United Kingdom: Unfair/ Wrongful Dismissal

Employment Tribunal claims have surged by 54% in Q3 2025 compared to the previous year, driven by increases in whistleblowing and discrimination cases, as well as AI-enabled claim preparation by unrepresented parties. With the Employment Rights Act 2025 provisions yet to take full effect and no significant investment in tribunal resources, the system faces mounting delays and cancellations that threaten workers' ability to enforce their rights.

The Employment Rights Bill introduces reforms that affect almost every stage of the employment relationship. Its purpose is to strengthen statutory protections and bring greater consistency to workplace rights. For employers, however, the significance of the Bill lies less in its stated aims and more in how it reshapes the legal and commercial risk attached to employing staff

The annual changes to compensation limits have been announced and are set out here. The amount of a week’s pay for calculating the basic award for unfair dismissal and statutory redundancy pay increases from £719 to £751.

No organisation expects to face high‑profile allegations against board members. These often attract media scrutiny and risk significant organisational and reputational damage.

Industrial relations reforms are going to radically reshape the framework for collective and trade union rights in the UK.

The Government has published another consultation paper on the Employment Rights Act 2025 ('ERA 2025'). This time, they are seeking views on the threshold for triggering collective redundancy obligations.

From April 2026, fathers and partners won't need six months of service before they can take paternity leave.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 seeks to restrict the controversial practice of "fire and rehire". A recently launched government consultation now gives us a glimpse into the potential scope of the government's plans.

It's common for businesses to relocate their offices or change work locations. While some employees may find a new location more convenient or beneficial, others may face disruption to their personal and family lives.