Redundancy factsheet and information for employers

Read the government's official guidance for employers making redundancies, including:

• how to avoid redundancies
• different types of redundancy
• giving staff notice
• pay conditions

Note: For a redundancy to be genuine, you must demonstrate that the employee’s job will no longer exist.

There is also a handy 'Redundancy factsheet for employers' for more information on making redundancies. It includes information on the Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service. 

You can email the Department for Work and Pensions directly if you have specific questions relating to redundancy: [email protected].

Employer Help website

The government's Employer Help website collates useful advice and resources for employers to help their staff through redundancy, including helping them to:

• find a new job
• access financial support
• identify their transferable skills
• find hints and tips for their job search

Visit the Employer Help website here >

Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service

The Jobcentre Plus can give you and your employees support and advice through its Rapid Response Service.

Support could include:

• helping people facing redundancy to write CVs
• where to find jobs and how to apply for them
• providing general information about the benefits
• helping people to find the right training and learn new skills
• helping with costs like travel to work expenses
• Jobcentre Plus may also provide on-site support for large-scale redundancies.

Learn more about Jobcentre Plus redundancy support >

ACAS support for employers

ACAS provides support for both businesses making redundancies and people being made redundant.  

They share guidance on how to manage redundancy within your business and also offer training and support for redundancy.

Visit the ACAS redundancy support website >

Lay-offs and short-time working

If an employer does not have enough work for their employees currently but feel that they will have work in the future, there are some options to consider:

Employers should think about agreeing with employees to:

• take holiday
• work from home
• work more flexibly
• take unpaid leave

It is also possible for the employer to offer lay-offs (sending employees home temporarily) or short-time working (reducing employees' working hours). This may help avoid redundancies. But this should be a last resort for employers.

ACAS provides guidance for employers considering lay-offs or short-time working here >

Help redundant employees to find a new job

The government's Job Help website collates advice and resources to help:

• find job vacancies
• know where to look for further job opportunities
• identify their transferable skills to broaden their job prospects
• stay motivated throughout their job search
• identify expanding sectors that may provide greater job opportunities

See further information and support to help people find a new job on the Employer Help website >

In work retention support for people with a health condition or disability

If a claimant and/or employee requires support to retain employment due to a health condition or disability, they should contact their local Job Centre Plus (JCP) and ask to be referred to the Employer Adviser (EA), who will take the necessary action.

Additional support can be offered in consultation with the Disability Employment Adviser (DEA), particularly where there are complex retention issues. Often the DEA will support the EA to facilitate the retention directly with the claimant/employee and the employer.

Where necessary, the DEA can directly support employers to understand where an individual’s skills and experience would meet their businesses needs and where work solutions, such as access to work or implementing reasonable adjustments, could assist with both job performance and retention.

JCP colleagues can exceptionally refer a complex case to the Work Psychologist; the Psychologist will then take ownership of the case.

Are you considering making an apprentice redundant?

You can support your apprentices in the event of having to make them redundant by sharing the Redundancy Support Portal with them.

This portal will help them search for another apprenticeship to complete their training and access available financial support.