Employment Tribunal (Extension of Time Limits) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026

Parliament voted on 1 July 2026 to approve the Employment Tribunal (Extension of Time Limits) (Miscellaneous Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2026, passing the motion by 323 votes to 107. The regulations extend the time limit for workers to bring most employment tribunal claims from three months to six months. A companion instrument, the Employment Tribunals Extension of Jurisdiction (England and Wales) (Amendment) Order 2026, passed the same day by 318 votes to 107. The change doubles the window in which workers can file claims after, for example, being dismissed or facing discrimination. Ministers argued this brings the system closer to the realities workers face, particularly those who have recently had a child, are on low incomes, or need time to seek legal advice before bringing a claim. Employers and their advocates argued the regulations extend what they described as a period of legal jeopardy for businesses, at a time when employment tribunals are already experiencing significant backlogs and delays. The regulations apply to Great Britain, while the companion order covers England and Wales. The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. All 274 Labour MPs and 33 Labour and Co-operative MPs who voted supported the regulations, joined by the Greens, Plaid Cymru, two SNP MPs, and smaller parties. All 93 Conservative MPs who voted opposed them, as did all four Reform UK MPs, all four Democratic Unionist Party MPs, and three Independents. No Conservative or Reform UK MP voted in favour. The regulations implement a change enabled by the Employment Rights Act 2025, and media coverage has focused on the broader Employment Rights Act as one of the current Government's central legislative projects on workers' rights.