Found: interventions proposed in Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life no reference is made to the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Through the Employment Rights Bill, the Government is delivering the biggest upgrade in employment rights

Found: Commission Report; and delivered legislation to establish the Fair Work Agency through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Letter from the Minister for Employment Rights and Consumer Protection relating to Employment Rights Bill

Found: On 7 July, the Department for Business and Trade tabled an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill,

Found: On 7 July, the Department for Business and Trade tabled an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill,

Found: On 7 July, the Department for Business and Trade tabled an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill,

Found: To take a more recent example, it might judge that the Government’s Employment Rights Bill could harm

Found: Commission Report; and delivered legislation to establish the Fair Work Agency through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: lines in the House of Lords to encourage the government to introduce its own amendment to the Employment Rights Bill

Found: facilitated a sector-wide discussion on good practice ahead of legislative changes under the Employment Rights Bill

Found: identitiesand other pressures being borne to bear by the forthcoming legislation of the Employment Rights Bill

Found: the changes to how employers need to respond to flexible working requests included in the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Employment Rights Bill is towards the right direction, which also considers the employer perspective

Found: It is recommended that this service is kept up to date with changes arising from the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Recommendation 2: The Government should deliver on its proposal in the Employment Rights Bill to extend

Found: It should also be noted that the introduction of the Employment Rights Bill, due imminently, will undoubtedly

Found: It should also be noted that the introduction of the Employment Rights Bill, due imminently, will undoubtedly

Found: In the new Employment Rights Bill, the Government seeks to expand people’s workplace rights, including

Found: Recommendation 2: The Government should deliver on its proposal in the Employment Rights Bill to extend

Found: It should also be noted that the introduction of the Employment Rights Bill, due imminently, will undoubtedly

Found: In the new Employment Rights Bill, the Government seeks to expand people’s workplace rights, including

Found: Most Brits avoid asking about baby loss, poll finds | Tommy'sgovernments amendment to the employment rights bill

Found: Government must take action to embrace flexible working fully following its inclusion in the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Employment Rights Bill and Keep Britain Working Review both have an important role to play in addressing

Found: exercise, given the considerable new regulatory requirements facing employers through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: We recommended this inherent unfairness be removed via a new provision in the Employment Rights Bill

Found: We recommended this inherent unfairness be removed via a new provision in the Employment Rights Bill

Found: In terms of policy uncertainty, things like the Employment Rights Bill and the Make Work Pay agenda—while

Found: Recommendation 35: It was a missed opportunity not to include statutory kinship leave in the recent Employment Rights Bill

Found: These may also help people back to health and into work.10 The planned employment rights bill and the

Found: in NICs contributions and is currently anticipating potential impacts from the new the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Employment Rights Bill, for instance, will benefit older people in how 5 they interact with the labour

Found: In terms of concrete policy proposals, where that takes us is that I think the Employment Rights Bill

Found: exploring menstrual leave, despite such policies currently being outside the remit of the Employment Rights Bill

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Sherlock on 13 October (HL Deb col 12), whether there is academic research to evidence that the Employment Rights Bill will be a driver of productivity; and, if so, what the research shows.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On Monday 21 October 2024, the Government published the Employment Rights Bill: economic analysis and summary impact assessment. The analysis shows that the Employment Rights Bill could have a small but direct and positive, impact on economic growth. It cites academic evidence linking stronger employment protections to improved productivity and highlights that better job security, wellbeing, and reduced undercutting of good employers may lead to a more productive workforce.

This assessment is grounded in the best available evidence developed in consultation with experts, including academics.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to expand protections for British seafarers employed by companies registered outside of the UK.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is acting through the Employment Rights Bill to improve protections for seafarers by providing powers to protect the working conditions of those working aboard international services frequently calling at UK ports. The Bill will also close a loophole that prevented prosecution of employers who failed to provide notification of proposed collective redundancies aboard ships registered outside of the UK. These protections will benefit seafarers working aboard services in scope, including when they are employed by companies registered outside of the UK.

