A plain-English check of your redundancy rights in England & Wales — fair process, consultation, redundancy pay, and the warning signs of an unfair selection.
Redundancy is a specific legal reason for dismissal — the work has ceased or diminished, a workplace has closed, or fewer people are needed. A reorganisation dressed up as redundancy, or a redundancy used to remove one particular person, may be an unfair dismissal or discrimination instead.
A fair redundancy normally needs a fair selection pool, objective selection criteria, meaningful individual consultation, and consideration of suitable alternative employment. Where 20+ roles are at risk at one establishment, collective consultation duties apply. Skipping these steps is where most unfair-redundancy claims are won.
If you have at least two years' continuous service you are usually entitled to statutory redundancy pay, calculated from age, length of service, and a capped week's pay — plus your statutory or contractual notice. Many contracts provide enhanced terms; the review checks what you are actually owed.
Look for a genuine redundancy situation, a fair selection pool and criteria, real consultation, and a search for alternative roles. The Counsel's employment review walks through each stage against England & Wales law and flags where the process looks defective.
Statutory redundancy pay generally requires two years' service and is based on your age, complete years of service, and a week's pay subject to the statutory cap. Your contract may provide more. The tool estimates the statutory position and flags enhanced terms to check.
You can be included in a genuine redundancy, but you have additional protections — for example priority for suitable alternative vacancies — and selecting someone because of pregnancy, maternity, disability or another protected characteristic is discrimination. These are red flags worth advice.
The Counsel is an AI tool for England & Wales. It provides legal information, not legal advice, and does not replace a regulated solicitor. For anything high-value or contested, take advice before you act.
How to review an employment contract under the law of England & Wales — what to check before you sign, and the clauses that quietly cost you later.
What counts as unfair dismissal in England & Wales, the time limits that catch people out, and how to prepare a grievance or early-conciliation letter.
How to review a settlement agreement before you sign — what the figure should reflect, the tax treatment, references, and the independent-advice requirement.