What TUPE means
TUPE stands for the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment).
This law protects employees’ rights when a business, or part of it, changes ownership. In practice, TUPE ensures that staff move over to the new employer with their existing contracts, terms, and conditions intact. It prevents employers from using a transfer as a reason to reduce rights or dismiss staff unfairly.
For employers, TUPE can create challenges because it means taking on existing obligations, sometimes with little flexibility to change them.
For employees, it can feel unsettling not knowing whether their role or benefits will change. Either way, it’s a process that requires careful handling.