My Department will also continue to work internationally to improve protections for seafarers, including through implementing the amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention agreed in April by representatives of shipowners, seafarers and governments at the International Labour Organization in Geneva. The new provisions include measures that will help to protect seafarers against violence and harassment, strengthen their rights to repatriation and improve access to shore leave. It is expected that these amendments will come into force internationally on 23 December 2027.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to take steps to ensure that (a) kinship and (b) foster carers have the same employment leave rights as (i) adoptive, (ii) maternity and (iii) paternity carers.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government has committed to conducting a review of the whole parental leave system. This review was launched on 1 July and represents a much-needed opportunity to consider our approach to the system of parental leave and pay.

The department will also consider whether the support available meets the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers.

Foster carers who combine fostering with paid employment have a range of existing workplace rights and legal entitlements to help manage their dual responsibilities, including the right to request flexible working from day one, introduced through the Employment Rights Bill, and adoption leave where applicable. The department also supports The Fostering Network’s ‘Fostering Friendly Employers’ campaign.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department (a) collects and (b) publishes data on the outcomes of employment tribunal enforcement actions taken under (i) the employment tribunal penalty enforcement scheme, (ii) employment tribunal fast track enforcement and (iii) county court judgments.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many employment tribunal awards have been made each year since 2016; and what proportion of those have been (a) paid in (i) full and (ii) part and (b) remain unpaid.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has considered bringing forward legislative proposals to make company directors personally liable for unpaid employment tribunal awards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has considered introducing restrictions on directors who repeatedly preside over companies that fail to comply with tribunal judgments.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to give the Fair Work Agency powers to pursue company directors where a company has failed to pay a tribunal award.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of taking legislative steps to include IVF in the (a) Employment Rights Act 2010 and (b) Employment Rights Act 1996.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government is committed to improving the wellbeing and work-life balance of all workers, including those navigating the difficult journey of fertility treatment. We are introducing measures through the employment rights bill to make flexible working available to more people, more easily. This change could help employees and employers agree arrangements that support attendance at medical appointments, including those for IVF.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade if his Department will publish (a) the number of requests it has received from claimants for respondents to (i) fined and (ii) named under the Employment Tribunal penalty enforcement and naming scheme and (b) the number of respondents who have been (A) fined and (B) named in each year since 2016.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of establishing a compensation fund for workers unable to recover tribunal awards due to employer insolvency.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that workers receive tribunal awards in cases where the respondent company has entered (a) administration and (b) liquidation.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the establishment of phoenix companies on the number of unpaid employment tribunal awards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many claimants who have used the employment tribunal penalty enforcement scheme since 2016 have received (a) full and (b) partial payment of their awards; and what the total value of (i) awards recovered for claimants and (ii) awards referred to the scheme is.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the employment tribunal penalty enforcement scheme in ensuring payment of awards since 2016.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that workers are informed about the enforcement options available to recover unpaid tribunal awards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how his Department expects the Fair Work Agency to coordinate with (a) HMRC, (b) the Insolvency Service and (c) other existing enforcement bodies to ensure workers receive unpaid awards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the proposed budget for the Fair Work Agency for tackling non-payment of tribunal awards.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to take steps to improve its monitoring of tribunal award payments to ensure employer compliance.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 October (HL10746), how and why they reached the conclusion that the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 "does not support a positive and productive relationship between employers, employees, and their trade unions", and what discussions they have had with trade unions about that Act.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The implementation of Minimum Service Levels (MSLs) legislation by the last Government only worsened industrial relations. This was particularly evident in rail, where it exacerbated the national disputes, which had seen two years of widespread strikes and disruption to millions of passengers.

MSLs legislation is being repealed under the Employment Rights Bill (ERB). The Government has consulted numerous stakeholders about the ERB, including trade unions.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to improve the enforcement regime for payment of awards made in the employment tribunal.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Workers should receive the payments they are entitled to. As part of the Plan for Change we will look at ways of strengthening enforcement options, including the Employment Tribunal Penalty scheme which will move to the Fair Work Agency (FWA) once established.

