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Duty to inform workers of their right to join a trade union has been postponed to January
The government published its long-awaited response to the consultation on the new duty to give workers a written statement informing them of their right to join a trade union on 25 September. In what will come as a great relief to employers given the narrow timeframe, the new duty is no longer coming in in October but is now due to come into force on 1 January 2027.

This means that employers will be required to issue the statement to all new workers that join from the commencement of the duty and deliver it to all existing workers by 5 April 2027.

The government agrees that the statement must remain factual and balanced and make it clear that workers have the right to choose whether to join a trade union. The government emphasises that the intention of the duty "is to ensure workers are aware of their rights, rather than to promote trade union membership".