  {"id":51732,"date":"2026-07-03T06:15:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T06:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/?post_type=resources&#038;p=51732"},"modified":"2026-07-03T06:15:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T06:15:20","slug":"employment-contracts-uk-2026","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/employment-contracts-uk-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Employment Contracts UK: What Employers Are Legally Required to Include in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull resource-sticky-downloadable-template has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull blog-template-header has-light-violet-50-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div style=\"--bb--crumb-gap:.4em;\" class=\"blog-template-breadcrumb wp-block-employmentherocom2025-breadcrumb-block\"><nav role=\"navigation\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"breadcrumb\"><ol class=\"breadcrumb-items\"><li class=\"breadcrumb-item breadcrumb-item--current breadcrumb-item--home\"><span class=\"breadcrumb-item-name\">Home<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"name\":\"Home\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/employmenthero.com\\\/uk\\\/\"}}]}<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-template-tags is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--6)\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Blog.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/guides-and-playbooks\/\" rel=\"tag\">Guides and Playbooks<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title-mobile has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-3 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><h2 class=\"blog-template-title wp-block-post-title\">Employment Contracts UK: What Employers Are Legally Required to Include in 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-sm-font-size\">Published<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date has-sm-font-size\"><time datetime=\"2026-07-03T06:15:17+00:00\">3 Jul 2026<\/time><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns content-flex is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-1 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:55%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group sticky-downloadable-title has-light-violet-50-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--24)\"><h1 class=\"blog-template-title wp-block-post-title\">Employment Contracts UK: What Employers Are Legally Required to Include in 2026<\/h1>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-employmentherocom2025-custom-post-date has-sm-font-size\">\n    <span>Published<\/span>&nbsp;<time datetime=\"2026-07-03T06:15:17+00:00\">Jul 3, 2026<\/time>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"content-wrapper\" class=\"wp-block-group content-wrapper has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Employment contracts are often treated as a &#8220;set and forget&#8221; document. But with a wave of <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/employment-rights-act\/\">employment law reforms<\/a> taking effect in 2026 and more changes on the horizon for 2027, UK businesses should be reviewing their contracts, policies and onboarding documents now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">From changes to statutory sick pay and family leave rights to new record-keeping requirements and tougher obligations around workplace harassment, outdated employment documentation can create compliance risks, employee disputes and unnecessary administrative headaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">The good news is that most employers won&#8217;t need to completely rewrite their contracts. Instead, this is an opportunity to check that your employment contracts, written statements, employee handbook and HR processes are aligned with current legal requirements and accurately reflect how your business operates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-1 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"#form\">Download the guide<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is an employment contract?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">An employment contract is a legally binding agreement between an employer and employee that sets out the terms of their working relationship. It can be written or verbal, although employers should always provide written terms to avoid disputes and meet their legal obligations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Employment contracts typically cover matters such as pay, working hours, holiday entitlement, notice periods, confidentiality obligations, benefits and workplace policies. Many employers also use the contract to incorporate the written statement of employment particulars that must be provided on or before an employee&#8217;s first day of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Employment contract vs written statement: What&#8217;s the difference?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">A full employment contract may cover a wide range of terms, including confidentiality, intellectual property, restrictive covenants, and employee benefits. By contrast, the written statement of employment particulars (often referred to as the Section 1 Statement of Terms) is a specific legal document that sets out the core terms of employment. It must be provided to all employees and workers on or before their first day of work and must contain certain minimum information required by law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Many employers include the required particulars within the employment contract itself. Either way, it must be provided from day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Here\u2019s a breakdown:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"eh-table-wrapper\">\n<table class=\"eh-table\" id=\"eh-table-1\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>&nbsp;<\/th>\n<th>\n<p><strong>Employment contract<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th>\n<p><strong>Written statement<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>What it is<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>The full legal agreement between employer and worker.