The proposed powers of the FWA are set out in the Employment Rights Bill and we are committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate resources to discharge its responsibilities. The FWA will work closely with HMRC, Insolvency Service and other relevant enforcement bodies to do this as effectively as possible. This will include considering how to use existing powers to tackle misuse of phoenix companies.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of expanding Statutory Sick Pay on recruitment agencies; and if he will consider taking steps to (a) enable agencies to recover SSP costs from hirers where workers fall ill during assignments, (b) clarify how Day 1 entitlement applies to agency workers and (c) strengthen HMRC’s role in preventing multiple SSP claims across different agencies.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is part of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay. The Government conducted a Regulatory Impact Assessment Here on the impact of the SSP measures in the Employment Rights Bill.

Whilst this is not a specific assessment on the impact on recruitment agencies, the Government believes that the SSP measures strike the right balance between providing financial security to employees and limiting additional costs to employers, including agencies. The Bill ensures that people who work through employment agencies and employment businesses have comparable rights and protections to their counterparts who are directly employed.

a) We do not intend to make changes to allow agencies to recover SSP costs from end hirers during gaps in assignment. The government believes that employers, including those in the recruitment sector, are best placed to manage sickness absences and ensuring employees receive appropriate support. The removal of the waiting period means all eligible employees will be entitled to SSP from Day 1 of their sickness absence. This includes eligible agency workers. This enables employees to take the time off work they need to recover when sick.

b) Strengthening HMRC’s role in preventing multiple SSP claims from one employee would require mandatory reporting from businesses. This would be administratively burdensome, particularly for SMEs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of workplace (a) guidance and (b) protections for employees experiencing menopausal symptoms; and if her Department will issue new guidance to (i) small and medium-sized enterprises and (ii) other employers on reasonable adjustments.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It is important that those who experience substantial and longer-term menopausal effects should be adequately protected from discrimination in the workplace, and that employers are fully aware of the issues their employees may be experiencing at work, and their current legal obligations, including under the Equality Act 2010 (the Act).

Depending on circumstances, the Act provides protection from discrimination on grounds of sex and/or age and/or disability for employees experiencing the effects of the menopause. An employee may bring a discrimination claim under more than one of these grounds, which the courts can then consider sequentially, where appropriate.

As part of the plan to Make Work Pay, the government has committed to publishing guidance, including for small employers, on measures to consider relating to uniform and temperature, flexible working and recording menopause-related leave and absence. Guidance can currently be found on the government’s Help to Grow Site: Menopause in the Workplace - Help to Grow. We will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure the content is relevant and to raise awareness and promote best practice amongst businesses.

As part of the Employment Rights Bill, this government is taking the first steps towards requiring large employers to publish action plans alongside their gender pay gap figures; detailing the steps they are taking to narrow their gap and support employees during the menopause. These will ensure that they recognise and tackle the barriers that women still face, as well as opening up space to have broader conversations about women’s health in the workplace. Organisations will be required to detail the evidence-based steps they are taking, supported by government guidance, with the aim of speeding up progress towards workplaces that actually work for everyone.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress his Department has made on improving parental rights for workers in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We are strengthening rights for parents through the Employment Rights Bill, including making Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave ‘day one’ rights for qualifying employees, removing restrictions on taking Paternity Leave after Shared Parental Leave, strengthening flexible working rights, and bolstering protections for new and expectant mothers. We also launched the Parental Leave Review on 1 July which will consider how parental leave can better reflect modern work and childcare realities and support working families.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Civil Service staff networks to only meet outside working hours and have all events signed off by senior managers, published on 23 September 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that policy on the provisions on trade union equality representatives in the Employment Rights Bill.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Civil Service staff networks are separate to trade union activities and duties carried out by trade union representatives in the Civil Service. As such the Civil Service Staff Network Policy does not apply to its trade union representatives.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending redundancy protection to 18 months for employees experiencing pregnancy loss at any stage of pregnancy.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

If an employee experiences pregnancy loss within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, the redundancy protected period ends two weeks from the end of the pregnancy. After a stillbirth from 24 weeks, the protected period ends 18 months from the date of birth.

