Redundancy

Every year, thousands of UK employers get redundancy wrong – and pay the price. Unfair dismissal claims. Protective awards of up to 180 days’ gross pay per employee. Discrimination findings. Reputational damage that lingers long after the tribunal hearing.

It does not have to be this way.

Redundancy is the practical, comprehensive guide that HR professionals and employment lawyers need in order to navigate the full redundancy process with confidence – whether dealing with a single at-risk employee or managing a collective consultation affecting hundreds.

Written by a practising barrister who teaches employment law to HR professionals and solicitors, and an experienced professional support lawyer, this book cuts through the complexity of UK redundancy law and translates it into clear, actionable guidance. Every chapter is grounded in current statute and case law, with practical tips, risk warnings and real-world examples drawn from tribunal decisions.

Who this book is for

This book is written for anyone responsible for planning or advising on redundancies in the UK workplace:

• HR professionals managing redundancy processes at any scale

• Employment lawyers advising employer clients

• In-house legal teams supporting business restructures

• Senior managers and directors involved in workforce planning decisions

What’s inside

Across eight chapters and two practical appendices, this book covers the entire redundancy process from start to finish:

• The legal definition of redundancy – the three statutory categories, and how tribunals really apply them

• Alternatives to redundancy – workforce planning measures, voluntary redundancy, lay-offs and short-time working

• Pooling and selection – getting the pool right, designing fair selection criteria and managing bumping scenarios

• Individual consultation – what a fair process looks like in practice, from the first meeting through to the dismissal letter

• Alternative employment and trial periods – the statutory and common law frameworks, and the duty to search for suitable roles

• Special protections – the enhanced rights of pregnant employees and those on family leave, and how to manage them without falling foul of automatic unfair dismissal

• Payments and entitlements – statutory and enhanced redundancy pay, notice, holiday pay, settlement agreements and tax treatment

• Legal claims – the full range of claims that can arise, including unfair dismissal, breach of contract and discrimination, with practical checklists for responding

• TUPE and insolvency – how redundancy interacts with business transfers, pre-transfer dismissals and corporate insolvency

• Collective consultation – when it is triggered, how to elect representatives, what information must be disclosed, and how to avoid protective award claims of up to 180 days’ gross pay per employee

Key features

• Fully up to date with the Employment Rights Act 2025 and all relevant case law

• Includes practical checklists for early planning and collective consultation

• Explains complex legal concepts clearly, without unnecessary jargon

• Takes a risk-focused approach, highlighting the financial and legal consequences of common mistakes

• Covers individual and collective redundancy in a single, integrated text

Whether you are handling your first redundancy or your fiftieth, this book will help you get it right – lawfully, fairly and with confidence.

Available in paperback and Kindle editions.