The UK has a new government. Andy Burnham became Prime Minister on 20 July 2026, appointing Yvette Cooper as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and elevating the Women and Equalities brief, held by Bridget Phillipson, to a full cabinet role.
For HR and benefits leaders, the immediate question is what this means for workplace policy. Will the renewed Women's Health Strategy continue? Will employers still need menopause action plans? And does anything change for organisations already preparing for the Employment Rights Act 2025?
At this stage, the answer is reassuringly simple. While the new government may influence how quickly some policies are implemented, the overall direction has not changed. Women's health remains a clear government priority, and employers still have good reasons to prepare now rather than wait.
A cabinet with women's health experience
The new cabinet brings significant experience in health policy.
The Prime Minister is a former Health Secretary. Yvette Cooper returns to the Department of Health and Social Care more than 20 years after serving as a public health minister, and was the first UK government minister to take maternity leave while in office. In her first statement as Health Secretary, she identified improving maternity services as an immediate priority.
The decision to give the Women and Equalities brief full cabinet status is also significant. Bridget Phillipson led the introduction of government guidance on gender pay gap and menopause action plans in March 2026. Giving the role a seat at the cabinet table suggests these issues will continue to receive ministerial attention.
The renewed Women's Health Strategy remains in place
The renewed Women's Health Strategy, published in April 2026, sets out 117 actions over the next decade covering menopause, menstrual health, fertility, maternity services and earlier diagnosis. We explored the strategy in detail when it was published and you can read our analysis here.
Although the new government could revise delivery plans or funding priorities, there has been no indication that it intends to move away from the strategy's long-term objectives. The programme remains aligned with the NHS 10 Year Health Plan and continues to provide the framework for future policy.
The Employment Rights Act remains the key development for employers
For employers, the most important issue is the Employment Rights Act 2025 (previously known as the Employment Rights Bill).
The Act introduces new requirements for employers with 250 or more employees to publish equality action plans covering:
- their gender pay gap
- support for employees experiencing menopause
The current timetable is:
- From April 2026: employers have been encouraged to publish voluntary action plans using government guidance.
- From spring 2027: publication is expected to become mandatory, subject to secondary legislation.
- The exact commencement date: will now be determined by the new government.
The Act also strengthens day one employment rights and family-friendly protections affecting employees experiencing fertility treatment, pregnancy and menopause. Together, these developments make women's health not only an employee wellbeing issue, but an important compliance consideration.
What should an action plan include?
Under government guidance published in March 2026, employers are expected to include:
- at least one action to address their gender pay gap
- at least one action to support employees experiencing menopause
The guidance also encourages organisations to go beyond these minimum requirements by securing senior leadership support, considering the different experiences across their workforce and measuring progress over time.
What does not change
Whatever happens to the legislative timetable, two important things remain true.
Existing legal duties already apply
The Equality Act 2010 already protects employees from discrimination. Where menopause symptoms have a substantial and long-term effect on someone's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, employers may have a duty to make reasonable adjustments. The Equality and Human Rights Commission publishes guidance for employers on menopause in the workplace.
Health and safety legislation also requires employers to protect employees' wellbeing at work, and employment tribunals continue to hear menopause-related discrimination claims. Acas provides practical guidance on managing menopause at work.
Employee expectations are already here
Employees are not waiting for legislation. Research from the CIPD shows that more than one in four women say menopause has had a negative effect on their career progression, and around one in six have considered leaving work because of a lack of support with their symptoms. Employees navigating fertility treatment, pregnancy or menopause increasingly expect meaningful support from their employer, regardless of whether new legal requirements have taken effect.
What HR and benefits leaders can do now
The practical priorities remain largely unchanged.
- Assess your current position. Use absence data, employee feedback and exit interviews to understand where additional support is needed.
- Develop your action plan early. The voluntary period provides an opportunity to refine your approach before publication becomes mandatory.
- Go beyond minimum compliance. Manager training, specialist clinical support and clear workplace policies are more likely to improve employee experience than meeting the minimum legal requirements alone.
- Take a joined-up approach. Fertility, pregnancy, parental and menopause support work best when they form part of a single women's health strategy rather than standalone initiatives.
The bottom line
Governments change, but the challenges facing working women remain the same.
The Renewed Women's Health Strategy continues to set the direction for policy, while the Employment Rights Act is expected to introduce new employer requirements over the coming year. Although some implementation dates may change, organisations that begin preparing now will be in the strongest position when the new rules take effect.
Supporting women's health is no longer simply a wellbeing initiative. It is becoming an increasingly important part of attracting talent, improving retention, meeting legal obligations and building an inclusive workplace.
Carrot helps employers deliver connected fertility, pregnancy and menopause support across the UK and around the world. Get in touch to learn how we can support your workforce.