The Employment Rights Bill establishes a new right to bereavement leave, including pregnancy loss, and powers to provide protections around redundancy and dismissal. A primary driver of the existing enhanced redundancy protections is to protect those who take lengthy absences from work on statutory family leave and thus may be at a disadvantage in a redundancy situation.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to strengthen protections against (a) workplace exploitation, (b) excessive working hours and (c) zero-hour contracts for care sector staff.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is committed to ending exploitative zero hours contracts through the landmark Employment Rights Bill.

The Bill also introduces a framework for a fair pay agreement in social care, to bring together workers and providers to negotiate pay and terms and conditions.

All workers, including those in the care sector, have protections under the Working Time Regulations, which set the maximum working hours and minimum rest breaks workers are entitled to.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether forthcoming legislative proposals on the use of non-disclosure agreements would apply retrospectively.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Victims are always able to report crimes to the police under the common law, even if their Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) suggests otherwise and irrespective of when the NDA was entered into. However, since 1 October 2025, section 17 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 allows individuals who are victims of crime, or reasonably believe they are, to share information with specified parties for certain purposes related to the criminal conduct, even if their NDA appears to preclude them from doing so. Additionally, clause 24 of the Employment Rights Bill will void any provision in an agreement between a worker and their employer to the extent that it seeks to prevent a worker from speaking out about relevant harassment and discrimination, unless conditions for an “excepted agreement” to be set in regulations are met. This measure is not yet in force and is subject to the Bill gaining Royal Assent.

Neither of these initiatives would apply retrospectively. They would not apply to NDAs entered into before the date on which the relevant legislation comes into force. This is in line with the rule of law principle that policy changes generally apply prospectively, to provide certainty for individuals and businesses about the rules governing their conduct.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that schools do not use non-disclosure agreements to require teachers to take settlement agreements.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

No staff member should ever be pressured into leaving their job. Headteachers have the freedom to manage employment at their schools in accordance with the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document guidance for maintained schools and relevant employment law for all schools.

In addition, the government is taking action to ensure that non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) cannot be used to take unfair advantage of workers. For example, the Employment Rights Bill now includes a measure that will void any provision in an agreement, such as a contract of employment or settlement agreement, between a worker and their employer that prevents a worker from speaking out about relevant harassment or discrimination. The government intends to outline strict conditions in regulations under which NDAs can still be validly entered into.

We are also taking significant steps to reduce pressure on teachers and therefore increase teacher retention. Our ‘Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff’ service contains a range of supportive resources for schools to review and reduce workload, as well as improve staff wellbeing. This year saw one of the lowest leaver rates since 2010, with 1,300 fewer teachers leaving the state-funded sector.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that teachers are not pressured into leaving the profession.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

No staff member should ever be pressured into leaving their job. Headteachers have the freedom to manage employment at their schools in accordance with the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document guidance for maintained schools and relevant employment law for all schools.

In addition, the government is taking action to ensure that non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) cannot be used to take unfair advantage of workers. For example, the Employment Rights Bill now includes a measure that will void any provision in an agreement, such as a contract of employment or settlement agreement, between a worker and their employer that prevents a worker from speaking out about relevant harassment or discrimination. The government intends to outline strict conditions in regulations under which NDAs can still be validly entered into.

We are also taking significant steps to reduce pressure on teachers and therefore increase teacher retention. Our ‘Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff’ service contains a range of supportive resources for schools to review and reduce workload, as well as improve staff wellbeing. This year saw one of the lowest leaver rates since 2010, with 1,300 fewer teachers leaving the state-funded sector.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of varying the reference period for the guaranteed-hours provisions in the Employment Rights Bill for sectors with particularly high degrees of seasonality.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We expect the initial reference period to be 12 weeks long. The frequency and length of subsequent reference periods will be subject to consultation and set out in regulations.

We are conscious of the importance of seasonal workers and industries. There will be several ways for employers to maintain seasonal flexibility in line with the Bill. One is that the Bill allows employers to use fixed-term contracts to manage their workforce around the demand they expect.

We will consult publicly on the detail of the guaranteed hours measures.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies on employment law of the adequacy of working rights of app-based (a) private hire drivers and (b) couriers.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On Monday 21 October 2024, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill.

