The latest APSCo legal updates for February 2026
W/C 2nd February 2026
Education Sector Update: Increase in RM6376 Lot 1 Suppliers
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has recently provided an update that the number of suppliers to be appointed to the RM6376 Supply Teachers and Education Recruitment framework Lot 1 will increase to 250. This is to support the Maximising Value for Pupils programme and anticipated increased framework use across up to 24,000 schools and academies nationwide. The procurement timetable remains unchanged, and there are no changes to Lot 2.
As a result of the increased number of suppliers, we expect a corresponding rise in demand for Compliance+ Education audit accreditation. We strongly encourage members to arrange your Compliance+ Education audits as early as possible to ensure you are fully prepared and to assist you to manage any last-minute pressure. Please contact compliance.audit@apsco.org
to arrange your Compliance+ Education audit.
APSCo Update: The Employment Rights Act 2025 - Zero-Hours Contracts and Recouping Short Notice Payments
The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a new right for eligible agency workers to receive a short-notice payment where a shift is cancelled, curtailed, or moved at short notice.
The applicable notice period, payment level, and eligibility criteria will be set out in secondary regulations, and the government has confirmed that it will consult on these regulations prior to implementation.
Responsibility for making the short-notice payment will sit with the recruitment business. APSCo recognises however, that in practice short-notice cancellations are often driven by client decisions, and this allocation of responsibility will therefore require careful consideration as the regulatory framework is developed.
We have produced an APSCo Update on the changes which can be accessed through our What’s New page.
APSCo Guidance on Statutory Sick Pay
The Employment Rights Act 2025 reforms Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) by removing the Lower Earnings Limit and ending the three-day waiting period, meaning SSP will be payable from day one of sickness for those eligible.
We have recently updated our APSCo Guidance on Statutory Sick Pay to reflect the upcoming changes in April 2026 which you can access through our What’s New page.