In October 2012 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announced its latest proposal aimed at reducing the burden of employment law on businesses and at the same time encouraging employees to hold an equity stake in the companies that employ them. The timetable for implementation is very short, the intention being that employers will be able to use Employee Shareholder Agreements (ESAs) from April 2013.

The initial consultation period ended in November and following announcements in the draft Finance Bill 2013 the government is determined to press ahead.