The UK Work Rights Blog
Plain English explainers on the rights topics people ask about most — written by the team behind the checkers, guides and letter templates.
What You'll Find Here
The blog covers the questions that come up most often across the checkers — the changes people have heard about but aren't sure apply to them, the deadlines that catch claimants out, and the rules that get reported inaccurately and then repeated. Each post explains one topic properly rather than summarising several badly.
Everything is checked against primary sources before it is published: GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk, the House of Commons Library, ACAS and the relevant regulator. Where a figure applies, we state which tax year it belongs to, because most of the confusion we see comes from guidance that was correct two years ago and was never updated.
Employment and Pay
Posts on constructive dismissal, redundancy pay calculations, payslip underpayment, zero-hours contracts, statutory sick pay and trade union rights. If you are trying to work out whether something that happened at work is actually unlawful, start here.
Benefits, Housing and Consumer
Coverage of PIP eligibility, the end of Section 21 in England, faulty goods refunds and the MATB1 form. These are the areas where the law has moved fastest recently, and where out-of-date advice does the most damage.
Driving
A separate strand for learner and new drivers — theory test scoring, manoeuvres, motorway rules, drink and drug limits, breakdowns and DVLA medical notifications. Written to sit alongside the free Driving School companion.
Every post is free to read, there is no login, and nothing is behind a paywall. If a post helps, there is a thumbs up at the bottom of it — that is genuinely how we decide what to write next.
What “Without Prejudice” Actually Means
Writing it on a letter does not make it secret. When the rule applies, when it does not, and how protected conversations differ.
PENP Explained: Why Your Settlement Is Taxed More Than You Expected
Post-employment notice pay decides how much of a settlement is taxed as earnings. The HMRC formula, and why the £30,000 exemption often does not apply.
Final Written Warning: What It Means and How to Respond
Not a dismissal and not permanent. What the Acas Code requires, how long a warning lasts, and what to do about an unfair one.
Unfair Dismissal: Two Years Becomes Six Months in 2027
The qualifying period drops from two years to six months on 1 January 2027. Who gains protection, exactly when, and why day-one rights did not happen.
Can My Employer Sack Me While I’m Off Sick With a Fit Note?
A fit note protects your pay, not automatically your job. What capability dismissal is, the process an employer must follow, and the point at which it becomes discrimination.
Can My Employer Change My Contract Without My Consent?
Fire and rehire explained — including the protective award that doubled to 180 days’ pay in April 2026, and why carrying on working can count as agreeing.
Does Redundancy Pay Include Overtime and Bonuses?
Statutory redundancy pay and notice pay are calculated differently, and overtime is treated differently in each. This is where people get short-changed.
Is a 15-Minute Redundancy Consultation Legal?
There is no minimum length in law — but a meeting where the decision was already made is an announcement, not a consultation.
Reasonable Adjustments for Anxiety and Depression at Work
Mental health conditions can be disabilities under the Equality Act. If yours is, your employer has a legal duty to adjust — not a choice.
Energy Bills Went Up on 1 October — Here Is What You Can Actually Claim
The cap rose 4% to £1,723, but it does not cap your bill. The £150 Warm Home Discount, the back-billing rule that can wipe old charges, and your rights if you cannot pay.
Side Hustle Tax: The 5 October Deadline Most People Miss
HMRC now gets your data straight from eBay, Vinted, Etsy and Airbnb. What you must declare, what you do not, and why the £3,000 figure you have read about is not law.
The New Uniform Rules — and What a Term-Time Fine Really Costs
From 1 September 2026 primary schools can require only three branded items. Plus the £80 and £160 attendance fines, and what to do if you think yours is wrong.
Tribunal Deadlines Double on 1 October 2026 — But Check Your Date
Three months becomes six less one day. But only if the act you are complaining about happened on or after that date, and a series of acts is decided by the last one.
You Do Not Have to Wait 8 Weeks for the Housing Ombudsman
That rule was abolished on 1 October 2022, but people are still being told to wait. How to escalate a housing complaint properly and what the Ombudsman can do.
