Statutory rights are the minimum legal standard. They exist regardless of what your employer tells you, what your contract says, or what has been informally agreed. They cannot be contracted away. An employer who states that a right does not apply to your situation is not necessarily correct.
These rights apply to employees — not workers, not contractors, and not self-employed individuals. If your employment status is in doubt, that question must be resolved first, because it determines whether the rights below are available to you at all.
The Right to Redundancy Pay
If you have at least two years of continuous employment with the same employer, you are entitled to statutory redundancy pay. The amount is calculated using your age, your weekly pay (subject to a statutory cap), and your number of complete years of service. The formula produces a figure in weeks' pay.
Continuous employment is not broken by a change in job title or role within the same organisation. A gap in employment can break continuity, with limited exceptions. If your employment transferred under TUPE regulations, that service counts towards your total.
The statutory cap on a week's pay is reviewed each April. For 2024–25 it stands at £643. The maximum award — 30 weeks at the capped rate — is £19,290. Your employer may offer enhanced redundancy pay above this figure; they are not required to. See Redundancy Pay for the full calculation.
The Right to Notice
You are entitled to a minimum notice period before your employment ends. The statutory minimum is one week per complete year of continuous employment, up to a maximum of twelve weeks. This applies once you have been employed for one month. Employees with less than one month's service have no statutory notice entitlement.
Your contract may specify a longer notice period. If it does, that contractual figure applies — it cannot be reduced to the statutory minimum without your agreement. Your employer may make a payment in lieu of notice (PILON) rather than require you to work the period, provided this is permitted under your contract or agreed between the parties. See Notice Period for how PILON affects tax and redundancy pay calculations.
The Right to Consultation
Your employer is required to consult with you before a redundancy decision is confirmed. Consultation must be meaningful — it must take place at a stage when your input can still influence the outcome. A meeting at which the decision has already been made does not satisfy this obligation.
Where 20 or more employees are being made redundant within a 90-day period at a single establishment, collective consultation rules apply. The minimum consultation period is 45 days. Where fewer than 20 redundancies are proposed, no minimum period is prescribed, but individual consultation must still occur. See Consultation for what a lawful process requires.
The Right to Appeal
You have the right to appeal a redundancy decision. Employers are not legally required to offer an appeal in every case, but failure to do so is likely to be considered in any subsequent tribunal claim and may render a dismissal procedurally unfair.
An appeal must be submitted promptly and in writing. Set out your grounds clearly. The appeal should be heard by someone who was not involved in the original decision where possible. See Appeals for how to construct a viable appeal.
Time Limits
A claim for statutory redundancy pay must be made within six months of your employment ending. A claim for unfair dismissal must be submitted to an employment tribunal within three months less one day of the effective date of termination. These limits are strictly enforced. Extensions are granted only in limited circumstances where it was not reasonably practicable to bring the claim in time.
Do not assume that ongoing internal negotiations pause these clocks. If the time limit is approaching, submit the tribunal claim as a protective measure. A claim can be withdrawn later; a missed deadline cannot be recovered.
| Right | Eligibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory redundancy pay | 2+ years' continuous service | Age-banded formula; weekly pay capped at £643 (2024–25) |
| Statutory notice | 1+ month's service | 1 week per year of service, up to 12 weeks; contractual notice may be higher |
| Individual consultation | All employees | Must be meaningful; no statutory minimum period for fewer than 20 redundancies |
| Collective consultation | 20+ redundancies in 90 days | Minimum 45 days; employer must notify BEIS (HR1 form) |
| Right of accompaniment | All employees | Trade union rep or workplace colleague; applies to formal consultation meetings |
| Appeal | All employees | Not always contractually guaranteed; absence may indicate procedural unfairness |
| Unfair dismissal claim | 2+ years' service (general) | 3 months less one day from termination date; employment tribunal |
| Redundancy pay claim | 2+ years' service | 6 months from termination date; employment tribunal if employer refuses |
The figures and thresholds on this page are current as of 2026. For a personal calculation, use the GOV.UK redundancy pay calculator. For case-specific guidance on employment status or disputed entitlements, Citizens Advice provides free initial guidance and can refer to further support where necessary.