Tracking law changes: Employment Rights Bill and Make Work Pay plan

The UK Government's plan to Make Work Pay changes multiple aspects of employment law; removing the two-year qualifying period to claim unfair dismissal and introducing a new statutory probation period, is just one example. 

A commitment to deliver most of these proposals are laid out in the Employment Rights Bill (ERB). In addition to the ERB, the Make Work Pay plan involves other non-regulatory consultations, new regulations and amendments to codes or guidance. There are also changes being introduced under the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill. The roadmap for the delivery of consultations and changes os set out below. 

People professionals should note that a date has also now been set for the Lords to vote on amendments to the ERB - the 28 October 2025. This means that once the Lords have accepted or rejected Commons amendments, the bill will then pass through the Lords and proceed to Royal Assent. It will then be law. 

CIPD members can keep track of developments by logging in below and using the tracker table. The table tracks the progress of relevant and notable changes by date. There is also a visual timeline showing when the measures under the plan to Make Work Pay will be implemented. Expanded information below the table provides insights from the CIPD’s Public Policy team, as well as information on what people professionals can do now to prepare for these changes.

Please note, the majority of the ERB will not apply in Northern Ireland, where employment legislation is almost entirely a devolved (transferred) matter. The NI Executive has published separate proposals on employment law reform.