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November 5, 2025
Key Takeaways
Redundancy can be an emotional experience, but your notice period gives you valuable time to plan your next steps, protect your rights, and prepare for new opportunities.
Redundancy is a word that triggers lots of complex emotions. It can shake your sense of security and make you feel like you’ve done something wrong. In reality, redundancy isn’t the fault of the employee, and it’s often nothing more than an operational decision, usually linked to cost-cutting measures.
Despite this, many employees attach a lot of personal responsibility to the concept of being made redundant. It can shake your confidence and your sense of self, which makes it more difficult for you to start the job hunt with a good mindset.
Thankfully, you have the right to a notice period, so you can’t be terminated without warning. This means you have some security in place. If your employer decides they want you to stop working right away, you should then be given payment in lieu of notice. Either way, you are protected by the law.
In this guide, we’re exploring the role of the notice period, and how you can use this time to make sure that you bounce back with confidence following a redundancy notice.
If you are entitled to all the rights afforded employees during the redundancy process, then you also have a right to a statutory minimum notice period. These are:
Your employer may have outlined a longer notice period in your contract. If this is the case, they are bound to this agreement. They cannot give you less than the statutory notice period.
Know Your Rights
You’re legally entitled to notice, redundancy pay, and continued benefits. Understanding these protections helps ensure fair treatment.
Plan Positively
Use your notice period as a stepping stone — update your CV, apply for new roles, or invest in training for your next opportunity.
You have to be paid for your notice period, and this pay has to be in line with your average salary over the 12 weeks prior to your redundancy notice. This means the employer cannot give you a pay cut for your notice period.
If your employer decides they don’t need you to work for all or part of the notice period, they still have to pay you the full amount you are entitled to. This is known as payment in lieu of notice.
Your notice pay should be in addition to your redundancy pay, so your employer cannot count this towards your redundancy package, even if they decide you don’t need to work.
Your payment in lieu should also account for any employment benefits you should have received, such as private health care or pension contributions.
If you are asked to complete the full notice period, you will need to be present at work until the notice period is complete. If you have any leftover holiday entitlement, you may be able to take this at the end of your notice period, or you may be able to spread it out. This could allow you to work a four-day week for the duration of your notice period, for example.
Your employer may also ask you to not work your notice period, which is also known as gardening leave. This can be an ideal situation, as you’ll have a chance to hit the ground running with your job search.
You might also decide to take this time to reconsider your career path. Some people use redundancy as a chance to return to training and upskill or re-skill in a different area. Some might go back to university to complete further education. Others might take a career break to enjoy some travelling that they perhaps feel that they missed out in earlier in life.
The most important thing is to remain positive. Whether you are going to start the search for a new job, or explore new career options, you’ll find the path much easier if you are able to maintain a positive mindset. Redundancy can be a scary prospect, but it can also be a wonderful opportunity to really think about what you want from your career.
Remember that employees are rarely selected for redundancy due to performance. It is often down to cost-cutting measures, or due to a change in direction for the business.
If you’ve recently received a redundancy notice, CMD Recruitment can help you find your next role faster. Contact our team or explore current job opportunities today.
Highlights
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