Marc White

The existing duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment is enhanced, so that employers must now take all reasonable steps, and a separate duty has been introduced in respect of harassment of employees by third parties such as clients and customers, which covers all types of harassment and not just sexual harassment. Unions can also seek access to workplaces and union officials have new rights to time off and facilities.

Employers will have to show that dismissing an employee during the new protected period is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

Employers should investigate potential disabilities proportionately and ensure that discrimination allegations are assessed against the precise issues pleaded.

Last week's Budget brings several changes for employers, including higher minimum wage rates from April 2027, planned legislation on non-compete clauses and wider access to parental pay from 2029. There are also a number of updates to employment taxes and payroll.

The first Budget Statement of the Andy Burnham government was made on 28 October 2026 and included several significant business immigration announcements. These announcements are aimed at making it easier for employers to recruit and retain highly skilled international talent. The proposed reforms cover Skilled Worker salary thresholds, visa curtailment periods, graduate recruitment and the tax treatment of certain sponsorship costs.

Much of the detail, including eligibility criteria and implementation dates, is still to follow. Employers should therefore treat the announcements as an opportunity to review their workforce planning rather than make immediate changes.

This week (2-6 November 2026) marks Charity Fraud Awareness Week. VWV is proud to support the campaign and help charities reduce both the risk of fraud and its impact on their vital work.

The full facts of Sir Ranulph's situation are not known and will no doubt be the subject of further investigation and scrutiny. However, the circumstances described are not uncommon and raise questions that our Court of Protection team at VWV advises on regularly in practice. What happens where a loved one loses capacity and disagreements arise as to their financial or welfare arrangements?

The Government has published three linked updates on the Employment Rights Act 2025 fire and rehire reforms. The revised implementation timetable confirms when the protections will start; the consultation response clarifies which contractual changes will be covered; and a draft Code of Practice explains how employers should approach negotiations and any proposed dismissal and re-engagement.

Several reforms previously listed only as taking effect in 2027 now have confirmed dates, while timing for some measures remains under review.