How long is the notice period?
Your redundancy notice period is the longer of your contractual notice and the statutory minimum:
| Length of service | Statutory minimum notice |
|---|---|
| Under 1 month | None |
| 1 month to 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 to 12 years | 1 week per complete year |
| 12 years or more | 12 weeks (the maximum) |
If your contract says 3 months and you have 5 years' service, you get 3 months, because the contract is more generous than the 5 weeks the law requires.
Pay during notice
Your normal pay and contractual benefits continue throughout. If your employer ends your job sooner, they should pay the unworked notice, which is taxed as earnings (see notice pay if you leave early). Check the figure with the notice pay calculator and see what PILON is for why it is taxed differently from redundancy pay.
Extra rights during redundancy
- Time off to look for work. With 2 years' service you can take reasonable paid time off, with your employer required to pay up to 40% of a week's pay in total.
- A 4-week trial period in a suitable alternative role, without losing your redundancy rights if it does not work out.
- Consultation. Employers must consult, and extra protection applies if you are pregnant or on family leave. Where 20 or more redundancies are proposed at one establishment, collective consultation applies, starting at least 30 days before the first dismissal for 20 to 99 jobs, or 45 days for 100 or more.
How notice affects your redundancy pay
Notice and redundancy pay are separate payments, but they interact. If you are paid in lieu of notice, your redundancy pay may be calculated using the date your notice would have ended, which can add service. See the worked example in the notice pay and PILON guide.
What to do next
Check the notice you have been given against your contract and the table above, then run the redundancy pay calculator for your statutory payment. If your employer gave less notice than you are due, Acas can help you challenge it.