Redundancy Solicitors in London
Advice for employers making redundancies and for employees who have been made redundant, from SRA-regulated employment solicitors in Central and East London.
Adam Bernard Solicitors are London redundancy solicitors who advise both employers making redundancies and employees who have been made redundant. A redundancy is lawful only when the role has genuinely gone, selection is fair and the right consultation process is followed. Our SRA-regulated employment solicitors, based in High Holborn and Upton Park, help you get each of these right, or challenge them when they go wrong.
Call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book a video consultation by Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype.
How our redundancy solicitors can help you
If you are an employer: we help you plan and run a lawful redundancy, from the business case and selection criteria to collective consultation, the HR1 form and settlement agreements. See our full guide to redundancy advice for employers.
If you are an employee: we review whether your redundancy was genuine and fair, check your redundancy pay and advise on a claim or settlement. See our guide to redundancy claims.
What makes a redundancy lawful?
A redundancy is lawful when there is a genuine redundancy situation, employees are selected fairly and the employer follows a fair procedure. GOV.UK says a job is genuinely redundant when it no longer exists. For example, the business is closing, relocating, or changing what it does or how it works.
A fair procedure usually includes:
- Taking steps to avoid compulsory redundancies first, such as asking for volunteers or stopping overtime.
- Using fair, objective selection criteria.
- Consulting individually and, for 20 or more redundancies, collectively.
- Offering any suitable alternative job.
- Giving the correct notice and redundancy pay.
If any of these steps is missed, the redundancy may be an unfair dismissal.
Redundancy rules at a glance (2026)
| Rule | Current position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory redundancy pay eligibility | Employees with 2+ years’ continuous service | GOV.UK |
| Pay per full year of service | 0.5 week (under 22), 1 week (22–40), 1.5 weeks (41+) | GOV.UK |
| Weekly pay cap | £751 (redundancies from 6 April 2026) | GOV.UK |
| Maximum statutory redundancy pay | £22,530 (service capped at 20 years) | GOV.UK |
| Collective consultation, 20–99 redundancies | At least 30 days before the first dismissal | GOV.UK |
| Collective consultation, 100+ redundancies | At least 45 days before the first dismissal | GOV.UK |
| Protective award for failing to consult | Up to 180 days’ pay per employee (was 90, from 6 April 2026) | GOV.UK |
| Trial period in an alternative job | 4 weeks, longer if agreed in writing | GOV.UK |
| Deadline to claim unpaid redundancy pay | 6 months from the date employment ends | GOV.UK |
Use the GOV.UK redundancy pay calculator for a quick figure. We check contractual and enhanced schemes as well.
Collective redundancy: consultation and the HR1 form
If you propose 20 or more redundancies at one establishment within 90 days, you must consult collectively and notify the Government on form HR1. You must notify the Redundancy Payments Service at least 30 days (20–99 redundancies) or 45 days (100+) before the first dismissal. Failing to notify can lead to an unlimited fine (GOV.UK).
You must give employee or trade union representatives written details of:
- the reasons for the proposals
- the numbers and categories of staff affected
- the selection method
- how dismissals will be carried out
- how redundancy pay will be calculated
Consultation must be carried out with a view to reaching agreement.
Fair and unfair selection for redundancy
Selection criteria must be objective and applied consistently. GOV.UK lists skills, qualifications and aptitude, standard of work, attendance and disciplinary record as fair criteria. “Last in, first out” should not be the only criterion, because it can amount to age discrimination (GOV.UK).
Selection is automatically unfair if it is because of:
- pregnancy or maternity
- family leave, such as parental, paternity or adoption leave, or time off for dependants
- acting as an employee or trade union representative, or joining or not joining a trade union
- being part-time or fixed-term
- a protected characteristic, such as age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation
- asserting rights to pay, working hours or annual leave
Employers facing these risks should see our advice on discrimination for employers.
