade union and has had that function for a continuous period of six months or more, and

(b)

the employee acquired that function by reason of being appointed or elected, in accordance with the rules of the trade union, to carry it out.

Signature

Sonny Leong

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

1st October 2026

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations bring into force certain provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 (c. 36) (“the 2025 Act”) on 30th October 2026. They are the sixth commencement regulations made under the 2025 Act. Certain provisions came into force on Royal Assent by virtue of section 159 (1) of the 2025 Act and two months after Royal Assent by virtue of section 159 (2) of the 2025 Act.

Regulation 3 brings into force on 30th October 2026 the provisions of the 2025 Act listed, so far as not already in force.

Regulation 4 makes transitional provision in relation to Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act. It provides that the amendments made by Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act related to trade union recognition and derecognition do not apply where the relevant application to the Central Arbitration Committee was received by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

Regulation 5 makes savings provisions in relation to the coming into force of paragraph 33 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act. Paragraph 33 amends paragraph 49 of Schedule A1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (c. 52) (“the 1992 Act”). Paragraph 49 of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act, as amended by the 2025 Act, prevents a trade union from making an application for recognition for three years where the Central Arbitration Committee has issued a declaration relating to access or unfair practices under paragraphs 116E(5) or 116K(5) of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act. Regulation 5 saves the effect of declarations that were issued by the Central Arbitration Committee before the coming into force of these amendments on 30th October 2026.

Regulation 6 makes savings provisions in relation to the coming into force of paragraphs 56 and 57 of Schedule 6 to the 2025 Act. These savings provisions apply where there is a declaration by the Central Arbitration Committee under paragraph 27D (3) of Schedule A1 to the 1992 Act (declaration of automatic recognition for a union where there has been unfair practice by employer consisting of, or including, use of violence, or the dismissal of a union official). Regulation 6 saves the effect of declarations issued by the Central Arbitration Committee before 30th October 2026.

Regulation 7 makes transitional provision in relation to section 64 of the 2025 Act, so that in the case of a complaint to an employment tribunal related to the failure of an employer to permit trade union representatives or union learning representatives to take time off to carry out their functions, the amendments made by section 64 only apply where the failure complained of occurs on or after 30th October 2026.

Regulation 8 makes transitional provision in relation to section 65 of the 2025 Act, so that the right to time off during working hours to carry out the functions of trade union equality representatives applies to employees who have been carrying out the functions set out in section 168B(2) of the 1992 Act immediately before 30th October 2026, if they have had that function for a continuous period of six months or more, and have acquired that function by reason of being appointed or elected in accordance with union rules.

The impact assessments completed for the Employment Rights Bill, introduced to Parliament on 10th October 2024, contain an assessment of the effect that the reforms to employment law and industrial relations law will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector. They are available at: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3737/publications. Printed copies can be obtained from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Old Admiralty Building, Admiralty Place, London, SW1A 2DY.