Mark Steff

From 1 October 2026, the time limit for most employment tribunal claims increased from three to six months.

Failing to engage with the tribunal process can result in claims being struck out, even where a claimant has disabilities. Tribunals must consider relevant evidence about disability and whether strike out is proportionate.

On 26 September 2026, the government announced 'Your First Home', a new equity loan scheme that will let first-time buyers purchase an eligible new-build property in England with a deposit of just 2.5% of the purchase price. The government would provide an initial interest-free equity loan representing 20% of the price, leaving the buyer to arrange a mortgage for the remaining 77.5%.

Full details, including the interest-free period, income and price caps, and the launch date, are due to be confirmed at the Budget on 28 October 2026.

When assessing compensation, tribunals must take a robust and realistic approach to a claimant’s actual loss, including considering whether other state benefits were available and could reasonably have been claimed.

Further education (FE) is entering a period of profound change. Devolution, industrial strategy, demographic growth and renewed government investment could align colleges more closely with local economic priorities, positioning them as vital infrastructure for growth, skills and opportunity.

Yet demand for places and specialist facilities is rising just as colleges have less freedom to borrow and much of the estate still needs significant investment.

As technology continues to shape the way people communicate, gather information and raise concerns, it is crucial for colleges to adapt their approaches to complaint management effectively and sensitively

For many further education (FE) colleges delivering higher education (HE), regulation has involved oversight from both the Department for Education (DfE) and the Office for Students (OfS). Colleges have therefore had to operate within two regulatory frameworks, sometimes addressing similar issues through different requirements.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 creates two interconnected equality mechanisms that University HR teams and executive and governance boards will need to understand and engage with.