The Tax Rise Nobody Voted For
Income tax rates have not risen. Almost everyone is paying more anyway. How the threshold freeze works and what it costs you.
You Now Pay Income Tax on a 20-Hour Week
At £12.71 an hour, around 20 hours a week takes you past the personal allowance. What that means for part-time and low-paid workers.
Making Tax Digital: Five Filings a Year Instead of One
Quarterly updates are replacing the annual tax return for the self-employed and landlords. When it reaches you and what you must do.
The PIP Four-Point Rule That Never Became Law
It was proposed in March 2025, reported everywhere, then dropped from the Bill that July. Here’s what actually applies to your claim today.
ACAS Early Conciliation Is Now 12 Weeks
The conciliation window doubled on 1 December 2025. Because it pauses your tribunal clock, a claim you think is out of time may not be.
What to Do If You Break Down (Especially on a Motorway)
The correct breakdown procedure, where to stop, and when to call 999 instead of a breakdown service.
Motorway Driving Rules for UK Learners and New Drivers
Lane discipline, smart motorway red X rules, and what to do if you break down on a motorway.
UK Driving Licence and DVLA Rules: Medical Conditions, Renewals and Points
What you must tell the DVLA, and the new driver rule that can revoke a licence within the first two years.
UK Drink and Drug Driving Limits Explained
Why Scotland's drink drive limit is lower than the rest of the UK, drug driving thresholds, and the real penalties for being caught over.
UK Theory Test: Pass Marks, Booking, and What to Expect
How hazard perception is actually scored, and what happens if you fail one section but not the other.
Car Warning Lights and Basic Maintenance: A UK Driver's Guide
What red and amber warning lights actually mean, and the basic checks that prevent most breakdowns.
Bay Park, Parallel Park and Pull Up: UK Driving Test Manoeuvres Explained
What examiners actually look for during manoeuvres, and the mistakes that cost the most marks.
Can My Employer Really Stop Me Joining a Union?
What UK law actually says about joining a union, protection from detriment, union recognition, and protection during official strike action.
How to Write a Formal Letter That Actually Gets a Result
Most disputes never reach a tribunal or court — they're resolved by a clear letter. The structure that works, common mistakes, and 196 free templates to start from.
Redundancy Pay: What You're Actually Entitled To
The 2026/27 £751 weekly cap, £22,530 maximum, how the age-based formula works, and what to check if your employer's figure looks wrong.
Sick Pay Disputes: An Employer's Guide to Getting SSP Right
SSP mistakes are one of the easiest ways for an employer to end up at a tribunal. Here's how to handle disputed sick pay claims and avoid getting it wrong.
Statutory Sick Pay 2026: The Day-One Right Explained
The earnings threshold for SSP was scrapped on 6 April 2026. Here's exactly who's covered now, how much you get, and what to do if your employer refuses.
Zero-Hours Contracts: What Rights You Actually Have
Legal, common, and often misunderstood. Turning down shifts, exclusivity clauses, holiday pay, and the new guaranteed hours protection.
Working While Studying: Your UK Employment Rights
Being a student doesn't change your rights at work. Minimum wage, zero-hours contracts, unpaid trials, and what to do if you're underpaid.
Payslip Errors: How to Spot Underpayment
Most people never check their payslip line by line. Here's what each part means, the deductions worth questioning, and what to do if you're underpaid.
Faulty Goods: Refund, Repair, or Replacement?
The shop doesn't always get to choose. The 30-day rule, sale-item myths, and what to do when a retailer says no.
Section 21 Is Gone — What Actually Changed for Renters?
Section 21 "no-fault" evictions have been abolished in England. Here's what actually changed, and what protection you have now.
What Actually Counts as Constructive Dismissal?
It's not just "I was unhappy and quit." Here's the real legal test, the affirmation trap that catches people out, and the time limit to claim.
What Is a MATB1 Form, and Why Does It Matter for Maternity Pay?
If you're pregnant and planning maternity leave, here's what a MATB1 actually is, when to get one, and what happens if it goes missing.
More posts coming soon — we're adding new plain English explainers regularly.