Suitable alternative employment
Employers must look for suitable alternative work before dismissing, and an employee who takes it gets a 4-week trial period. If the employee leaves the new job during the trial for a good reason, they keep their right to redundancy pay. If they unreasonably refuse a suitable offer, they may lose it (GOV.UK).
Employees on, or recently back from, maternity or other parental leave must be offered a suitable vacancy first, where one exists.
Notice periods
The statutory minimum notice (GOV.UK) is:
- one week for 1 month to 2 years’ service
- one week per year for 2 to 12 years’ service
- 12 weeks for 12 or more years’ service
A contract can give more notice, never less.
Redundancy law changes in 2026 and 2027
The Employment Rights Act 2025 is making redundancy mistakes more expensive for employers and easier to challenge for employees. The dates below come from the Government’s implementation timeline (updated 14 October 2026).
| Change | Date |
|---|---|
| Maximum protective award doubled from 90 to 180 days’ pay | 6 April 2026 (in force) |
| Most tribunal time limits extended from 3 to 6 months | 1 October 2026 (in force) |
| Unfair dismissal qualifying period cut to 6 months | Dismissals from 1 January 2027 |
| Compensatory award cap for unfair dismissal removed | January 2027 |
| New protections against fire and rehire | January 2027 |
| New organisation-wide trigger for collective consultation | 2027 (threshold to be set by regulations) |
If you are planning a restructure, take advice now. Staff dismissed from January 2027 with as little as 6 months’ service will be able to claim unfair redundancy.
Settlement agreements and tribunal claims
Many redundancies end with a settlement agreement. An employee must take independent legal advice before signing one. We advise employers on drafting and employees on reviewing them.
If a dispute cannot be settled, we handle ACAS early conciliation. We also defend employment tribunal claims for employers and bring claims for employees.
Why choose Adam Bernard Solicitors
- SRA-regulated solicitors, listed on the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor directory
- 15 years in practice and more than 15,000 clients served
- Offices in High Holborn (Central London) and Upton Park (East London)
- 24/7 phone line, plus video consultations by Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype
- Advice for both sides of a redundancy, so we know how the other side will approach it
Speak to a redundancy solicitor today
Whether you are planning redundancies or have just received notice, early advice protects your position. Call 0207 100 2525 or contact us to book a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a solicitor for redundancy?
You don't legally need one, but advice is worth getting when 20 or more roles are affected, when selection is disputed, or when a settlement agreement is offered. An employee must take independent legal advice before a settlement agreement is binding.
What counts as a genuine redundancy?
A redundancy is genuine when the job no longer exists. For example, the business is closing, relocating, or changing what it does or how it works. Replacing the employee with someone else in the same role is not a redundancy.
How is statutory redundancy pay calculated in 2026?
Employees with 2 years' service get half a week's pay per year under age 22, one week's pay per year from 22 to 40, and one and a half weeks' pay per year from 41. Weekly pay is capped at £751 and service at 20 years, so the maximum is £22,530 for redundancies from 6 April 2026.
Can someone who takes early retirement get redundancy pay?
No. GOV.UK says employees who took early retirement do not qualify for statutory redundancy pay, though an employer may choose to pay an enhanced package.
What happens if an employer does not consult collectively?
A tribunal can make a protective award of up to 180 days' gross pay per affected employee. The limit doubled from 90 days on 6 April 2026. Failing to file form HR1 can also lead to an unlimited fine.
Is "last in, first out" a fair way to select for redundancy?
Only if the employer can justify it. Using length of service as the only criterion is likely to be age discrimination, so it should be combined with objective criteria such as skills, performance and attendance.
How long do I have to bring a redundancy claim?
A claim for unpaid redundancy pay must be made within 6 months of your employment ending. For most other tribunal claims, including unfair dismissal, the limit rose from 3 to 6 months for issues arising from 1 October 2026. ACAS early conciliation usually comes first.
Are redundancy rules changing in 2027?
Yes. From 1 January 2027, employees with 6 months' service can claim unfair dismissal, and the cap on compensatory awards is being removed. A new organisation-wide trigger for collective consultation is also expected in 2027.
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