People Legal Limited

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People Legal Limited We are a niche employment law firm based in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“Chris and his team were extremely helpful, very responsive, and very professional. They made the whole experi...
15/10/2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Chris and his team were extremely helpful, very responsive, and very professional. They made the whole experience simple and fast, and everything was explained in full. I was kept updated at every step of the way.”

Good legal advice should make things clearer, not more complicated.

When you’re dealing with an employment matter, the last thing you need is uncertainty over what’s happening, what comes next, or whether someone is keeping things moving.

That’s why we focus on clear advice, quick responses, and keeping our clients informed at every stage.

If you want to know more about our services, visit our website https://people.legal/ or email [email protected] to arrange a chat with a team member.

New statutory bereavement leave rights, including specific protection following pregnancy loss, are set to come into for...
13/10/2026

New statutory bereavement leave rights, including specific protection following pregnancy loss, are set to come into force in April 2027, the Government has confirmed.

The new right will give employees who lose a spouse or partner, parent, adult child, or sibling the right to take bereavement leave. It will also cover step, half, adoptive, kinship care, and foster relationships.

The changes will also introduce a right to up to two weeks of unpaid leave following pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, including miscarriage, termination, and unsuccessful IVF embryo transfers. The entitlement will extend to partners, the other biological parent, and intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement.

The leave will be a day-one right and can be taken flexibly within 56 weeks of the loss, including as individual days rather than one continuous period. Employees will not be required to provide evidence of their loss, and those taking bereavement leave will be protected from detriment or dismissal for exercising the right.

The new provisions build on existing Parental Bereavement Leave, which already provides eligible parents with two weeks' leave following the death of a child or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The Government is expected to introduce the detailed legislation through secondary legislation ahead of the April 2027 implementation date.

A teacher has been awarded over £137,000 after an Employment Tribunal found that comments made about her sickness absenc...
08/10/2026

A teacher has been awarded over £137,000 after an Employment Tribunal found that comments made about her sickness absence amounted to disability-related harassment.

Ms Robinson was a design and technology teacher at Southgate School in Enfield, after joining the Middlesex Learning Trust on a one-year contract in September 2020.

During her employment, Ms Robinson experienced several periods of sickness absence, including following COVID-19, sciatica, and back surgery. She was absent for around five months following a discectomy before returning on a phased basis, and later had further absences because of migraines.

When the Trust reviewed whether to renew her contract, comments were made about her absence. The Tribunal heard that the headteacher suggested it would be “easy to be cynical” about the timing of her return following surgery, while a senior deputy head said that both students and colleagues had suffered as a result of her absence.

Ms Robinson brought claims including disability harassment, disability discrimination, and failure to make reasonable adjustments.

The Tribunal found in her favour on the disability harassment claim and awarded £137,112 in damages for harassment relating to disability; however, her other claims were dismissed.

From 1 January 2027, an employee can still gain unfair dismissal protection after six months of continuous employment, e...
06/10/2026

From 1 January 2027, an employee can still gain unfair dismissal protection after six months of continuous employment, even if they have been absent for a significant period during their probation.

From 1 January 2027, the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal protection will reduce from two years to six months.

An absence does not pause or reset an employee’s continuous employment. This means that an employee who has been employed for six months can generally reach the qualifying period even if they have spent part or even all of that time away from work.

However, a significant absence during probation can create a different issue: the employer may not have had enough opportunity to properly assess the employee’s performance or suitability for the role.

In these circumstances, an employer may be able to extend the probationary period, provided this is handled appropriately. An extension does not, however, prevent the employee from reaching six months’ service and gaining unfair dismissal protection.

The introduction of the six-month qualifying period makes the relationship between probation and unfair dismissal protection particularly important. A probationary period can still be extended, but it should not be treated as a way of extending the period before an employee gains statutory protection. Therefore, employers should ensure their contracts provide for a three month probationary period, extendable by one or potentially two month’s only, bearing in mind that employees will gain unfair dismissal protection one week before their six month anniversary.

It is also important to remember that some employment rights already apply from day one, including protection from discrimination and automatically unfair dismissal in certain circumstances.

If you would like to know more about unfair dismissal protection, or you would like to learn more about how we can support you, visit our website https://people.legal/ or email [email protected] to arrange a chat with a team member.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"Excellent experience and very positive outcome with the People Legal team - comprehensive and actionable advi...
01/10/2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Excellent experience and very positive outcome with the People Legal team - comprehensive and actionable advice, delivered in an extremely professional and timely manner - great service all round and highly recommended.”

When you’re dealing with an employment matter, good advice needs to be more than technically correct. It needs to be clear, practical and something you can actually act on.

That’s why we focus on providing advice that is tailored to the situation, delivered promptly and explained in a way that gives clients clarity over their options and next steps.

A positive outcome is important, but so is feeling supported and confident throughout the process.

If you want to know more about our services, visit our website https://people.legal/ or email [email protected] to arrange a chat with a team member.

The Employment Tribunal backlog is continuing to grow, with the number of open single claims rising by 9% in just three ...
29/09/2026

The Employment Tribunal backlog is continuing to grow, with the number of open single claims rising by 9% in just three months, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Justice.

There were 70,000 open single Employment Tribunal cases at the end of June 2026, up from 64,000 at the end of March. The latest figures also show that 14,000 single claims were received during the quarter, while just 6,100 were disposed of.

The figures have prompted concerns about the capacity of the Tribunal system ahead of significant employment law changes.

From 1 October 2026, the time limit for bringing most Employment Tribunal claims will increase from three months to six months. Then, from 1 January 2027, the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal protection will reduce from two years to six months. The statutory cap on calculating compensation for unfair dismissal will also be removed making it less likely that cases will settle before reaching a hearing.

RSM UK has warned that these changes could put further pressure on an already stretched system, particularly as more employees become eligible to bring unfair dismissal claims, and has called for an overhaul of the current Tribunal system to address the growing backlog.

From 1 October 2026, the time limit for bringing most Employment Tribunal claims will increase from three months to six months. Then, from 1 January 2027, the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal protection will reduce from two years to six months. The statutory cap on calculating compensation for unfair dismissal will also be removed, making it less likely that cases will settle before reaching a hearing.

The former Chief Executive of Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded £1.4 million after an Employment...
24/09/2026

The former Chief Executive of Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded £1.4 million after an Employment Tribunal found she was unfairly dismissed and subjected to detriment after raising concerns about the Trust’s then chairman.

Dr Gilby had been Chief Executive of the Trust since 2018 and led the organisation through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trust was also the organisation where Lucy Letby worked.

Dr Gilby had raised concerns about what she described as bullying, harassment and intimidating behaviour by the chairman, including concerns relating to patient safety. She subsequently submitted a formal grievance in 2022.

The Tribunal found that senior figures at the Trust had coordinated efforts to remove Dr Gilby from her position. A group referred to as “Project Countess” was established, and the Tribunal concluded that a case had been constructed against her to justify her removal.

Dr Gilby was suspended in December 2022 and later resigned. The Tribunal found that her protected disclosures had materially influenced the treatment she received and that she had been constructively unfairly dismissed.

The judgment also criticised the handling of evidence, finding that relevant documents and emails had been deleted or were unavailable.

The £1.4 million compensation was agreed following the Tribunal's findings and is reported to be one of the largest awards involving a former NHS employee.

Potentially, yes, from January 2027 onwards. From 1 January 2027, employees will qualify for ordinary unfair dismissal p...
22/09/2026

Potentially, yes, from January 2027 onwards.

From 1 January 2027, employees will qualify for ordinary unfair dismissal protection once they have six months’ continuous service.

So what happens if an employer dismisses someone just before they reach six months and makes a payment in lieu of notice (PILON)?

The employee may still qualify, as the qualifying period is measured by reference to the effective date of termination (EDT).

Where an employee is dismissed without notice, statutory notice provisions can effectively extend the period of employment for the purposes of establishing whether they have reached the qualifying period. For employees with at least one month's service, the statutory minimum notice is one week, unless an exception such as gross misconduct applies.

Importantly, paying an employee in lieu of notice does not allow an employer to simply bring the employment relationship to an end immediately before the employee reaches the qualifying period and avoid the new unfair dismissal protections.

With the qualifying period reducing from two years to six months, timing dismissals around the end of probation will require careful consideration. Employers should review their probation processes, notice arrangements and approach to performance management now, rather than relying on a dismissal shortly before the six-month point. This is particularly the case given that the statutory cap applicable to assessing compensation for unfair dismissal claims is due to be removed at the same time.

It is also important to remember that employees can still have protection from certain types of dismissal from day one, including certain types of automatically unfair dismissal and discrimination claims.

If you would like to know more about employee dismissal, or you would like to learn more about how we can support you, visit our website https://people.legal/ or email [email protected] to arrange a chat with a team member.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️"We were introduced to People Legal Limited and particularly Chris McAvoy-Newns by our PEO. Chris and his team...
17/09/2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"We were introduced to People Legal Limited and particularly Chris McAvoy-Newns by our PEO. Chris and his team were extremely knowledgeable and responsive when helping us with an employment matter. They quickly gained our trust, provided great counsel, and guided us through a process which we were not previously familiar with. The People Legal team provided timely and detailed communications and kept us apprised throughout the engagement. I cannot recommend them enough. People Legal Limited provided excellent service for a reasonable fee."

When employment law feels unfamiliar, having the right people in your corner matters.

We don’t just provide legal advice - we help clients understand what’s happening, what their options are, and what they need to do next.

From the first conversation through to the final outcome, our focus is on providing clear, practical advice, timely communication, and the confidence that comes from knowing you have experienced employment law specialists guiding you through the process.

If you want to know more about our services, visit our website https://people.legal/ or email [email protected] to arrange a chat with a team member.

With changes to the unfair dismissal regime on the horizon, employers are being urged to start preparing now rather than...
15/09/2026

With changes to the unfair dismissal regime on the horizon, employers are being urged to start preparing now rather than waiting for the new rules to take effect.

The qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal is set to reduce from two years to six months, meaning significantly more employees will have protection against unfair dismissal.

For employers, this could mean greater scrutiny of decisions to dismiss, particularly during the early stages of employment.

The change makes it increasingly important to ensure recruitment, probation, and performance management processes are robust, consistent, and properly documented. Employers should also review contracts, policies, and dismissal procedures to ensure managers understand what is expected of them.

A well-managed process will be increasingly important where an employee's performance, conduct, or suitability is in question. Decisions should be supported by clear evidence, and employers should be able to demonstrate that a fair and reasonable process has been followed.

With the employment landscape continuing to change, now is the time for businesses to review their current approach and identify where changes may be needed.

Waiting until the new regime is in force could leave employers trying to adapt processes when they are already dealing with a difficult employee relations issue.

Address

81 Chapel Lane
Wilmslow
SK95JH

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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