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>The minimum legal document setting out core terms.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>What it covers<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>Confidentiality, IP, restrictive covenants, benefits and more.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>Pay, hours, holiday, sick pay, probation, notice and other required particulars.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>Who must receive it<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>Employees.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>Employees and workers.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>When it must be provided<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>Usually issued before employment begins, often at the offer stage.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>On or before day one.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><strong>Required by law<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>No, but strongly advised.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p>Yes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What should an employment contract and written statement include?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">A well-drafted employment contract does more than meet legal requirements. It sets clear expectations, protects your business and helps prevent disputes further down the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Before reviewing what your contracts contain, it helps to understand the difference between what is legally required and what is recommended best practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"eh-table-wrapper\">\n<table class=\"eh-table\" id=\"eh-table-2\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p><strong>Term<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p><strong>Written statement<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<th style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p><strong>Employment contract<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Employer and employee names.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Employment start date and, where different, the date continuous employment began.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Job title or description.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Place of work.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Pay and payment frequency and any other payments or benefits.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Working hours and days and where there could be any variation in hours.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Holiday entitlement and pay.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Sick leave and sick pay.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Family leave information.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Notice periods.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Probationary period and its conditions.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Pension arrangements.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Within 2 months<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Disciplinary and grievance procedures.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Within 2 months<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Confidentiality.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Not required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Recommended<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Intellectual property.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Not required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Recommended<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Restrictive covenants.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Not required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Recommended<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Data protection obligations.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Not required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Recommended<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Remote and hybrid working.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Not required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Recommended<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Company property.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Not required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Recommended<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Benefits provided by the employer (other than pay).<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 310px;\">\n<p>Training entitlement, including any mandatory training the employee or worker must complete.