Redundancy: UK employment law

Essential points

• A redundancy is a dismissal that occurs when a role is no longer needed – in other words, it becomes redundant.
• Employers should consult with employees when considering making redundancies if they wish to avoid any dismissals being unfair.
• Where 20 or more redundancies are planned at one establishment within a 90-day period, employers must follow the collective consultation rules in order to avoid unfair dismissals and protective awards.
• Employees under notice of redundancy have the right to time off to look for a new job.
• All employees selected for redundancy will be entitled to notice pay and those with at least two years’ service will be entitled to a statutory redundancy payment based on their length of service.
• The Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023 will extend the protections for those on Maternity, Adoption or Shared Paternity Leave.