United Kingdom · New from 30 October 2026
Sexual and third-party harassment: the new UK employer duties from 30 October 2026
From 30 October 2026, employers in Great Britain must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, and must not permit staff to be harassed by customers, clients or other third parties.
Short answer
From 30 October 2026, sections 20–22 of the Employment Rights Act 2025 are in force. Employers in England, Wales and Scotland must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees, and must not permit harassment of employees by third parties, such as customers or clients. The law does not set a fixed training interval. SI 2026/1065, regulation 3 · business.gov.uk: what employers need to do
What changed on 30 October 2026?
The Employment Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/1065) bring three sections of the Act into force on 30 October 2026. SI 2026/1065
- Section 20 strengthens the existing duty: an employer must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of its employees.
- Section 21 adds a duty not to permit the harassment of employees by third parties, such as customers, clients, patients or members of the public.
- Section 22 gives the government power to set out in regulations what counts as "reasonable steps".
According to the government's employer guidance, the third-party duty covers harassment related to the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010, except pregnancy and maternity, and marriage and civil partnership. business.gov.uk
Who does it apply to?
All employers in England, Wales and Scotland, whatever their size. Northern Ireland is not covered by these provisions. Sectors with a lot of customer contact, such as hospitality, retail, care, events, security and recruitment, will feel the change most, because the third-party duty is new for them. business.gov.uk
Do staff now need a harassment certificate every two or three years?
No. The new law does not create a certificate or a fixed refresher interval. It requires reasonable steps, and training is one of the steps an employer is expected to consider, alongside policy, reporting routes and action on complaints. The government guidance points employers to Acas for training and practical advice. business.gov.uk · Acas: sexual harassment
A practical checklist for HR managers
- Assess where harassment could happen. Include contact with customers, late shifts, lone working, events and work away from base.
- Update the policy. Say clearly that harassment by third parties is covered, and what staff should do if it happens.
- Make reporting easy. Name more than one person staff can go to, and record every report and what was done.
- Brief managers and staff. Keep a record of who was briefed and when, so you can show the steps you took.
- Act on reports. Decide in advance what you will do about a customer or client who harasses staff, including refusing service.
- Review regularly. Check the measures after any incident, and when the way you work changes.
This checklist is a practical summary, not a definition of "reasonable steps". The law may be supplemented by regulations made under section 22. Check the official guidance before relying on it.
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Official sources
- SI 2026/1065: Employment Rights Act 2025 (Commencement No. 6) Regulations 2026legislation.gov.uk · Checked 2026-10-30
- Workplace sexual harassment and third-party harassmentbusiness.gov.uk · Checked 2026-10-30
- Acas: sexual harassmentacas.org.uk · Checked 2026-10-30