This is available at: http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to clause 21 of the Employment Rights Bill, what steps they will take to ensure employers are legally accountable for content generated by their AI systems, including harassment by those systems.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Harassment in the workplace is prohibited under the Equality Act 2010. Once clause 21 of the Employment Rights Bill is in force, employees will be able to bring a claim in the Employment Tribunal against their employer for harassment by a third party.

This means that an individual will be able to bring a claim against their employer for harassment where the employer has failed to take “all reasonable steps” to prevent it. It will be for courts and tribunals to decide on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all relevant circumstances of the case, if an employer is liable for harassment.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what data her Department holds on the gender pay gap in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

This Government recognises that gender equality is crucial to achieving economic growth, which is why we are committed to closing the gender pay gap.

Currently the national median gap still stands at 13.1%. As part of the Employment Rights Bill, we are taking the first steps towards requiring employers to publish action plans alongside their pay gap figures. These will detail the steps they are taking to narrow their gap; ensuring that every organisation is harnessing the skills of the women in their workforce.

Along with other Bill measures, like changes to flexible working and protections for expecting and new mothers; as well as wider work to expand childcare entitlements and review the parental leave system; this government is taking action on the numerous drivers of the gap.

The Office for National Statistics releases data on the national gender pay gap annually, this includes breakdowns by region and constituency. This can be accessed at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/annualsurveyofhoursandearningsashegenderpaygaptables

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to tackle the gender pay gap.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

This Government recognises that gender equality is crucial to achieving economic growth, which is why we are committed to closing the gender pay gap.

Currently the national median gap still stands at 13.1%. As part of the Employment Rights Bill, we are taking the first steps towards requiring employers to publish action plans alongside their pay gap figures. These will detail the steps they are taking to narrow their gap; ensuring that every organisation is harnessing the skills of the women in their workforce.

Along with other Bill measures, like changes to flexible working and protections for expecting and new mothers; as well as wider work to expand childcare entitlements and review the parental leave system; this government is taking action on the numerous drivers of the gap.

The Office for National Statistics releases data on the national gender pay gap annually, this includes breakdowns by region and constituency. This can be accessed at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/annualsurveyofhoursandearningsashegenderpaygaptables

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential cumulative impact of (a) National Insurance contributions and (b) the Employment Rights Act on overall hiring costs for UK businesses.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy, including on businesses. The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from the changes to employer NICs by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change.

As set out in the government’s published impact assessments for the Employment Rights Bill, there are a range of channels through which the measures in the Bill could benefit the economy, as well as potential offsetting effects. Final impacts will depend on further policy decisions that are for secondary legislation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce legislation to provide UK seafarers with equivalent (a) redundancy, (b) dismissal protections and (c) other employment rights to onshore workers.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to strengthening workers’ rights at sea, and the Employment Rights Bill includes measures to improve protections for seafarers facing collective redundancy, and powers to protect the working conditions of seafarers aboard frequent international services. My Department will continue to engage with the maritime trade unions and the sector more broadly about the application of employment rights to seafarers, as well as working with like-minded states and social partners to drive up international standards.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the potential impact of the guaranteed-hours provisions in the Employment Rights Bill on (a) levels of self-employment (b) the ratio of fixed-term contracts to permanent contracts.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government has published its Impact Assessment and Economic Analysis for the Employment Rights Bill.

As stated, the guaranteed hours provisions aim to reduce the risk of workers being pushed into casual employment, increase predictability for workers with variable hours, and still allow those who prefer zero-hours contracts to keep them.

The Bill contains provisions to tackle avoidance mechanisms that might be used by employers to avoid the new rights, for example use of fixed-term contracts where work is ongoing. Whether an individual is self-employed or a worker is not a choice but depends on the reality of the relationship.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of Community Integrated Care's report entitled The Caring Economy – Unfair To Care 2025, published on 12 March 2025.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We appreciate the work undertaken and the findings presented in the Unfair to Care 2025 report. We are committed to supporting adult social care workers, turning the page on decades of low pay and insecurity. That is why we plan to introduce the first ever Fair Pay Agreement in 2028, backed by £500 million of funding to improve pay and conditions for the adult social care workforce.

