The increased protection, in force fully from January 2027, is a key plank of the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Charlie Barnes, head of employment legal services at audit and consultancy firm RSM UK, said many businesses may not realise ‘any employees recruited from July 1 this year will be able to claim unfair dismissal after six months of service.
‘We’re recommending businesses get ready for the change by ensuring contractual probationary periods do not exceed five months, that probationary review processes are reinforced, and line managers are retrained on good performance management procedure.’ Barnes said RSM’s own research found 40% of employers anticipate a rise in claims to the employment tribunal.
The Employment Lawyers’ Association has urged the government to provide more support for employment tribunals, where claims typically take five years to reach the hearing stage.
