New changes due to the Employment Rights Act 2025 - GOV.UK Cookies on GOV.UK We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time. You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time. View cookies News story New changes due to the Employment Rights Act 2025 New changes due to the Employment Rights Act 2025 From: Central Arbitration Committee Published 6 April 2026 As of 6 April 2026, the statutory recognition scheme is being reshaped under the new Employment Rights Act, introducing several key changes. Unions will no longer need to demonstrate that most workers in a proposed bargaining unit are likely to support recognition, removing the requirement for petitions or similar evidence. When recognition is decided by ballot, unions will only need a simple majority of votes cast, with the former 40% support requirement removed. As part of those changes, the CAC Application under Part 1 of Schedule A1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and Response have been updated and should be used for all new applications submitted on or after 00:00 on 6 April 2026. Any applications submitted without the required request letter and employer response (if any) will be rejected. Application to the CAC under Part I of Schedule A1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 Response to an application to the CAC under Part I of Schedule A1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 Share this page The following links open in a new tab Share on (opens in new tab) Share on (opens in new tab) Updates to this page Published 6 April 2026 Is this page useful? Maybe Thank you for your feedback Help us improve GOV.UK To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab