How Long Is TUPE Valid For? Employer Guide (2026)

Employers involved in business acquisitions, outsourcing arrangements or contract retenders often ask a practical question about the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE): how long is TUPE valid for? Understanding the duration of TUPE protections is critical for organisations inheriting employees following a transfer, particularly where the incoming employer intends to restructure […]
TUPE Explained 2026: Employer Guide to Staff Transfers

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006, commonly referred to as TUPE, form a key part of UK employment law. The regulations are designed to protect employees where a “relevant transfer” takes place, meaning either a business transfer or a service provision change, and the business or service they work for transfers to […]
When Does TUPE Not Apply?

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) protect employees when the business or service they work for moves to a new employer. Where TUPE applies, employees assigned to the transferring business or service move automatically to the new employer with their existing employment rights preserved. This includes continuity of employment and most […]
Notice to Employees When Selling a Business (TUPE)

Selling a business involves multiple, complex obligations and considerations, including how you manage and support your workforce through the process. The following guide for employers examines the rules relating to employee rights on the asset sale of a company — including how much notice to give employees when selling a business, together with advice and […]
TUPE Meaning UK: What It Is & When It Applies 2026

Section A: What does TUPE mean in practice for an employer? For employers, TUPE is not simply a rule about preserving jobs. In practical terms, it is a legal mechanism that reallocates employment risk when a business, part of a business or a service changes hands. It determines whether employees move automatically to […]
TUPE Q and A for Employees: Employer Guide

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006, or ‘TUPE regulations’, ensure that employees are not unfairly disadvantaged when their employment is transferred to a new employer. Under TUPE, the employment contracts of transferring employees, including all rights and obligations, must be preserved by the incoming employer, and both the outgoing and incoming employers […]
When Does TUPE Apply? An Employer’s Guide

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) 2006 are notoriously onerous on employers. However, TUPE only applies to certain types of business transactions and transfers. As such, employers will need to determine if a transaction is covered by TUPE before proceeding with the transfer, as this will shape both affected employees’ rights and […]
Mergers, Acquisitions & TUPE

Successful business transfers rely on effective HR due diligence, integration planning and employee engagement. We advise on the human aspects of corporate transactions. The HR elements of change initiatives such as mergers, acquisitions and other TUPE relevant transfers can often fall behind financial and regulatory concerns. But there is growing recognition that sustainable post-transfer success […]
Can You Change a Contract After TUPE?

Under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE), employees’ terms and conditions of employment are protected when a business or service is transferred to a new employer. Following a transfer, employers cannot make changes to employment contracts if the sole or main reason for the change is the transfer itself. Any changes made […]
ETO Reasons & TUPE: Making Workforce Changes

The ETO reason under TUPE refers to an Economic, Technical, or Organisational reason that can justify changes to employees’ roles or redundancies during or after a transfer of undertakings. TUPE, or the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, is designed to protect employees’ terms and conditions when their employment transfers to a new employer […]