With major reforms to dismissal rights on the horizon, independent schools have only a limited window to review staffing models and implement any planned contractual changes before flexibility is significantly reduced.

The House of Lords has reinserted a number of amendments previously rejected by the Commons, meaning the Employment Rights Bill will return for further consideration.

The Employment Rights Bill has experienced further delays in its parliamentary progression, with the House of Lords again supporting amendments that would directly affect healthcare employers and the wider health and social care workforce.

Peers again backed substantial changes to the Bill in a series of decisive votes, setting up another return to the Commons and raising questions over the timetable for Royal Assent and beyond.

The Chancellor’s 2025 Budget sets out a wide range of reforms affecting employment costs, payroll administration and HR compliance. The main measures likely to affect employers are summarised below.

The government is consulting on how the new right for trade unions to access workplaces will operate in practice. Our summary highlights the main proposals and what they could mean for employers.