URGOV

United Kingdom

Who is involved in Employment Rights Act 2025

Records of contact, donations, employment, or public advocacy do not by themselves prove improper influence or wrongdoing.

On the public record

Official record

  • Department for Business and Trade ministers

    Declared meeting

    Sponsoring department

    Departmental transparency releases list ministerial meetings with employer bodies and trade unions during the Bill's passage and implementation.

    DBT ministerial transparency data (GOV.UK)

  • Trades Union Congress and affiliated unions

    Consultation submission

    Trade union movement

    Submitted evidence and consultation responses supporting the package, particularly on union access and dismissal rights.

    Employment Rights Bill publications, UK Parliament

  • Confederation of British Industry

    Committee evidence

    Employer representative body

    Gave evidence on the cost and timing of the reforms and on the need for a longer implementation runway.

    Employment Rights Bill publications, UK Parliament

  • Federation of Small Businesses

    Committee evidence

    Small business representative body

    Submitted evidence on the administrative burden of the package for employers with few or no HR staff.

    Employment Rights Bill publications, UK Parliament

  • UKHospitality and retail sector bodies

    Consultation submission

    Sector trade associations

    Responded to the implementation consultations on guaranteed hours, shift notice and seasonal working.

    Make Work Pay consultations (GOV.UK)

  • Members with directorships or employment interests

    Declared financial interest

    Members of both Houses

    Members declare directorships, consultancies and trade union support in the registers. Declaration is a transparency requirement, not an allegation.

    Register of Members' Financial Interests

  • Consultant lobbyists acting on employment clients

    Registered consultant lobbyist

    Registered consultant lobbyists

    The statutory register lists consultant lobbyists and their clients by quarter, including employment and staffing sector clients.

    Register of Consultant Lobbyists

Arguments on the record

Explained

Put in favour

  • • Extends protections that better employers already offer to the whole labour market, including earlier protection from unfair dismissal.
  • • Strengthens redress for harassment at work by placing a clear preventive duty on employers, including for harassment by third parties.
  • • Modernises union ballots and workplace access, which supporters argue makes collective bargaining more practical.

Put against

  • • Business groups argue the cumulative cost and administrative burden falls hardest on small employers and could reduce hiring.
  • • Employment tribunals already face backlogs, and doubling the claim window may increase caseload.
  • • Much of the detail sits in regulations and codes still being consulted on, which critics say leaves employers planning against moving targets.

Evidence and uncertainty

  • • The government's own timetable states that future dates remain subject to parliamentary processes and may change.
  • • Estimates of the effect on hiring and on tribunal volumes differ widely between government, business bodies and unions; none should be treated as settled.
  • • Several measures are still in consultation, so the operative detail — not just the date — is not yet fixed.

See individual representatives and who funds them