Latest update on UK employers' obligation to give workers a statement of the right to join a trade union

Further detail of the new requirement on all employers to give workers a written statement advising that they have the right to join a trade union emerged on 25 September 2026 when the Government published its response to a consultation that it conducted between October and December 2025.  

It had been thought that this right would be coming into force at the same time as the right of trade union access, but the date has been pushed back to January 2027. 

In its consultation response the Government says that employers will be required to issue the statement to all new workers that join from the commencement of the duty in January 2027 (the response document does not specify the date) and to deliver it to all existing workers by 5 April 2027).  It is also clear that:

• Regulations will include a standardised statement that must be included with a link to or list of trade unions;
• The statement will include a brief explanation of union functions, a list of and information on recognised trade unions and a summary of statutory rights;
• The statement must be delivered directly to new workers at the same time as the written statement of employment particulars. Existing workers must be told where they can find it and be reminded of this annually; and
• If employers choose to deliver the statement directly to existing workers, they will need to do this annually on 5 April.

We will be providing a further update once these regulations are published.

This article is authored by Christina Morton,  senior knowledge lawyer in the UK employment team.