Statutory guidance

Picketing: draft revised code of practice

The revised code of practice on picketing provides practical guidance on picketing in trade disputes, updated following the Employment Rights Act 2025.

• From: Department for Business and Trade
• Published: 16 January 2024
• Last updated: 9 January 2026 — See all updates

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

Code of practice issued by the Secretary of State under section 205 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992: picketing

PDF, 315 KB, 23 pages

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Explanatory memorandum to the code of practice on picketing 2026

Unnumbered act paper

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Details

This draft code and its corresponding explanatory memorandum, laid before both Houses of Parliament, shows the proposed consequential revisions of the code. This follows amendments made to the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 Act by the Employment Rights Act 2025. The revisions to the code relate to provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 that are due to come into force on 18 February 2026.

See the current code of practice on picketing.

Published 16 January 2024

Last updated 9 January 2026 + show all updates

1. 9 January 2026

   Updated with a new draft code and corresponding explanatory memorandum, laid before both Houses of Parliament, showing the proposed consequential revisions of the code.

2. 16 January 2024

   First published.