Considering the Impact of the Employment Rights Act 2025

Critical changes charities should know before April 2026

In our sector, we're constantly dealing with the tough task of managing complicated and often tricky budgets, which can really put a dent in how we operate.

Depending on short-term contracts and part-time staff just makes things more complicated when it comes to managing our workforce. This can cause instability and disrupt the continuity of service, which is a big hurdle for organisations trying to offer steady support to their communities. A lot of groups have to handle HR needs without expensive HR provision, making it harder to address staff issues, implement best practices and stay on top of employment regulations.

The new Employment Rights Act 2025 will introduce several reforms throughout 2026, and it's going to have a major impact on our Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) organisations. With that in mind, it would be prudent to sense check the Act now and see how it might affect our work and employees' rights. By getting ahead of the game, we can do a solid risk assessment on these upcoming changes, which will help tweak policies and practices in good time. Tackling these potential impacts early will help groups avoid risks and make sure they stay on the right side of the new rules. As a sector, we strive to adhere to good practices and will evaluate how many upcoming changes we've already implemented collectively.

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) offers some excellent guidance regarding the new Employment Rights Act, including a detailed timeline for the changes we can expect.

We strongly recommend that you take the time to explore the resources available on their website now. Familiarising yourself with the guidance will equip you with the knowledge needed to navigate the upcoming reforms effectively and prepare your organisation for the changes ahead. Here is the link to the guidance for your convenience:

ACAS Employment Rights Act 2025