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 166.587px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 185.413px;\">\n<p>Required<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<style>\n\/* =============================================================\n * 91±¬ΑΟ \u2014 EH Table Styles\n * Generated by EH Table CSS Styler\n * Design tokens: 91±¬ΑΟ Design System v1 (April 2026)\n * Paste this once per page \u2014 shared by all .eh-table instances\n * =============================================================\n *\n * Usage:\n *   Wrap your <table> with: <div class=\"eh-table-wrapper\">\n *   Add class=\"eh-table\" and a unique id to each <table>\n * ============================================================= *\/\n\n\/* \u2500\u2500 Responsive wrapper \u2500\u2500 *\/\n.eh-table-wrapper {\n  width: 100%;\n  overflow-x: auto;\n  -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;\n  border-radius: 8px;\n  border: 1px solid #E4E4E7;\n  background-color: #FFFFFF;\n}\n\n\/* \u2500\u2500 Base table \u2500\u2500 *\/\n.eh-table {\n  width: 100%;\n  border-collapse: collapse;\n  font-family: 'DM Sans', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', sans-serif;\n  font-size: clamp(0.875rem, 0.7321rem + 0.2976vw, 1rem);\n  color: #3F3F46;\n  background-color: #FFFFFF;\n  line-height: 1.5;\n}\n\n\/* \u2500\u2500 Header \u2500\u2500 *\/\n.eh-table thead th {\n  background-color: #7622D7;\n  color: #FFFFFF;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  text-align: left;\n  padding: 0.625rem 0.75rem;\n  white-space: normal;\n  overflow-wrap: break-word;\n  letter-spacing: -0.01em;\n  border: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.15);\n  vertical-align: middle;\n}\n\n.eh-table thead th:first-child { border-top-left-radius:  7px; }\n.eh-table thead th:last-child  { border-top-right-radius: 7px; }\n\n\/* \u2500\u2500 Body cells \u2500\u2500 *\/\n.eh-table tbody td {\n  padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem;\n  color: #3F3F46;\n  vertical-align: top;\n  overflow-wrap: break-word;\n  border: 1px solid #E4E4E7;\n}\n\n\/* Remove bottom border from last row *\/\n.eh-table tbody tr:last-child > td {\n  border-bottom: none;\n}\n\n\/* Alternating row colour *\/\n.eh-table tbody tr:nth-child(even) > td {\n  background-color: #F4F4F5;\n}\n\n\/* Row hover *\/\n.eh-table tbody tr:hover > td {\n  background-color: #F9F5FF !important;\n  transition: background-color 0.12s;\n}\n\n\n\/* \u2500\u2500 Footer \u2500\u2500 *\/\n.eh-table tfoot td {\n  padding: 0.5rem 0.75rem;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  color: #121214;\n  border-top: 2px solid #E4E4E7;\n  background-color: #F4F4F5;\n}\n\n\/* \u2500\u2500 Responsive breakpoints \u2500\u2500 *\/\n@media (max-width: 560px) {\n  .eh-table-wrapper { border-radius: 6px; }\n  .eh-table thead th { font-size: 0.8125rem; }\n  .eh-table tbody td { font-size: 0.875rem; }\n}\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">All legally required particulars in the Section 1 Statement must be provided to employees and workers on or before their first day of work. While additional contractual clauses are not legally required, including them from the outset can help protect your business and avoid disputes later. Without confidentiality and intellectual property clauses, questions around ownership of information and work product can arise. Without a clear remote or hybrid working clause, expectations around location and availability may become a source of conflict. Without restrictive covenants, departing employees may be free to approach your clients or join a direct competitor immediately. Taking the time to put these provisions in place at the beginning is often far simpler than trying to introduce or amend contractual terms after employment has started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">If any of these terms are contained in a separate policy or handbook, the contract or Section 1 Statement should clearly refer the individual to that document. The document must be reasonably accessible, and its contents should not conflict with the terms of the contract or Section 1 Statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-2 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"#form\">Download the guide<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2026 changes that affect your contracts and policies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Statutory sick pay: Already changed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">From 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will be payable from the first day of sickness absence, with the three-day waiting period removed. The lower earnings limit will also be abolished, meaning SSP will become payable to all eligible workers. However, the amount payable will be the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or the statutory flat rate of \u00a3123.25 per week. In practice, this change will mainly impact those who previously earned below the earnings threshold and were therefore not entitled to SSP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Check any contract, handbook or absence policy that references waiting days or earnings thresholds. Then check your payroll settings too. A corrected contract won&#8217;t help if your payroll process still runs on old rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day-one family leave rights: Already changed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">From April 2026, <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/paternity-leave-employers-guide\/\">paternity leave<\/a>, unpaid parental leave and bereaved partner\u2019s paternity leave will become day-one rights, meaning no qualifying service period will apply to take the leave. This applies to the right to time off only and does not change the qualifying requirements for statutory pay. Statutory Paternity Pay will still require 26 weeks\u2019 continuous