The King’s Speech: new employment and equality laws to be introduced

1. There’s a new Employment Rights Bill

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new government will introduce an Employment Rights Bill to improve working conditions. This includes making flexible working and protection from unfair dismissal available from day one of starting a new job.

The bill will strengthen Statutory Sick Pay by allowing people to get it from the first day of their absence and making it available to people on lower wages. The plans also propose establishing a Fair Pay Agreement for the adult social care sector, to try to address staffing pressures and training standards for social care workers.

2. The Equality (Race and Disability) Bill will be introduced

The draft Equality Bill outlines plans for employers with over 250 employees. They'll have to report on and disclose their disability pay gaps. This should make it easier for disabled people to bring unequal pay claims where they have been underpaid. The bill will also enshrine the full right to equal pay for ethnic minorities and disabled people in law.

3. Tobacco sales will be banned for people born after 2009

The Government is also planning to improve the NHS for all, including reducing waiting list times and focusing on prevention. They’re picking up the previous government’s legislation to ban tobacco sales for anyone born after 2009. We supported this at the time, recognising that quitting smoking can be hugely important in slowing the progression of MS, by reducing the risk of disability increasing year-on-year.

Read more about smoking and MS

Our Head of Policy Ceri Smith said:

“Right now, too many people with MS face barriers to getting and staying in good quality work. So we welcome the Employment Rights Bill announced in today’s King’s Speech, which aims to reduce some of these obstacles.

MS can be debilitating, exhausting and unpredictable. Improving rights to request flexible working will help many with MS to manage their condition and stay in employment. We’re glad to see the bill will propose reforming Statutory Sick Pay and tackling inequality through mandatory disability pay gap reporting. We want the government to bring forward legislation so these changes can happen as soon as possible, and to engage with the MS community throughout that process.”

The King’s Speech also coincided with us meeting the new Minister for Social Security and Disability. As part of the Disability Benefits Consortium, we met with Stephen Timms MP to discuss our priorities for people affected by MS, and the new government’s plans for social security. It was a positive meeting and the minister told us he was keen to work closely with the charity sector and engage disabled people directly in policymaking.

MPs are debating the content of the King’s Speech this week and will continue into next week.