Duty to Inform Workers in the UK of the Right to Join a Trade Union: Details Published But Timing Delayed

The UK Employment Rights Act 2025 (“ERA 2025”) introduces a new obligation on employers to give workers a written statement informing them of their right to join a trade union. The stated purpose of the reform is to improve awareness of workers’ statutory rights, and to support workers to make an informed choice on whether they wish to join a union.

Although the ERA 2025 establishes the new duty in principle, regulations are required to prescribe the information that the statement must include, the form the statement will take and the manner in which the statement must be given. The Government launched a consultation in October 2025 seeking views to inform the content of the regulations and has now published its response setting out how it intends the duty will operate in practice.

The new duty had been expected to take effect on October 30, 2026, however implementation has been delayed and the Government has indicated that it is now anticipated to come into force on January 1, 2027.

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