The Impact Assessment for the Employment Rights Bill, published in October 2024, provides an initial, indicative assessment of the impacts that could result from primary legislation. This represents the best estimate for the likely impacts of a Fair Pay Agreement given the current stage of policy development.

The Spending Review 2025 allows for over £4 billion in additional funding available for ASC in 2028-29 compared to 2025-26. This includes other sources of income available to support adult social care, additional grant funding and an increase in the National Health Service’s contribution to adult social care via the Better Care Fund. This £4 billion increase includes £500 million to begin implementing the Fair Pay Agreement in 2028-29.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help ensure (a) legal and (b) ethical business practices are followed when firms undertake redundancies.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government’s Plan to Make Work Pay committed to strengthening collective redundancy protections. The Employment Rights Bill will double the maximum period of the protective award that can be made for an employer’s failure to comply with their collective redundancy consultation obligations, from 90 to 180 days’ pay. This will deter unscrupulous businesses from deliberately avoiding their obligations. We are also requiring employers to collectively consult affected employees’ representatives whenever a threshold number of redundancies are proposed across an entire organisation, rather than just at one establishment. This threshold number will be set following a public consultation.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the provisions in the Employment Rights Bill on backlogs in the employment tribunals.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Employment Rights Bill is part of the Government’s commitment to Make Work Pay. The Bill includes measures that strengthens the rights of workers, which we expect will increase demand in the Employment Tribunal.

To address rising demand in the Employment Tribunal, we are working to invest in tribunal productivity measures through the recruitment of additional judges, the deployment of legal officers, the development of modern case management systems and the use of remote hearing technology. This has delivered over 1,500 additional sitting days. The Lord Chancellor allocated 33,900 sitting days for the Employment Tribunals in the financial year 2025/26, the maximum allocation they are able to sit.

We do recognise that there are significant demand pressures on the Employment Tribunals and are therefore working with the judiciary, HMCTS and the Department for Business and Trade on any further actions needed to alleviate pressures on the Employment Tribunals, improve efficiency and reduce waiting times to ensure the Employment Tribunal is able to absorb the impact of the Employment Rights Bill whilst ensuring timely access to justice for claimants and respondents.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the prevalence of modern slavery and labour exploitation in the hospitality sector.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government takes reports of labour exploitation in the hospitality sector very seriously, and we remain committed to tackling the crime of modern slavery – wherever it occurs.

The Director of Labour Market Enforcement (DLME) has a statutory duty under the Immigration Act 2016 to undertake an annual assessment of the scale and nature of non-compliance in the labour market. Sectors which include hospitality were not identified as a high risk for non-compliance in the DLME’s 2025-26 annual Labour Market Enforcement Strategy.

The Government is establishing the Fair Work Agency (FWA) through the Employment Rights Bill. The FWA will bring together the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, and HMRC’s National Minimum Wage Team. This will ensure a more cohesive and streamlined response to exploitation. The Fair Work Agency will have strong powers to investigate and take action against a range of labour market abuses, including serious exploitation and modern slavery in the hospitality sector. Once established, the FWA will take on the DLME’s role of assessing non-compliance in the labour market.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing statutory menstrual leave for people diagnosed with (a) endometriosis, (b) adenomyosis and (c) other chronic reproductive health conditions; and what steps his Department is taking to support women who experience debilitating symptoms that affect their ability to work.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government takes women’s health issues very seriously; we are committed to supporting women to balance work alongside managing their health. Endometriosis and adenomyosis can classify as disabilities and, in these cases, existing protections under the Equality Act 2010 require employers to make reasonable adjustments where appropriate. By strengthening rights through the Employment Rights Bill, including expanding flexible working and statutory sick pay, the Government is also taking steps to support the wellbeing and work-life balance of all workers. Therefore, there are no plans to introduce a specific leave entitlement.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 applies to Transport for London, and what discussions they have had with Transport for London about the use of the powers in that Act.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 would apply to Transport for London. However, the Government announced on 6 August that it will repeal the Act as part of the Employment Rights Bill which is currently at Final Stages in the Lords. The Act was unworkable for public transport when it was passed.

