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Since April 2026, employers in England, Scotland and Wales have been able to publish an equality action plan voluntarily. Subject to legislation, publication is expected to become mandatory from spring 2027 for employers with 250 or more employees.
One of the areas the plan must cover is how you support employees experiencing menopause.
But building a plan should be about more than meeting a future reporting requirement.
These plans will be published through the government's gender pay gap service, alongside your pay gap data. That means employees, candidates and other employers will be able to see what you have committed to doing.
So the useful question is not just when you need to publish. It’s what should your menopause action plan actually say?
Our latest guide explains what the UK guidance asks employers to do, the six menopause actions you can choose from, and how to build a plan that leads to meaningful support.
Menopause action plan vs policy
Many organisations already have a menopause policy. That is a good place to start, but a policy and an action plan serve different purposes.
A menopause policy sets out your approach. It explains what support is available, what managers should do and how employees can access help.
A menopause action plan focuses on what you are going to do.
It:
- Sets out specific actions
- Shows what you are working on
- States whether actions are new, in progress or already embedded
- Gives you something to review over time
In simple terms, your policy explains your approach. Your action plan explains what you are doing about it.
Employment Rights Act menopause requirements
The Employment Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025. Among its provisions is a requirement for larger employers to publish an equality action plan covering two areas: steps to reduce their gender pay gap and steps to support employees experiencing menopause.
What to include in a menopause action plan
The government guidance gives employers a list of 18 recommended actions. You need to choose at least two actions for your equality action plan.
At least one must address your gender pay gap, and at least one must support employees experiencing menopause.
For each action, you need to state whether it is new, in progress or embedded. At least two of your chosen actions must be new or in progress. Choosing only actions that are already embedded will not meet the requirement.
You can also include a supporting narrative explaining your organisation's circumstances, what your data shows and why you chose your actions.
The guidance encourages employers to be ambitious, involve senior leaders and discuss their plans with trade unions and employee networks.
That matters because the right actions will look different across organisations. A shift-based workforce may need different support from an office-based team. The needs of a manufacturing site may differ from those of a remote workforce.
Your plan should reflect the people and roles in your organisation.
How to build a menopause action plan, step by step
The government sets out six steps for creating an equality action plan.
- Step 1: Understand the issues in your organisation
- Steps 2 and 3: Choose your actions and write your narrative
- Step 4: Submit your plan
- Between steps 4 and 5: Deliver the actions
- Steps 5 and 6: Track and review
Download our employer guide for a more detailed look into how to apply these six steps specifically to menopause support.
What separates a plan that works from one that doesn’t?
A good action plan is only the starting point. Three things can make the difference between a commitment on paper and support people can actually use.
- Make adjustments practical and review them
- Give managers the confidence to help
- Make support accessible
Why this matters for your workforce
The case for better menopause support is about more than compliance.
Research from the CIPD, based on more than 2,000 employed women aged 40 to 60, found that 67% of those who had experienced menopausal symptoms said they had a mostly negative effect on them at work. Around one in six had considered leaving work because of a lack of support, while 6% had left. More than a quarter said menopause had affected their career progression.
A published action plan gives employers a reason to look closely at the support they provide.
The strongest plans will not simply list actions. They will be based on what employees need, have clear ownership and make it easier for people to get the right support when they need it.
Because the real measure of a menopause action plan is not whether it has been published.It’s whether someone's experience at work is better because of it.
