From April, the Employment Rights Act 2025 will bring significant changes for businesses across the UK. These include ending exploitative zero-hour contracts, introducing Statutory Sick Pay from day one, and requiring organisations with 250 or more employees to implement a Menopause Action Plan.

While these reforms aim to strengthen employee rights and improve workplace wellbeing, they also create new challenges for organisations when it comes to managing absence and supporting staff health.

Statutory Sick Pay from Day One

The introduction of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from day one removes the waiting period, giving employees financial support immediately when they are unable to work. While this change provides important protection for employees, it also reinforces the need for organisations to focus on preventative health measures. With 35.7 million working days lost due to work-related ill health in 2025, supporting employee health and wellbeing has become a key priority in the modern workplace. A Medicash health cash plan helps employees access everyday healthcare, covering the cost of optical and dental treatments, physiotherapy appointments, private screenings, complementary therapies, and more.

Digital wellbeing tools available through the My Medicash App also help employees monitor and manage their health proactively.

Phio, our clinically-led physiotherapy app, provides 24/7 personalised guidance, adapts to over 3,000 injury scenarios, and tracks progress for faster recovery.

HealthLens uses a smartphone camera to analyse subtle changes in blood flow beneath the skin. In just 30 seconds, it provides insights into key health indicators such as blood pressure, heart rate, and potential stroke or cardiac risk, helping employees take action early if needed.

mProve YOURSELF offers guided meditations, fitness and yoga videos, and self-help resources, helping employees manage stress and build resilience. By supporting both physical and mental health, organisations can reduce the risk of long-term sickness absence and improve overall productivity.

Eargym provides personalised hearing assessments and tailored training programmes, helping employees check and improve their hearing health from home in a simple, accessible way.

SkinVision offers a clinically validated skin health screening tool that provides a risk assessment in under 30 seconds. It helps identify early signs of skin cancer and gives employees greater peace of mind.

Menopause Action Plan

Women aged 50 and over are the fastest-growing demographic in the workplace today. With 1 in 6 considering resigning due to menopause symptoms, supporting employees through this stage of life is becoming essential for organisations that value wellbeing and retention.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 will require organisations with 250 or more employees to implement a menopause action plan. For many, this is an opportunity to create a more inclusive and supportive workplace culture.

Our sister organisation, Health@Work, offers a range of menopause training courses designed to help organisations provide effective support, alongside resources such as the Employer’s Guide to Menopause at Work.

More information about these courses can be found here.

Has your organisation started preparing for these changes?

At Medicash, we are driven by a clear vision: to help one million people live healthier lives. Through our health cash plans, digital wellbeing tools, and training delivered via Health@Work, we help organisations of all sizes and sectors give employees the support they need to manage their health, reduce absenteeism, and feel valued at work.

Contact us today to find out how we can help your organisation prepare for these changes.