Found: announced that it was repealing the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: these functions from HMRC to a new government organisation, the Fair Work Agency.85 The Employment Rights Bill

Found: This includes legislation to: enhance workplace rights, through the Employment Rights Bill; provide

Found: The Employment Rights Bill will strengthen the existing day-one right to request flexible working, by

Found: Delivered through the Employment Rights Bill, this includes new duties on employers to inform workers

Found: The first phase of delivering this Plan is through the Employment Rights Bill .

Found: Government is delivering legislation to establish the Fair Work Agency (FWA) through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The change aligns with reforms in the Employment Rights Bill, which will void NDAs designed to silence

Found: ensuring hard work is properly rewarded with fair treatment and decent pay, from April 2026 the Employment Rights Bill

Found: That’s why, within our first 100 days, we introduced the Employment Rights Bill.

Found: The Employment Rights Bill will introduce a new framework for trade unions to access workplaces physically

Found: That’s why, within our first 100 days, we delivered on our promise to introduce the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Employment Rights Bill will introduce a new duty on employers to give a written statement to their

Found: Starting with the Employment Rights Bill, we are fulfilling our commitment to strengthen protections

Found: The Employment Rights Bill introduces a new statutory right to Bereavement Leave, establishing clear

Found: The Employment Rights Bill introduced a new day-one right to unpaid bereavement leave for employees who

Found: Government is delivering legislation to establish the Fair Work Agency (FWA) through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: under the reformed BRF Lead department OA/IA title Department for Business and Trade Employment Rights Bill

Found: General Fair Work resources Employment Rights Bill: factsheets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Description:

Found: . • A UK-wide approach would be beneficial and there might be opportunities through the Employment Rights Bill

Found: In addition, we continue to work with the UK Government as its Employment Rights Bill progresses, which

Found: The Scottish Government is supportive of the overall ambitions of the UK Government Employment Rights Bill

Found: The Scottish Government is supportive of the overall ambitions of the UK Government Employment Rights Bill

Found: However, we welcome the UKG Employment Rights Bill (ERB), as part of its wider Make Work Pay programme

Found: loss (in line with eligibility considerations currently taking place with regards to the Employment Rights Bill

Found: The minister spoke about the upcoming Employment Rights Bill and its progress.

Found: Bill no. 173. 46 UK Parliament (2025) Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill. 47 Employment Rights Bill

Found: working collaboratively with the UK Government on its Make Work Pay agenda, including the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Statement on Gender Policy Coherence 41 In October 2024 the UK Government introduced the UK Employment Rights Bill

Found: the UK Government in relation to its plans for a New Deal for Working People through the Employment Rights Bill

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact on women working in the Scottish public sector whose employers will not be covered by the UK Government’s commitment to introduce mandatory gender pay gap action plans, in light of reported concerns that they may be left behind if equivalent measures are not introduced.

Answered by Stewart, Kaukab - Minister for Equalities

While inter-governmental discussions are ongoing, and while we are developing PSED-related improvement proposals, we have not yet made an assessment of the likely impact on women of the UK Government’s commitment but we are making stringent efforts to resolve this matter and to consider how action planning could be used in a Scottish context.

As Minister for Equalities, I am still awaiting a confirmed meeting date with UK Government Ministers, following an offer via correspondence in May 2025, to discuss the Scottish Government’s concerns around provisions in the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill and to seek a resolution in line with current timelines for the Bill’s passage. These concerns relate to powers to mandate for equality action plans and the naming of outsourcing providers for public bodies in Scotland. Currently these provisions will only come into force for public bodies in England, and so Scottish Ministers continue to seek assurances around receiving the equivalent powers to regulate as those proposed for UK Government Ministers.

Using the powers that we do have and as part of the Scottish Government’s phased approach to improving the effectiveness of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in Scotland, we continue to review the operation of the Scottish Specific Duties to support Scottish listed authorities to enable better performance of the general duty.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support any social care workers on low pay, in light of reported evidence stating that there is a link between the level of pay for people working in social care and child poverty.