service by the end of the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Remove any qualifying period wording from contracts, handbooks and onboarding materials and make sure managers know the position before requests come in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Holiday record-keeping: Already changed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">From 6 April 2026, employers must retain holiday entitlement and holiday pay records for six years. This may not require a contract clause change, but your HR and payroll systems need to be up to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Harassment and whistleblowing: Tightening in October 2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Whistleblowing protection now covers workers who report sexual harassment. From October 2026, the employer duty moves from taking &#8220;reasonable steps&#8221; to &#8220;all reasonable steps&#8221; to prevent harassment, including by third parties such as customers and clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Review your anti-harassment, whistleblowing, grievance and disciplinary policies. For most employers, this also means regular training, clear reporting routes and documented risk assessments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Trade union notification: October 2026<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">From October 2026, all new starters must receive a written notice alongside their principal statement confirming their right to join a trade union. This is a new standalone obligation, separate from the contract itself, and it must be provided on or before day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">The exact content will be set by secondary legislation that has not yet been published. Based on the consultation, it is expected to include a summary of trade union functions, an overview of statutory rights, details of any recognised unions in the workplace and a signpost to gov.uk guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">You don&#8217;t need to act immediately, but you should plan for this to form part of your new starter pack from October 2026. Monitor the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/collections\/make-work-pay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gov.uk Make Work Pay collection<\/a> for when the secondary legislation is published, then update your onboarding process accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2027 changes to prepare for now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unfair dismissal qualifying period drops to six months<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">From 1 January 2027, employees will be protected from unfair dismissal after six months, down from two years. The compensation cap will also be removed from 1st January 2027.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">This doesn&#8217;t require a new contract clause, but your <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/blog\/what-is-a-probation-period\/\">probationary period<\/a>, performance management process and documentation need to be genuinely fit for purpose well before then. Anyone who starts on 1st July will already have six months&#8217; service when the change takes effect. The clock is already running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fire and rehire restrictions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">From January 2027, dismissal and re-engagement to impose changes to pay, hours, pensions, shifts or holiday will fall within a category of \u201crestricted variations\u201d and will be automatically unfair unless the employer can demonstrate extreme financial difficulties threatening the continued viability of the business. Treat contractual variation clauses with care now and begin building genuine consultation processes where changes may be required in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zero-hours and flexible worker protections<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">New rights for low-hours and <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/blog\/zero-hour-contract-changes\/\">zero-hours&nbsp; workers<\/a> are expected from 2027, likely including a right to a contract reflecting hours regularly worked, reasonable shift notice, and compensation for last-minute cancellations. These rights are expected to be based on a reference period of around 12 weeks, meaning that where zero-hours arrangements are used on an ongoing basis, working patterns over that period may determine contractual entitlements. If these arrangements are common in your business, it is important to review whether contracts reflect actual working patterns, particularly where workers have been engaged for more than 12 weeks, and how shifts are currently scheduled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common mistakes to avoid<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Employment contracts tend to fail in small, incremental ways rather than all at once. These are the issues that come up most often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Using outdated templates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Many employers set up a contract template when they first start hiring and never revisit it. Older templates often miss required particulars added in the 2020 reforms, reference SSP waiting days that no longer exist, or fail to cover workers as well as employees. If you&#8217;re not sure when your template was last reviewed, that&#8217;s usually a sign it needs one now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Letting the handbook and contract drift out of