Employment law changes in April 2026: What film and TV workers need to know
As we approach April 2026, a wave of significant changes to UK employment law are coming into force. Many will have a direct impact on people working across film, TV, and the wider screen industries.
What film and TV workers need to know about the upcoming changes to employment law
In a sector shaped by short contracts, freelance work, and project-based hiring, these changes could make a real difference to how supported and protected workers feel.
These changes form part of the Employment Rights Act 2025 – introduced in stages and representing one of the most substantial updates to UK employment protection in recent years.
Parental and paternity leave rights
A key change is the introduction of day-one rights for paternity leave and unpaid parental leave. From 6 April 2026, workers will no longer need to meet previous service thresholds, with notice available from 18 February 2026.
From 6 April 2026, paternity leave and unpaid parental leave become day-one rights. Workers will no longer need to meet previous service thresholds, and from 18 February 2026, workers can start giving notice to their employer that they plan to take paternity leave under the new rules.
The changes also introduce a new day-one right to bereaved partner’s paternity leave, giving someone whose partner dies during pregnancy or within the first year after birth up to 52 weeks of protected leave from their very first day of employment.
Why do these changes matter to film and TV professionals
This is especially significant in film and TV, where people frequently move between productions and often miss out on employment-linked rights. Day-one eligibility removes that barrier, offering more stability and protection for working parents in the industry.
Changes to Statutory Sick Pay
Statutory Sick Pay is also being changed in ways that could make a meaningful difference for people on short-term or variable contracts.
- SSP will be payable from day one of sickness (instead of day four)
- The Lower Earnings Limit is being removed, extending eligibility to many workers previously excluded
- SSP rises to £123.25 per week, or 80% of average weekly earnings if that amount is lower
Many roles in production – particularly early-career, part-time, or intermittently contracted roles – currently fall below the earnings threshold. These changes extend access to sick pay for a far wider group of workers.
Increases to Statutory Pay
There are other financial changes too. Statutory maternity, adoption, paternity, shared parental, and neonatal care pay will increase to £194.32 per week or 90% of average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).
And the National Living Wage will rise to £12.71 per hour for workers aged 21 and over from 1 April 2026.
These increases will make a tangible difference for people in junior or entry-level roles whose earnings often sit close to minimum wage.
Stronger redundancy protections
Redundancy protections will also be strengthened, with the maximum protective award for failures in collective consultation doubling from 90 to 180 days’ pay.
Impact on the screen industries
Although large-scale redundancies are less common in film and TV, they do happen in broadcast, post-production, and studio environments, and this change reinforces the importance of proper consultation and fair treatment.
Sexual harassment and whistleblowing law
From April, sexual harassment will be explicitly recognised as a protected whistleblowing matter. This means workers who raise concerns will have stronger safeguards against unfair treatment or dismissal.
This is particularly important in a sector that has been working hard to address issues of misconduct, safety and accountability. Stronger legal protection reinforces the importance of speaking up and builds workplace cultures.
The Fair Work Agency: a new enforcement body
These reforms are backed by the launch of the Fair Work Agency on 7th April 2026.
What will it enforce?
Rights around sick pay, minimum wage, and zero-hours contracts, making responsibilities clearer for employers and workers alike.
Why enforcement matters in the film, TV, and cinema industry
Together, these changes create a more supportive framework for workers across the UK, with particular impact in film and TV, where freelance and short-term work is the norm.
Day-one leave rights, fairer statutory sick pay rules, and clearer enforcement better reflect how our industry operates, offering greater stability in an unpredictable working environment.
Concerned about how these employment law changes affect you?
Whether you’re freelance, on a short-term contract, or employed by a production, we’re here to help.
Summary
The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces major updates from 2026, including day‑one parental leave rights, fairer Statutory Sick Pay, higher statutory payments and minimum wage, stronger redundancy protections, and new whistleblowing safeguards. A new Fair Work Agency will enforce these rights, improving stability for freelance and short‑term workers, especially in film and TV.
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