Fed Encourages Members to Prepare for Employment Rights Act Changes in April

The Fed is encouraging members to prepare for measures scheduled to take effect on April 6th this year – at the start of the new financial year.

Whilst the Fed has raised serious concerns about some of the measures that are in the pipeline in the Employment Rights Act, we are also keen to ensure small independent shops do what they can to get ready and after sharing some information in Your Fed magazine, we can now highlight some recently unveiled government guidance on new measures in the Act.

Whilst the Fed’s advice is not comprehensive, we encourage members to consult guidance where appropriate and consider their obligations in terms of documenting changes for relevant policies.

Key measures include, but are not limited to:

• The right of staff to claim statutory sick pay for staff from Day 1 rather than Day 4 from 6th April 2026: Further information here.
• From the same date, employees will be able to give notice to take Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave from their first day of employment, further information here.
• From 6th April, Bereaved Partners Paternity Leave will be introduced, where the mother or primary adopter of a child has died within the first year of a child’s life, further information here.
• In the same month, on Wednesday 1st April, the National Minimum Wage will go up:
  – To £12.71 per hour for those over 21 years old.
  To £10.85 per hour for those aged 18-20.

For further information about the Fed’s work in this area, please contact our Political Engagement Coordinator: douglas.oliver@nfrn.org.uk