Starmer to back unions over businesses amid backlash over Employment Rights Bill September 8, 2025 Keir Starmer is set to push back against business-led amendments proposed by the House of Lords to water down the Employment Rights Bill, as the government is backing unions’ calls for workers’ rights to be strengthened. MPs are set to consider changes proposed in the Lords to replace a new right against unfair dismissal from [...]
Employment Bill: Here is everything that has happened since its inception September 3, 2025 The third reading of the Employment Rights Bill, a controversial piece of legislation, commenced at the House of Lords on Wednesday. Rushed out within 100 days of Labour taking office, the Bill has faced fierce debate and criticism from multiple stakeholders. The Bill, which formed a significant part of Labour’s manifesto, was laid before Parliament [...]
Employment Bill sparks SME fear over costs and red tape September 2, 2025 Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have voiced growing concerns over the government’s sweeping Employment Rights Bill, warning that the reforms could place a disproportionate strain on firms already grappling with rising costs and a challenging economic climate. The legislation, billed as the most significant upgrade to workplace protections in a generation, is due for its third reading [...]
Outlook for UK economy ‘remains subdued’ as bosses battle cost hikes September 1, 2025 Private sector bosses are predicting activity to shrink again over the next three months when a fresh bout of inflation is expected to compound cost pressures hoisted upon them at last year’s Autumn Budget. According to the Confederation for British Industry’s (CBI) Growth Indicator, more firms expect trading conditions to worsen in the three months [...]
Services sector in one year of pessimism, CBI suggests August 28, 2025 The UK services sector’s pessimism in business prospects has now lasted a full year, a new survey has found, providing further evidence that the trust between businesses and the Labour government has broken down. Labour ministers have rolled out a number of strategy papers over the last months to offer firms across the country a [...]
NDA ban and bereavement leave add extra £80m to UK Employment Bill August 27, 2025 The new amendment to the Employment Rights Bill, including banning the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), will add an additional £80m a year in costs to UK businesses. According to the employment team at TWM Solicitors, the new clauses introduced in July are expected to increase the existing government forecast of £5bn by at least [...]
Tax hikes and Employment Rights Bill driving firms to contractors August 19, 2025 Business pressures from increased costs are prompting leaders to seek alternatives to stay afloat, including going off-payroll by drafting in contractors.
Hospitality sector on brink of claims crisis as Employment Bill looms August 12, 2025 The hospitality and leisure sector is already experiencing a rising number of Employment Tribunal claims, a situation likely to worsen further when the Bill becomes law.
Overloaded tribunals can’t cope with employment law reforms August 8, 2025 Labour’s employment law reforms will pile more pressure on our already overwhelmed tribunals. There is a better solution, says Richard Atkinson The Employment Rights Bill, which is currently at the committee stage and has been the subject of much discussion, could deliver the most wide-ranging changes to employment law in generations. However, for the reforms [...]
Government weighs offering HR vouchers to small businesses over employment rights changes August 6, 2025 The government is weighing offering free HR advice to small businesses as it braces for the fallout from measures contained in its forthcoming Employment Rights Bill, City AM can reveal. The Department of Business and Trade is understood to be considering a voucher scheme in which firms would be given time with HR specialists to [...]