sync<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Contracts and handbooks are often updated separately, by different people, at different times. The result is documents that quietly contradict each other. An employee who reads both will notice. More importantly, if a dispute reaches tribunal, inconsistency across your documentation weakens your position. Any time one document changes, check the others too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vague probation clauses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">A clause that says &#8220;employment is subject to satisfactory completion of a probationary period&#8221; tells an employee almost nothing. It doesn&#8217;t state how long probation lasts, whether it can be extended, how performance will be assessed or what notice applies during that period. With unfair dismissal protection reducing to six months from January 2027, a vague probation clause also makes it harder to manage and evidence concerns fairly if things don&#8217;t work out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Forgetting workers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">The right to a written statement applies to workers, not just employees. That includes casual workers, zero-hours workers and some freelancers depending on their working arrangement. If your business uses flexible or seasonal arrangements, check that everyone entitled to a written statement is actually receiving one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Providing the written statement late<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">This is one of the most common and easily avoidable mistakes. The statement must be provided on or before day one, not during the first week, not once the employee has settled in. Build it into your pre-start process so it goes out alongside the offer letter or at the latest on the morning of the first day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get employment contracts right with 91±¬ΑΟ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">Employment contracts are often treated as static documents, but in reality they sit at the centre of a wider compliance ecosystem. A contract is only effective when it aligns with your written statements, HR policies, payroll processes and the way people actually work day to day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-paragraph-2-m-font-size\">91±¬ΑΟ gives UK employers the tools to manage this without the admin overhead. Create contracts using legally reviewed templates, collect e-signatures from day one, store documents securely with a clear audit trail and keep policies accessible in one place. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/services\/hr-advisory\/\">HR Advisory service<\/a> gives you direct access to UK employment law experts who can review your existing contracts and advise on what needs updating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-3 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"#form\">Download the guide<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column form-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div id=\"form\" class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div id=\"form\" class=\"wp-block-group form-v2-violet-box-shadow-pattern is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-employmentherocom2025-marketo-form-v2 is-layout-flow wp-block-marketo-form-v2-is-layout-flow\">\n                                                            <section class=\"eh_marketo_form-title-section eh_marketo_form-title-section--small\" aria-labelledby=\"marketo-form-title\">\n        <div class=\"eh_marketo_form-title-container\">\n                                        <h2 id=\"marketo-form-title\" class=\"eh_marketo_form-title\">Register for the UK Employers Guide to Reviewing Employment Contracts<\/h2>\n                    <\/div>\n            <\/section>\n                            <div class=\"eh_marketo_form-container_v2\" data-marketo-form=\"{&quot;is_multi_steps&quot;:false,&quot;form_data&quot;:[{&quot;base_url&quot;:&quot;\/\/hr.employmenthero.io&quot;,&quot;munchkin_id&quot;:&quot;387-SZZ-170&quot;,&quot;form_id&quot;:&quot;1737&quot;,&quot;css_classes&quot;:&quot;&quot;}],&quot;submit_text&quot;:&quot;Download now&quot;,&quot;success_handling_method&quot;:&quot;thank_you_page&quot;,&quot;redirect_url&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;thank_you_message&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;add_lead_linking_id&quot;:false,&quot;add_drift_campaign_id&quot;:false,&quot;drift_campaign_id&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;thank_you_page_id&quot;:&quot;32313&quot;,&quot;thank_you_page_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/thank-you\/downloadable\/resources\/?origin=employment-contracts-uk-2026&amp;origin_id=jalnZpM5DEVLlzGUVl267ZtU29hbcLzmlmbggg08CfuqIyP7v3sJubVe6T0XKzShWrS8fVuvHAv0N7Dp4u30SQ%3D%3D&quot;,&quot;progress_indicator_type&quot;:&quot;progress-bar&quot;,&quot;enable_revenue_hero&quot;:false,&quot;revenue_hero_router_id&quot;:&quot;4668&quot;,&quot;revenue_hero_thank_you_message&quot;:&quot;Thank you for booking!