Be Aware UK

Significant restrictions on non-disclosure agreements amongst new government amendments to the Employment Rights Bill

8 July 2025 / Employment

As the Employment Rights Bill (ERB) approaches its final stages before Royal Assent, further amendments have been published. The government amendments, which will almost certainly be passed due to the size of the Labour majority, include the following significant changes: Confidentiality/Non-disclosure agreements Any provision in an agreement between an employer and a worker will be […]

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Changes to Immigration Rules

8 July 2025 / immigration / Employment

On 1 July 2025 the Government published a Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules (the Statement), impacting the Skilled Worker and other UK work visa routes. The Statement implements the initial tranche of reforms set out in the Government’s White Paper published on 12 May 2025. The changes will take effect from 22 July

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Timetable for implementation of the Employment Rights Bill published

1 July 2025 / employment law reform, Employment Rights Bill / Employment

The government has published its long-awaited indicative timetable for implementation of the Employment Right Bill (ERB), Implementing the Employment Rights Bill – Our roadmap for delivering change. The key takeaway is that many of the provisions of the ERB will not come into force until Autumn 2026 and beyond, including the ‘day 1’ right to

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Government launches review of parental leave regime

1 July 2025 / maternity, parental leave, paternity, shared parental leave / Reform

The government has launched a comprehensive review of the system of parental leave and pay entitlement, publishing terms of reference for the review and a call for evidence. All current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements will be in scope of the review, namely: Maternity leave and pay. Paternity leave and pay. Adoption leave

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Government to address pension industry concerns following landmark judgment

18 June 2025 / pensions / Pensions

On 5 June 2025, the prayers of many in the pensions industry were answered when the DWP announced that the Government will introduce legislation to address issues arising from the Virgin Media v NTL Pension Trustees judgment. Background The DWP acknowledged the industry uncertainty emanating from the July 2024 Court of Appeal judgment, which upheld a High

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Unlocking pension surplus: What employers need to know about the new DB scheme reforms

6 June 2025 / pension surplus. defined benefit, pensions / Employment

At a glance The UK Government has confirmed that it will be introducing greater flexibility for defined benefit (DB) pension schemes to share surplus funds with scheme employers and beneficiaries. This will be welcome news for employers that may wish to use surplus assets to invest in the business, reduce debt or improve other employee

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UK Immigration White Paper 2025: What employers need to know

16 May 2025 / immigration, sponsored workers / Employment, Immigration

On Monday 12 May 2025, the Government published its long-awaited white paper, containing a blueprint for significant changes to the UK immigration system. These changes are a proposed government policy, and require further legislation before becoming law. We have summarised the changes and key points for UK employers below. Overview The white paper, entitled ‘Restoring

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EHRC issues interim guidance on practical implications of Supreme Court case

28 April 2025 / diversity, inclusion, transgender / Employment

Recently, we highlighted the Supreme Court’s decision in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers which ruled on the meaning of ‘woman’, ‘man’ and ‘sex’, for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 (EqA). Please click here for our earlier article. This case has received widespread attention and raised a significant number of practical

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Supreme Court rules that meaning of ‘man’ and ‘woman’ in Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex

16 April 2025 / discrimination, gender reassignment, gender recognition certificate, sex / Employment

In a judgment handed down today, For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers the Supreme Court has determined the meaning of ‘man’, ‘woman’ and ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 as referring to biological sex, not acquired or certificated sex under a Gender Recognition Certificate. Background The appeal arose in the context of a

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Expansion of illegal working regime to gig economy

14 April 2025 / Immigration, Reform

On 30 March 2025, the UK Home Office announced that businesses will soon be legally required to carry out right to work checks on everyone working in their name. This change will bring gig economy and zero-hours workers in line with other employees, with civil penalties being imposed on businesses that hire illegal self-employed contractors

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Call for evidence: New equality laws on the horizon?

10 April 2025 / discrimination, equal pay, equality, pay transparency, sexual harassment / Employment

The government is seeking evidence and views on areas of equality policy to help better understand how the law is working in practice and on areas of possible equality law reform. The call for evidence will help shape the measures included in the draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill and the Employment Rights Bill. The equality

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April employment law changes

1 April 2025 / employment law reform / Employment

The following changes come into effect in early April 2025: National minimum wage (NMW) The new NMW rates which will apply from 1 April 2025 are as follows: Rate From 1 April 2025 National Living Wage age 21+ £12.21 Age 18-20 £10.00 Age 16-17 £7.55 Apprentice rate £7.55 Accommodation offset £10.66 Neonatal care leave

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Employment practices under competition law scrutiny: UK’s CMA fines companies for sharing information about freelancer rates

25 March 2025 / competition, labour market / Employment

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued updates on its decisions in two parallel investigations into suspected anti-competitive behaviour in relation to freelance labour in the production and broadcasting of sports content (where it issued an infringement decision) and freelance and employed labour in the production, creation and / or broadcasting of television

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UK Immigration update: immigration fees, UK ETA and eVisa update and the care sector

20 March 2025 / digitalised immigration, immigration / Immigration

At a glance Immigration fees: From 9 April 2025, ETA fees will increase by 60% to £16. Sponsor licence fees will rise by 7%, and the cost of assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship will increase by 120% to £525. UK ETA update: From 2 April 2025, all non-visa nationals must have UK Electronic Travel Authorisation

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Consultation launched on ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers

20 March 2025 / disability pay gap reporting, Employment Rights Bill, Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, ethnicity pay gap reporting, pay gap reporting / Employment

Eight months after the King’s Speech announced the government’s intention to introduce compulsory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers (ie those with 250+ employees), the government has published a consultation paper seeking views on its proposal. The measures will ultimately form part of the upcoming Equality (Race and Disability) Bill. The consultation

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