Your Redundancy Action Plan — Step-by-Step Next Steps

Whether your redundancy seems fair, unfair, or you have been offered a settlement agreement, this page gives you a personalised step-by-step plan plus free letter templates drafted to reflect current UK employment law.

If Your Redundancy Seems Fair

  1. Calculate your pay. Use our calculator to verify exactly what you are owed — statutory pay, notice, and holiday. The weekly pay cap is £643 (April 2026). Do not just trust the company's figure.
  2. Check your final payslip against your calculation and look for unexpected tax deductions on the tax-free portion.
  3. Request any underpayment in writing using a formal letter immediately.
  4. Claim benefits. Even if you have savings, claim Universal Credit or Jobseeker's Allowance immediately to protect your National Insurance record.

If Your Redundancy Seems Unfair

  1. Note the deadline. You have exactly 3 months less one day from your last day to start an ACAS claim. Missing this deadline means losing your rights.
  2. Request written reasons for your redundancy selection in writing.
  3. Demand the scoring matrix. If there was a selection pool, you have a legal right to see how you were scored. Use our template letter below.
  4. Submit a formal appeal using the company's own procedure and our appeal letter template.
  5. Contact ACAS if your appeal fails — Early Conciliation is free and required before going to a tribunal.

If You Have Been Offered a Settlement Agreement

  1. Do not sign immediately. You are under no obligation to sign on the spot.
  2. Read our settlement agreement guide to understand every clause.
  3. Confirm your employer is covering your legal fee (usually £250–£500).
  4. Find an independent solicitor — your employer must fund this. Use our solicitor finder.
  5. Negotiate — ask for more money, a better reference, or other concessions.

Free Letter Templates

This page includes three ready-to-use letter templates: Request for Written Reasons for Redundancy (Employment Rights Act 1996 s.92); Request for Scoring Matrix (UK GDPR Art.15); and Formal Redundancy Appeal (ACAS Code of Practice 1). Each template is drafted in formal legal language and can be downloaded and personalised in minutes.