Make Work Pay: draft code of practice on trade union right of access
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
This consultation invited views on the clarity and accessibility of the draft statutory code of practice on trade union right of access to workplaces. The government would like to thank all those who responded.
The consultation received over 793 responses from:
- employers
- trade unions
- business groups
- legal bodies
- academics
The government considered the responses carefully and the code has been revised based on this feedback. This response sets out the changes made and explains the reasons for them.
The revised draft code of practice was laid in Parliament on 6 July 2026, alongside secondary legislation setting out the operational and procedural details of the right of access framework. Subject to approval by both houses, the code and secondary legislation is expected to come into force in October 2026.
Original consultation
Consultation description
The government is introducing a new statutory code of practice to support the new legal framework for trade unions and employers when negotiating trade unions’ access into workplaces.
This new code will be the main source of practical guidance on the new statutory access framework. It will include:
- how access requests should be made
- how access agreements should be negotiated and implemented across different types of workplaces
- best practice examples to support effective engagement
This consultation invites views from all interested parties to ensure the new code of practice is clear, practical and balanced.
Documents
Updates to this page
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'Explanatory memorandum to the draft code of practice: right of trade unions to access workplaces' added to page.
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Response to the consultation, code of practice and final impact assessment added.
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First published.