The provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 continue to be implemented with a number of key employment law changes taking effect from April 2026.

Rebecca List, Employment Partner at Tollers Solicitors summarises the key changes below and in addition, provides commentary on what employers should be doing as a result of each change.

Increased National Minimum Wage

As of April 1, 2026, the National Minimum Wage increased from:

• 12.21 to 12.71 per hour, for those 21 and over;
• 10 to 10.85 per hour, for those aged 18 to 20;
• 7.55 to 8 per hour, for those under 18; and
• 7.55 to 8 per hour, for apprentices (those aged under 19 or over 19 but in the first year of their apprenticeship).

Employers must ensure that they are familiar with these new rates, and increase employees’ pay where applicable.

Increased statutory rates

As of April 5, 2026 there have been changes to the Statutory Rates of Pay including Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay, Statutory Shared Parental Pay, Maternity Allowance, Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay and Statutory Neonatal Care Pay, which all increased to 194.32 per week.

In addition, the maximum weekly amount to calculate statutory redundancy pay and the basic award in a successful unfair dismissal claim rose from 719 to 751.

Employers should ensure that they are familiar with the new rates, and that they are applied in the above situations.

Changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) entitlements

As of 6 April 2026:

• The...

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