&quot;}\"><\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group social-icons-desktop is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-10 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--2);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--4)\"><div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"facebook\" data-social-type=\"facebook\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"24px\" height=\"24px\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Group<\/title> <path d=\"M14.4446 6.47609H11.4173V4.40033C11.4173 3.62078 11.9115 3.43904 12.2596 3.43904C12.6068 3.43904 14.3958 3.43904 14.3958 3.43904V0.0120058L11.4537 0C8.18772 0 7.44447 2.55599 7.44447 4.19168V6.47609H5.55566V10.0075H7.44447C7.44447 14.5394 7.44447 20 7.44447 20H11.4173C11.4173 20 11.4173 14.4856 11.4173 10.0075H14.0981L14.4446 6.47609Z\"><\/path><\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"twitter\" data-social-type=\"twitter\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"17\" height=\"18\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 18\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"> <g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_2187_1527)\"> <path d=\"M6.88269 10.3821L0.554058 18H2.05374L7.54889 11.3855L11.9379 18H17L10.363 7.99774L17 0.00924304H15.5002L9.69721 6.99436L5.06215 0.00924304H-5.51343e-07L6.88306 10.3821H6.88269ZM8.93683 7.90961L9.60929 8.90561L14.9598 16.8309H12.6563L8.33833 10.4349L7.66587 9.43894L2.05303 1.12518H4.35659L8.93683 7.90923V7.90961Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path> <\/g> <defs> <clipPath id=\"clip0_2187_1527\"> <rect width=\"17\" height=\"18\" fill=\"white\" transform=\"matrix(-1 0 0 -1 17 18)\"><\/rect> <\/clipPath> <\/defs> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"linkedin\" data-social-type=\"linkedin\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"17px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 16\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"> <title>Shape<\/title> <g id=\"Symbols\" stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"> <g id=\"Icons\/Social\" transform=\"translate(-74.000000, -2.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\" fill-rule=\"nonzero\"> <path d=\"M74.2155762,7.20409322 L77.8588786,7.20409322 L77.8588786,18 L74.2155762,18 L74.2155762,7.20409322 Z M76.0616143,2 C74.8146643,2 74,2.80609002 74,3.86411056 C74,4.90036967 74.7908238,5.72989508 76.0139333,5.72989508 L76.0371667,5.72989508 C77.3079571,5.72989508 78.0993476,4.90032981 78.0993476,3.86411056 C78.0755071,2.80609002 77.3079976,2 76.0616143,2 Z M86.8041976,6.95048874 C84.8702857,6.95048874 84.0038929,7.99790755 83.5205667,8.73245583 L83.5205667,7.20409322 L79.8761714,7.20409322 C79.924419,8.21687707 79.8761714,18 79.8761714,18 L83.5205667,18 L83.5205667,11.9708054 C83.5205667,11.6478911 83.5444071,11.3261725 83.6402952,11.0948476 C83.9041595,10.4502147 84.5037738,9.78266458 85.5095667,9.78266458 C86.8291714,9.78266458 87.3561714,10.773129 87.3561714,12.2237722 L87.3561714,18 L91,18 L91,11.8093881 C91,8.49339883 89.2027762,6.95048874 86.8041976,6.95048874 Z\" id=\"Shape\"><\/path> <\/g> <\/g> <\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n<div \n    class=\"eh-social-sharing-button wp-block-employmentherocom2025-eh-social-sharing-button\" data-icon=\"link\" data-social-type=\"copy\">\n    <span style=\"display: flex;\">\n        <svg class=\"icon\" width=\"18\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 18 19\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path transform=\"translate(6.640285, 0)\" d=\"M9.6365839,1.06427739 L9.6365839,1.06407143 C7.63313006,-0.581342526 4.71799441,-0.287025772 3.06469376,1.72767436 L1.68152847,3.42787366 C1.2637913,3.94153775 1.3305731,4.70585509 1.8305341,5.13486964 C2.33069565,5.56409016 3.0749216,5.4955055 3.49265877,4.98184141 L4.8760246,3.28143615 C5.71089731,2.25863908 7.1949372,2.1243532 8.19104884,2.98176443 C8.20769415,2.99597567 8.22413891,3.01059882 8.24038313,3.02522198 C9.18174573,3.92361924 9.26838157,5.42383144 8.43691815,6.43015171 L5.5610895,9.96627791 L5.53461744,9.99634806 C5.38079871,10.1792405 5.20090901,10.3370058 5.00076417,10.4640831 C4.04676718,11.0718709 2.80719278,10.901748 2.04211006,10.0579301 C1.59709864,9.56877523 0.850065046,9.54303024 0.374169553,10.0002613 C-0.100522665,10.4562566 -0.127195273,11.2205739 0.315008503,11.7099348 C1.3991598,12.9045024 2.99670869,13.4575049 4.56377459,13.1800768 C4.80503134,13.1364133 5.04287882,13.0742134 5.27470991,12.9934771 C6.09434113,12.7094584 6.82152068,12.1980598 7.37542854,11.5155086 L10.2440375,7.98947441 C11.0680808,6.96832503 11.4617524,5.65182909 11.3372134,4.33183184 C11.2235039,3.05137889 10.6100339,1.87267016 9.6365839,1.06427739\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><path transform=\"translate(0, 5.762765)\" d=\"M7.78481199,8.39527139 L6.54864687,9.91484383 C5.73222439,10.9339336 4.27946967,11.1129128 3.25127068,10.3214088 C2.2300908,9.49612727 2.05361038,7.97696676 2.85719793,6.92821874 C2.87083505,6.91050619 2.88447217,6.89299959 2.89851039,6.87569896 L5.82387388,3.27984437 L5.84553284,3.25492322 C5.99915102,3.07203079 6.17924127,2.91447144 6.37938611,2.78739415 C7.23972815,2.23645131 8.34754387,2.31595185 9.12506044,2.98449782 C9.2157072,3.06235067 9.30073868,3.14700021 9.37915214,3.23782854 C9.60657122,3.50207514 9.93486491,3.6513961 10.2784001,3.64665902 C10.6175233,3.64171598 10.9377951,3.48498047 11.155588,3.21764447 L11.1696262,3.20034383 C11.5426416,2.74620216 11.5342187,2.07930388 11.1497722,1.63546021 C9.42768425,-0.367088286 6.45118155,-0.55698335 4.50107292,1.21159465 C4.32298813,1.37306725 4.15713665,1.54813319 4.00472174,1.73555674 L1.08738009,5.32173121 C-0.548874157,7.35084854 -0.312430505,10.3492133 1.62043117,12.0813364 C2.56821124,12.921447 3.80678291,13.3317192 5.05377751,13.2188532 C5.20097822,13.2064956 5.34697566,13.1875473 5.49176982,13.1613904 C6.61362375,12.9593437 7.63039162,12.3585585 8.36398864,11.4636626 L9.59594229,9.94923914 C10.0136795,9.43578101 9.94709821,8.67146367 9.44693666,8.24224316 C8.94677511,7.81302264 8.20254916,7.8816073 7.78481199,8.39527139\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg> \n    <\/span>\n            <span class=\"eh-social-sharing-button__copied_text\">\n            URL copied for sharing!        <\/span>\n    <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull eh-single-resource-whitepapers-layout has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-light-violet-50-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div id=\"stop-el\" class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-12 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-link-arrow is-style-link-arrow--3\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-btn-brand-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/businesses\/\">View all<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query blog-3-col-query-loop is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"columns-3 alignfull wp-block-post-template is-layout-grid wp-container-core-post-template-is-layout-1 wp-block-post-template-is-layout-grid\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-52766 resources type-resources status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry resource-type-guides-and-playbooks\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-15 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;width:100%;height:100%; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/onboarding\/\" target=\"_self\"  style=\"height:100%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1728\" height=\"1014\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Onboarding_Thumbnail.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Employer Playbook: What is onboarding?\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Onboarding_Thumbnail.webp 1728w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Onboarding_Thumbnail-300x176.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Onboarding_Thumbnail-1024x601.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Onboarding_Thumbnail-768x451.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Onboarding_Thumbnail-1536x901.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Onboarding_Thumbnail-864x508.webp 864w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Onboarding_Thumbnail-440x258.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1728px) 100vw, 1728px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-3-col-details wp-container-content-3 is-vertical is-content-justification-left is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-14 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-13 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/Blog.png\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/guides-and-playbooks\/\" rel=\"tag\">Guides and Playbooks<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/onboarding\/\" target=\"_self\" >Employer Playbook: What is onboarding?<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-2\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Real onboarding starts at offer acceptance, spans 90 days and is the #1 source of HR errors. Here&#8217;s how to&hellip; <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/onboarding\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Employer Playbook: What is onboarding?<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/onboarding\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-52660 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-uncategorised resource-type-blog topic-business-basics\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-18 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;width:100%;height:100%; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/blog\/pay-transparency-smes\/\" target=\"_self\"  style=\"height:100%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/colleagues-collaborating-on-laptop-in-office-lounge.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"The UK&#8217;s pay transparency plans need to work for small businesses too\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/colleagues-collaborating-on-laptop-in-office-lounge.webp 1600w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/colleagues-collaborating-on-laptop-in-office-lounge-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/colleagues-collaborating-on-laptop-in-office-lounge-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/colleagues-collaborating-on-laptop-in-office-lounge-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/colleagues-collaborating-on-laptop-in-office-lounge-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/colleagues-collaborating-on-laptop-in-office-lounge-440x248.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-3-col-details wp-container-content-6 is-vertical is-content-justification-left is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-17 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-16 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/07\/David_Holland.jpg\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/blog\/\" rel=\"tag\">Blogs<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/blog\/pay-transparency-smes\/\" target=\"_self\" >The UK&#8217;s pay transparency plans need to work for small businesses too<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-5\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">The UK&#8217;s pay transparency plans could force salary disclosure in every job advert across England, Wales and Scotland. Learn what&hellip; <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/blog\/pay-transparency-smes\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: The UK&#8217;s pay transparency plans need to work for small businesses too<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/blog\/pay-transparency-smes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-52535 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-uncategorized resource-type-blog\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-neutral-100-border-color has-white-background-color has-background is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-21 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px;min-height:100%\"><figure style=\"aspect-ratio:16\/9;width:100%;height:100%; padding-bottom:0;padding-top:0;margin-bottom:0;\" class=\"wp-block-post-featured-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/blog\/employer-of-record-pricing\/\" target=\"_self\"  style=\"height:100%\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/unnamed-1.webp\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Employer of Record Pricing: How Much Does an EOR Cost in 2026?