WHAT IS A REDUNDANCY APPEAL?
When your employer tells you that your role is being made redundant, you have the right to formally challenge that decision. This is called a redundancy appeal. Under the ACAS Code of Practice, employers are expected to offer employees the opportunity to appeal ā and if they fail to follow a fair process, you may have grounds for an unfair dismissal claim at an Employment Tribunal.
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), around 30% of redundancy processes in the UK contain procedural errors. That means nearly one in three employees who are made redundant may have valid grounds to challenge the decision.
GROUNDS FOR APPEAL
You can appeal your redundancy on the following grounds:
ā Unfair selection criteria ā Were you scored on factors that were never properly explained to you? ā Failure to consider alternatives ā Did your employer genuinely explore redeployment, reduced hours, or voluntary redundancy before selecting you? ā Lack of meaningful consultation ā Were you given a real opportunity to put forward alternatives, or had the decision already been made before the process began? ā Procedural errors ā Did your employer follow their own redundancy policy at every stage? ā Discrimination ā Were you selected because of your age, gender, disability, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010? ā Incorrect scoring ā Were the selection pool scores calculated correctly, consistently, and applied to everyone in the pool?
REAL STORIES
Sarah, 38, was told her redundancy was final after 11 years with the same company. She almost didn't appeal. When she did, it was discovered that her selection score had been calculated incorrectly. She got her job back.
Marcus, 52, worked in logistics for 14 years. His appeal revealed that the selection criteria had never been properly shared with him ā a clear procedural failure. He was awarded three months' additional pay on top of his statutory entitlement.
Your situation may be different ā but the point is the same. You do not know what a fair process looks like until you question it.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR APPEAL LETTER
Your appeal letter needs to be professional, factual, and structured. Make sure you include:
š Your full name, job title, and date of redundancy notification š A clear statement that you are formally appealing the decision š The specific grounds for your appeal, set out clearly and separately š Supporting evidence ā emails, scoring sheets, policy documents, meeting notes š A request for a formal appeal meeting š Your preferred outcome ā reinstatement, a revised settlement, or both
Keep your tone calm and professional at all times. Employment Tribunals review correspondence, and a well-reasoned letter always carries more weight than an emotional one.
HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE?
Check your company's redundancy policy immediately. Most employers require appeals to be submitted within five to ten working days of receiving your redundancy notice. Missing this deadline can seriously weaken your position ā so act quickly.
WHAT HAPPENS AT THE APPEAL MEETING?
Your appeal should be heard by a manager who was not involved in the original redundancy decision. You have the right to be accompanied by a trade union representative or a work colleague. Use the meeting to present your grounds clearly, walk through your evidence, and ask direct questions about the process that was followed.
If your appeal is unsuccessful and you believe the process was fundamentally unfair, you may have grounds to bring a claim for unfair dismissal at an Employment Tribunal. You must do this within three months minus one day of your dismissal date. Contact ACAS early conciliation first ā it is a required step before any Tribunal claim.
YOUR ACTION PLAN
1ļøā£ Download your free redundancy appeal template letter ā https://myredundancyrights.co.uk/action-plan 2ļøā£ Review your employment contract and your employer's redundancy policy today 3ļøā£ Request your selection scores and criteria in writing from your employer immediately 4ļøā£ Submit your appeal letter within your employer's stated deadline ā do not miss it 5ļøā£ Prepare for the appeal meeting with written notes, questions, and supporting documents 6ļøā£ If the appeal fails, contact ACAS early conciliation before filing an Employment Tribunal claim
Being made redundant can feel like a personal failure. It is not. It is a business decision ā and business decisions can be challenged, questioned, and overturned.
Your appeal letter is your voice. Use it.
CONNECT WITH US š https://myredundancyrights.co.uk š Free appeal letter: https://myredundancyrights.co.uk/action-plan
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