You can feel it in early August: the office is quieter, half the team is away, and you finally get a clear hour to think. That’s exactly when the most dangerous HR deadlines sneak up, because this one looks like a “2027 problem” on paper while the clock actually starts much earlier.

We walk through the January 2027 UK employment law changes that reshape ordinary unfair dismissal: the qualifying period drops to six months, the compensation cap is removed, and fire and rehire becomes automatically unfair. The headline is big, but the hidden detail is bigger: anyone with six months’ service on 1 January 2027 qualifies immediately, which means people you hire from 1 July 2026 onwards are already in the window. Nothing changes on 1 July, but your risk exposure starts building from that day because service time is being banked right now.

We keep it practical and calm, focused on small business HR habits that actually protect you: contracts that match reality, probation check-ins that happen on time, and notes that show a fair process. We also share simple tools to help you see what’s coming and where you stand, so you can fix the one most exposed thing while the diary is still kind.

If you want fewer surprises and more control as employment rights tighten, follow along, share this with a fellow manager, and subscribe so you do not miss the next change. If this helped, leave a review and tell us: who have you hired since July, and is your probation process truly real?

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 1st April 2026, you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead.

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If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.