Several important employment law changes came into force in April 2026. With October’s changes now taking up most of the attention, the April changes are easy to overlook. Most of them affect day-to-day things like payroll, sickness and family leave, so small mistakes can add up quickly.

There’s also a new organisation checking that employers get it right. Here’s a quick catch-up.

Statutory Sick Pay now starts from day one

This is probably the change employers feel most often.

  • No more waiting days. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is now paid from the first day of sickness absence, not the fourth.
  • Every employee qualifies, whatever they earn. The lower earnings limit has gone, so part-time and lower-paid staff are now eligible.
  • How much is paid: the lower of £123.25 a week or 80% of the employee’s average weekly earnings.

Check: has your payroll system been updated? Do your contracts, handbook and sickness absence policy still mention “waiting days” or an earnings threshold? If so, they need updating.

Paternity and parental leave are now day-one rights

  • Paternity leave no longer needs 26 weeks’ service. Employees can take it from their first day. (The 26-week service rule still applies to Statutory Paternity Pay.)
  • Unpaid parental leave no longer needs one year’s service.
  • Bereaved partners’ paternity leave is new. It allows up to 52 weeks’ leave if the child’s mother or primary adopter dies during the child’s first year.

Check: your family-friendly policies and new starter information should reflect these rights. Managers should also know not to turn down requests because someone is “too new”.

The Fair Work Agency is up and running

The Fair Work Agency launched on 7 April 2026. It brings together enforcement of areas such as the National Minimum Wage, holiday pay and statutory sick pay, and it has real powers. It can:

  • Carry out inspections without waiting for a complaint
  • Look back over six years of records
  • Issue penalties for underpayments
  • Bring tribunal claims on behalf of workers
  • Publicly name employers who don’t comply

Check: keep clear records of hours, pay, holiday and sickness absence, and keep them for at least six years. Make sure you’re paying at least the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, including when you take deductions or uniform costs into account.

Bigger penalties for getting redundancy consultation wrong

If you make 20 or more redundancies at one site and don’t consult properly, the maximum protective award has doubled from 90 to 180 days’ pay per employee. Getting advice early in any redundancy process is more important than ever.

Whistleblowing protection for sexual harassment disclosures

Reporting sexual harassment now counts as a protected whistleblowing disclosure. This fits with the stronger duty to prevent sexual harassment that starts on 30 October 2026, so it’s worth reviewing both your whistleblowing and anti-harassment policies together.

Your six-month health check

  • ✔ Payroll updated for day-one SSP and no earnings threshold
  • ✔ Sickness absence policy and contracts updated
  • ✔ Family leave policies reflect the new day-one rights
  • ✔ Pay, holiday and sickness records kept for six years
  • ✔ National Living Wage checked for all workers aged 21+
  • ✔ Whistleblowing and harassment policies reviewed

How Advise HR can help

Missing one of these changes is easy to do, especially when you’re busy running a business. We can carry out a straightforward HR health check, update your policies and contracts, and point out anything that needs attention. We’ll keep it practical and won’t make it feel overwhelming.

Call us on 07415 516 365 or email to arrange a review.

This article is for general guidance only and doesn’t replace advice specific to your situation. Figures are correct for the 2026/27 tax year.

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