Redundancy Notice Period Calculator UK 2026

When made redundant, you are entitled to a statutory minimum notice period based on length of service: 1 week for each complete year worked, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. Your employer can either give you working notice or pay in lieu of notice (PILON). During notice, you continue to receive your full pay and benefits. If your employment contract offers a longer notice period, you are entitled to the longer contractual notice, not just the statutory minimum. No sign-up required — your data never leaves your browser. Works instantly on desktop, tablet, and mobile. Completely free with no daily usage limits, no watermarks, and no account needed. Trusted by students, professionals, and businesses worldwide. FixFlowHub is a browser-based toolbox with 120+ free utilities covering PDF, image, text, calculator, and productivity tools.

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How much notice you are entitled to

Statutory notice is separate from redundancy pay and is calculated differently. It runs from one week where you have been employed between one month and two years, then one week for each complete year of service between two and twelve years, and is capped at twelve weeks once you reach twelve years.

So five years of service gives five weeks, ten years gives ten weeks, and fifteen years still gives twelve — the cap bites at twelve years and nothing beyond that adds to the statutory figure.

Your contract may provide more, and where it does the contractual period applies. Senior roles frequently carry three or six months' notice, which can be worth considerably more than the statutory entitlement. Check the contract before assuming the statutory minimum is what you are owed; the statutory figure is a floor, not a ceiling.

  • 1 month to 2 years' service: 1 week
  • 2 to 12 years' service: 1 week per complete year
  • 12 years or more: 12 weeks, and no more
  • Contractual notice overrides the statutory minimum where it is longer

Notice pay is on top of redundancy pay

This is the point most often misunderstood, and it costs people money. Notice pay and redundancy pay are separate legal entitlements. An employer cannot offset one against the other, and a package that describes a single figure as covering both should be questioned.

You are entitled to be paid for the notice period whether you work it, are placed on garden leave, or are paid in lieu of working it. The choice between those is generally the employer's, subject to what the contract says.

Worked example. Ten years of service at £600 a week gives ten weeks of statutory notice, worth £6,000, in addition to whatever the redundancy calculation produces. Accrued untaken holiday and any outstanding salary are separate again.

Payment in lieu of notice, and how it is taxed

Pay in lieu of notice — PILON — means the employer ends the employment immediately and pays the notice period as a lump sum rather than having you work it.

PILON is taxed as earnings in full. It goes through PAYE with National Insurance deducted, and it does not benefit from the £30,000 tax-free threshold that applies to genuine redundancy compensation. This is a common and expensive misunderstanding: people see a package under £30,000 and assume the whole of it arrives tax-free, when the notice element never does.

The rules were tightened specifically to stop notice pay being dressed up as redundancy compensation, so how the payment is labelled in the agreement does not change the outcome. HMRC looks at what the payment is actually for.

Garden leave is different again. There you remain employed, still receive normal pay and benefits, and remain bound by your contract — including any confidentiality and exclusivity obligations — but are told not to attend work.

Your rights during the notice period

During notice you remain an employee with your normal contractual entitlements, and holiday continues to accrue. Your employer can require you to take accrued holiday during the notice period if the contract permits, so check whether unused days will be paid out or used up.

If you have been continuously employed for at least two years and are under notice of redundancy, you are entitled to reasonable paid time off during working hours to look for another job or arrange training. Employers do not always volunteer this.

You can also leave before the notice period ends if you find another role, but doing so can affect your redundancy entitlement. Give written notice to your employer and ask them to confirm in writing that your redundancy payment is unaffected before you commit to a new start date.

When notice can be shortened or refused

Redundancy always requires proper notice or payment in lieu. An employer cannot end a redundancy without either, and dismissing without notice in a redundancy situation is a breach of contract you can pursue.

The only circumstance in which notice can be dispensed with entirely is dismissal for gross misconduct, which is a different kind of dismissal altogether — not a redundancy. If an employer reclassifies a redundancy as misconduct at the point of exit, that is a significant change to your position and worth taking advice on immediately.

Where a large-scale redundancy is planned, separate collective consultation obligations apply before any notice is given. Failure to consult properly can give rise to a protective award, which is compensation in addition to redundancy and notice pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is my statutory notice period for redundancy?

One week if you have between one month and two years' service, then one week per complete year between two and twelve years, capped at twelve weeks. Fifteen years of service still gives twelve weeks. Your contract may provide longer, and where it does, the contractual period applies.

Is notice pay on top of redundancy pay?

Yes. They are separate entitlements and an employer cannot offset one against the other. Ten years of service at £600 a week gives ten weeks of notice worth £6,000 in addition to the redundancy calculation. Accrued holiday and outstanding salary are separate again.

Is payment in lieu of notice taxed?

Yes, in full. PILON is taxed as earnings through PAYE with National Insurance and does not benefit from the £30,000 tax-free threshold that applies to genuine redundancy compensation. Labelling it differently in the agreement does not change this — HMRC looks at what the payment is actually for.

What is garden leave?

Garden leave means you remain employed and continue to receive normal pay and benefits during the notice period, but are told not to attend work. You stay bound by your contract throughout, including confidentiality and exclusivity terms, which is the main practical difference from being paid in lieu.

Can I be made redundant without notice?

No. Redundancy always requires proper notice or payment in lieu of it, and dismissing without either is a breach of contract. Notice can only be dispensed with for gross misconduct, which is a different kind of dismissal entirely — if a redundancy is reclassified that way at exit, take advice immediately.

Can I take time off to look for a job during my notice?

If you have at least two years' continuous service and are under notice of redundancy, you are entitled to reasonable paid time off during working hours to look for work or arrange training. Employers do not always mention this, so ask.

What happens if I leave before my notice period ends?

You can leave early if you find another job, but it can affect your redundancy entitlement. Give written notice and get written confirmation from your employer that your redundancy payment is unaffected before committing to a new start date.

Does holiday accrue during the notice period?

Yes, you remain an employee and holiday continues to accrue. Your employer may be able to require you to take accrued holiday during notice if your contract allows it, so check whether unused days will be paid out or used up before the employment ends.

Disclaimer

This calculator provides an estimate of statutory notice entitlement for planning purposes. It is not legal or financial advice. Your contract may provide longer notice than the statutory minimum, and the correct figure depends on your actual service dates. Take advice from an employment solicitor or Acas before accepting a redundancy settlement.

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