Answered by Arthur, Tom - Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing

The Scottish Government has a long-standing commitment to support social care workers rates of pay. For the 2025-26 financial year, the Scottish Government are investing £125 million to enable adult social care workers, delivering direct care in the third and private sectors, to be paid at least the Real Living Wage. This takes the estimated total investment to deliver this policy up to £950 million this financial year.

This policy is to enable the Real Living Wage to be paid to these workers as a minimum, and employers and commissioners have the locus to set rates in excess of this where local circumstances allow.

In addition, the Scottish Government is committed to establish voluntary sectoral bargaining arrangements for the commissioned adult social care sector in Scotland and we have been working with stakeholder partners, through the Fair Work in Social Care Group, to progress this. We have also been engaging with the UK Government on their Employment Rights Bill, which we hope will extend the scope for the option of a regulatory Social Care Negotiating Body, and associated Fair Pay Agreements, to Scotland.

Once developed and introduced, sectoral bargaining arrangements will encourage improvements in pay, and terms and conditions for the social care workforce.

We know that there are a number of factors which can compound the relationship between work and poverty, including in sectors such as social care. That is why we are taking action to tackle child poverty and make a real difference to families. On average, households with children in the poorest 10% of households are estimated to be £2,600 a year better off in 2025-26 as a result of Scottish Government policies like the Scottish Child Payment. This value is projected to grow to an average of £3,700 a year by 2029-30.

We are also taking decisive action to end the impact of the two-child limit in Scotland. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary legislation, the new Two Child Limit Payment will open for applications on 2 March 2026, with payments beginning as soon as possible thereafter. Worth up to more than £3,500 a year for each eligible child, these payments will make a significant difference to larger families who are currently denied support, and Scottish Government modelling published in March estimates this will result in 20,000 fewer children living in relative poverty in 2026-27.

While the Joseph Rowntree Foundation predict child poverty will rise in other parts of the UK by 2029, they highlight that policies such as our Scottish Child Payment, and our commitment to mitigate the two-child limit, are behind Scotland bucking the trend.

Found: Commitment to the UK’s first Men’s Health Strategy _________________________31 Make Work Pay: Employment Rights Bill

Found: during Q2 2025 Bill title Date memorandum lodged Consent recommendation by Scottish Government Employment Rights Bill

Found: Error and Recovery) Bill Partial consent recommended 25 June 2025 Partial consent grantedxx Employment Rights Bill

Found: Health and Social Care Committee Report on Legislative Consent Memorandum No. 3 for the Employment Rights Bill

Found: WG response to HSC report on Employment Rights Bill

Found: Health and Social Care Committee Report 1 Summary The Employment Rights Bill

Found: We note that the UK Employment Rights Bill includes provisions to allow for the establishment of a Social

Found: Welsh Government’s Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 3) on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Welsh Government’s Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 3) on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Welsh Government’s Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 4) on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: 1 SUPPLEMENTARY LEGISLATIVE CONSENT MEMORANDUM (MEMORANDUM NO 4) EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS BILL 1.

Found: to consider and report on the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (No.4) on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: for example, our reports on: The Welsh Government’s Legislative Consent Memoranda on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Constitution Committee to consider and report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Employment Rights Bill

Found: Welsh Government’s Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 3) on the Employment Rights Bill

Question

What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the cost of a 1 per cent average increase in the pay of the employed social care workforce?

Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care

Welsh Government reviews social care workers' pay each year, as part of our commitment to paying the Real Living Wage (RLW), recognising their important role supporting vulnerable people in Wales.

The RLW has increased by far more than 1% annually in recent years. This policy was developed in 2022, with funding provided through the local authority settlement to address the difference between the National Living Wage (NLW) and the RLW. Consequently, a cost assessment of a 1% increase has not been required. For example, in 2025–26, the RLW increased by 5% and this change was reflected in the settlement allocation.

Improving pay for our social care workforce is a priority for government, and whilst work is now underway to implement Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs) in Wales through the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill, these agreements are not expected to come into force until 2028. In the interim period, particularly over the next two years, we are committed to ensuring that the RLW policy is effective and delivering its intended benefits for the workforce.

The Social Care Fair Work Forum is also conducting work on a Pay and Progression Framework for the social care sector.