Employment Rights Act Reminder: Changes from 6th April 2026

Now that we’re in the final month of the 2025/26 tax year, we’ve set out the key changes affecting small organisations from 6th April 2026.

Please contact your payroll provider or software to check that these changes are corretcly implemented.

Statutory Sick Pay

• Will be payable from day one of sickness (i.e. the three “waiting days” will be abolished)

• The payment rate will increase to £123.50 per week (or 80% of average earnings, whichever is lower)

• All employees will be eligible (the “Lower Earnings Limit” will be abolished)

Paternity Leave

• All employees will be eligible for paternity leave (not Statutory Paternity Pay) from the 1st day of employment (currently 26 weeks’ employment is required). This applies to babies born on or after 6 April 2026, or whose expected week of birth is on or after that date, but who are born early. In adoption cases, the changes only apply to placements starting on or after 6 April 2026.

Unpaid Parental Leave

• Unpaid parental leave will become a day-one right for eligible employees. info@glosalliance.org.uk

• Employees are entitled to up to four weeks’ unpaid leave per child aged under 18.

Minimum Wage Rates

• National Living Wage (for employees aged 21+) will be £12.71 per hour (up from £12.21)

• National Minimum Wage (for employees aged 18 – 20) will be £10.85 per hour (up from £10.00)

• National Minimum Wage (for employees aged 16 -17 and apprentices) will be £8.00 per hour (up from £7.55)

• Statutory Maternity, Paternity, and Adoption Pay will increase to £194.32 per week (up from £187.18)

If you’re not sure about any of these changes, please e-mail info@glosalliance.org.uk for more information.