Citation and interpretation

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Employment Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026.

(2) In these Regulations “ the 2025 Act ” means the Employment Rights Act 2025 .

Provisions of the 2025 Act coming into force on 1st July 2026

2. The following provisions of the 2025 Act come into force on 1st July 2026—

(a)section 25(5) (right not to be unfairly dismissed: qualifying period and compensation), to the extent that it relates to the provision specified in paragraph (b);

(b)paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 (power to make further consequential amendments).

Provisions of the 2025 Act coming into force on 1st January 2027

3. The following provisions of the 2025 Act come into force on 1st January 2027, subject to the transitional and saving provisions in regulation 4—

(a)section 25, to the extent not already in force;

(b)Schedule 3 (minor and consequential amendments relating to section 25), to the extent not already in force.

Transitional and saving provisions

4.—(1) The amendments made by section 25(2) and (3) of, and paragraphs 1(2), 1(3)(a), 1(4) to (7), 1(9), 2(3) and 4 of Schedule 3 to, the 2025 Act—

(a)have effect in any case where an employee is dismissed before 1st January 2027 but the effective date of termination falls on or after that date;

(b)do not have effect in any case where the effective date of termination falls before 1st January 2027.

(2) In this regulation “ dismissed ” and “ the effective date of termination ” have the same meaning as in Part 10 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 ( 2 ) (see sections 95( 3 ) and 97( 4 ) of that Act).

(3) The amendment made by section 25(4) of the 2025 Act does not affect any regulations made under subsection (5) of section 209 of the Employment Rights Act 1996(5) as that subsection had effect immediately before the coming into force of that amendment.