Insights

On 1 July 2025, the UK Government published a detailed implementation roadmap for the Employment Rights Bill – under its “Plan to Make Work Pay” agenda – providing a structured, phased timeline of reforms and consultations, running from 2025 through to 2027.

The key area that will affect those organisations managing contingent labour is zero-hours and agency workers. The 2027 reforms will introduce stricter protections for agency and zero-hours workers, including a requirement for both the agency and the hirer to provide reasonable notice of shifts. Agencies will also be required to make short-notice payments to workers – and in many cases will be able to recover these costs from the hirer when the hirer is responsible for the late change.

This creates a greater need for centralised, transparent management of contingent labour to avoid unnecessary costs being passed back to the end hirer. A neutral vendor service can play a vital role here – ensuring shift scheduling is well-managed, liabilities are clear, and disputes over responsibility are minimised – so organisations stay compliant and protect their budgets.

Other phase timelines outlined within the roadmap announcement include:

Immediately after Royal Assent (likely autumn 2025):

• Repeal of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 and much of the Trade Union Act 2016
• New protections against dismissal for workers engaging in industrial action

April 2026:

• “Day‑one” rights to paternity and unpaid parental leave
• Enhanced whistleblowing protections
• Launch of a Fair Work Agency
• Reforms to Statutory Sick Pay (removal of lower earnings limit and waiting days)
• Simplification of trade union recognition, and introduction of electronic and workplace balloting

October 2026:

• Ban on abusive “fire and rehire” practices
• Ministries to mandate employers take “all reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment – legislation will also cover third-party harassment
• Duty to inform employees of their right to join a trade union
• Expansion of employment tribunal time limits

2027 (dates TBD):

• Landmark “day‑one” protection from unfair dismissal
• Stronger safeguards against exploitative zero‑hours contracts, including guaranteed hours and notice of shifts
• New bereavement leave, flexible working, pregnant worker protections, umbrella company regulation, and regulation of blacklisting
• Gender equality and menopause action plans become mandatory

Consultations on multiple measures – including unfair dismissal, zero‑hours reform, fair pay agreements for the Adult Social Care sector, and more – will commence in summer/autumn 2025 and continue into early 2026

The creation of the Fair Work Agency will add a new layer of oversight to ensure that consistent employment standards are applied across all worker types, including contingent labour. This body will play a key role in clarifying worker rights, setting expectations for fair treatment, and providing clear channels for reporting and enforcement. For employers, it means greater accountability and the need for transparent processes that protect all workers equally.

The Employment Rights Bill Roadmap makes one thing clear: organisations will need to manage contingent labour with far greater oversight, agility, and transparency than before. Upcoming measures on zero-hours contracts, unfair dismissal, harassment protections, and supply chain responsibility mean businesses can no longer afford fragmented or loosely monitored workforce arrangements.

How Neuven Solutions Can Help

Neuven Solutions’ neutral vendor model can deliver real value by centrally managing your contingent labour supply chain. We remove the complexity of dealing with multiple recruitment agency suppliers while ensuring every worker and supplier meets the latest legal requirements – compliance by default.

Our technology-driven platform tracks, validates, and maintains supplier and worker compliance in real time, giving you confidence that your workforce is fully aligned with the evolving rules in the Employment Rights Bill. At the same time, our service optimises costs, streamlines administration, and improves workforce visibility – so you’re not just meeting your obligations, but actively improving your contingent labour strategy.

For further details on our neutral vendor solution or to discuss your contingent labour needs, please contact us on 0161 437 4337 or get in touch with Ian Roth.