\u00a0\" style=\"width:100%;height:100%;object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/unnamed-1.webp 1600w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/unnamed-1-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/unnamed-1-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/unnamed-1-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/unnamed-1-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/07\/unnamed-1-440x248.webp 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group blog-3-col-details wp-container-content-9 is-vertical is-content-justification-left is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-20 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-19 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\" class=\"taxonomy-resource-type eh-resource-type wp-block-post-terms\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-block-post-terms-icon\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" alt=\"icon-blog\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/07\/David_Holland.jpg\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/resources\/blog\/\" rel=\"tag\">Blogs<\/a><\/div>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/blog\/employer-of-record-pricing\/\" target=\"_self\" >Employer of Record Pricing: How Much Does an EOR Cost in 2026?\u00a0<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-contrast-2-color has-small-font-size wp-container-content-8\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Wondering what an EOR actually costs in 2026? Break down Employer of Record pricing models, average fees and what to&hellip; <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<a style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-elements-9dfcbcb7662772ecb2d671e8976a6c51 wp-block-read-more has-text-color has-violet-500-color\" href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/blog\/employer-of-record-pricing\/\" target=\"_self\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">: Employer of Record Pricing: How Much Does an EOR Cost in 2026?\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/blog\/employer-of-record-pricing\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"group-block-link\"><\/a>\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Employment contracts UK rules are changing under the Employment Rights Act. Find out what to include and update before 2026. Download the guide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":51748,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_visual_mode":"business","_lite_auth_enabled":false,"_lite_auth_trigger_method":"scroll","_lite_auth_scroll_percent":25,"_lite_auth_click_element_query":"","exclude_from_algolia":false,"reading_time":"8 min read","display_reading_time":false,"registration_open_datetime":"","registration_close_datetime":"","event_start_datetime":"","event_end_datetime":"","time_zone":"","location":"","link_video":"","wistia_video_id":"","video_type":"","file_video":"","download_content_type":"file","download_file":"51749","download_url":"","download_cta_label":"","homepage_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"resource-type":[168],"topic":[],"learn_topic":[],"industry":[],"search-tags":[],"audience":[],"business-size":[],"product-tag":[],"funnel-stage":[],"region":[],"pain-point":[],"persona":[],"post_features":[],"class_list":["post-51732","resources","type-resources","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource-type-guides-and-playbooks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/51732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resources"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/51732\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51761,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/51732\/revisions\/51761"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51748"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"learn_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/learn_topic?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"search-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/search-tags?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"business-size","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/business-size?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"product-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product-tag?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"funnel-stage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/funnel-stage?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"pain-point","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pain-point?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=51732"},{"taxonomy":"post_features","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/employmenthero.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_features?post=51732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}