England, Scotland & Wales unfair dismissal: is the qualifying period still 2 years?

For dismissals with an effective date before 1 January 2027, the ordinary unfair-dismissal qualifying period remains 2 years in Great Britain. From 1 January 2027, the Employment Rights Act reforms reduce that period to 6 months. Automatically unfair dismissal and discrimination protections can apply differently and may not require the ordinary qualifying period. Official source: GOV.UK. Guide: https://getinstantlaw.com/employment-workplace-problems/fired-from-job