Coming in 2027
Six more changes are due later in 2027: bereavement leave, benefits through payroll and holiday pay enforcement from April, a new test for flexible working in the autumn, and new protections for zero-hours staff, pregnant women and new mothers, with dates still to be set.
- From April 2027
- Bereavement leave and benefits through payroll
- April 2027 at the earliest
- Holiday pay enforcement
- Autumn 2027
- Flexible working
- Date to be set
- Zero-hours rights and pregnancy protection
What’s changing
In date order. Where a date isn’t set yet, we say so.
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The change
Bereavement leave
Expected from April 2027. Up to 2 weeks’ unpaid leave from day one, including for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks.
What it means for youA new kind of leave for your family leave policy. Staff who lose a partner, parent, adult child or sibling, among others, can take it from their first day with you, as single days if they want, within 56 weeks of the loss.
What we doWe add it to your family leave policy before it starts, and write the letter confirming each person’s leave.
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The change
Benefits through payroll
From 6 April 2027. Company cars, car and van fuel, vans and private medical cover must be reported through payroll.
What it means for youIf you provide any of these, whoever runs your payroll needs to be ready before 6 April 2027.
What we doThe app tells you about it before it starts. We don’t run payroll, so whoever runs yours makes the change.
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The change
Holiday pay enforcement
From April 2027 at the earliest. The Fair Work Agency, set up on 7 April 2026, starts enforcing holiday pay.
What it means for youYour holiday pay and holiday records need to stand up if the agency asks. You’ve had to keep holiday records for 6 years since 6 April 2026.
What we doWe keep holiday records for 6 years and work out holiday pay, including final holiday pay for leavers.
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The change
A new test for flexible working
Expected in autumn 2027. You can only refuse a request where that’s reasonable, on one of the 8 business reasons the law lists.
What it means for youStaff can already ask from their first day, and you must decide within 2 months. A refusal will need a reason from the list and an explanation of why it’s reasonable. The government will set out steps to follow before refusing, and Acas is consulting on a new Code of Practice until 17 December 2026.
What we doWe log each request and its 2-month deadline, and write the decision letter. Your HR expert signs off any refusal.
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The change
Zero-hours and low-hours staff
Date to be set. Guaranteed hours, reasonable notice of shifts, and pay for shifts cancelled or changed at short notice.
What it means for youQualifying staff are due to get a right to be offered guaranteed hours that reflect the hours they worked over a reference period, so you’ll need a record of the hours each person works. The consultation closed on 25 August 2026. When we checked on 8 October 2026, the government hadn’t published its response.
What we doWe keep hours records, and your worker agreements and letters get the new terms when the rules start.
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The change
Pregnant women and new mothers
Date to be set. Stronger protection from dismissal.
What it means for youDismissing someone because they’re pregnant or on maternity leave is already automatically unfair. The government consulted on going further: protection during pregnancy, maternity leave and for at least 6 months after a mother returns to work, except in specific circumstances. The consultation closed on 15 January 2026. When we checked on 8 October 2026, the government hadn’t published its response.
What we doAnything involving pregnancy or maternity goes straight to your HR expert, and we update your letters when the rules start.
What to do now
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Check your family leave policy
So it’s ready for bereavement leave from April 2027.
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Talk to whoever runs your payroll
If you provide company cars, vans, fuel or private medical cover, before 6 April 2027.
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Check your holiday records
Holiday taken and carried over, holiday pay and pay in lieu, kept for 6 years.
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Review how you handle flexible working requests
Decide within 2 months, talk to the person before refusing, and be ready to give a reason from the list.
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Record hours for zero-hours and low-hours staff
So you’re ready when the new rights start.
How Maravier handles it
Maravier updates your contracts, policies and processes for each change, and tells you what to do before it lands. Where a date isn’t set yet, we tell you as soon as it is, and your documents update before the change starts.
Sources
- New rights for family bereavement and pregnancy loss, gov.uk
- Getting ready for mandatory payrolling of benefits in kind, gov.uk
- Fair Work Agency, business.gov.uk
- Acas consultation: draft Code of Practice on requests for flexible working, Acas
- Flexible working: after the application, gov.uk
- Ending one-sided flexibility: zero-hours and similar contracts, gov.uk
- Enhanced dismissal protections for pregnant women and new mothers, gov.uk
- Unfair dismissal, Acas
- Employment Rights Act 2025, Acas
Checked against the law on 8 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
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