Redundancy is one of the five potentially fair reasons for dismissing an employee under UK employment law. However, redundancy is not always the only solution when a business needs to restructure. With the right planning, communication, and process, it may be possible to achieve organisational change without job losses, or while reducing the risk of dispute and disruption.

At Thrive Law, we support employers and employees through all stages of redundancy and business reorganisation, taking both a commercial and human approach to what is often a sensitive time.

Our Approach: Strategic, Practical and People-Focused

We work with employers from the outset to help shape and manage a fair, transparent and well-structured process. This often includes:

• Reviewing the business rationale for change
• Identifying alternatives to redundancy (such as amended hours, revised duties, redeployment or lay-off arrangements)
• Helping design fair and legally compliant selection criteria
• Supporting communication planning and consultation
• Ensuring documentation and correspondence is clear, accurate and consistent
• Protecting morale, reputation and trust throughout the process

Our aim is to help you make necessary business decisions while treating employees with dignity and respect, reducing the likelihood of grievances or Employment Tribunal claims.

If you are looking for initial guidance, we also offer a comprehensive Redundancy Guide, including step-by-step instructions, legal considerations, and template letters and forms that can be used throughout the process.

When Redundancy Cannot Be Avoided

Sometimes, despite exploring alternatives, redundancy becomes necessary. In these circumstances, the law requires employers to follow a fair procedure, which generally includes:

• Providing clear rationale for the redundancy situation
• Meaningful consultation (individual and collective where applicable)
• Fair and objective selection criteria
• Considering suitable alternative roles
• Allowing employees the right of appeal

We help employers manage each of these stages smoothly and professionally, reducing stress and risk.

Risks of Getting Redundancy Wrong

If redundancy is not genuine, or if the process is not handled fairly, employees may bring a claim for unfair dismissal. Common pitfalls include:

• Failing to consider or offer suitable alternative roles
• Using an unfair, inconsistent, or discriminatory scoring or selection system
• Predetermining outcomes before consultation has taken place
• Treating employees differently without justification
• Not following the organisation’s own procedures or ACAS Code
• Poor documentation or unclear communication

If the redundancy process impacts employees with protected characteristics (e.g., disability, pregnancy, age), there is also a risk of discrimination claims, which can significantly increase compensation.

Thrive Law can guide you through each step to avoid these issues and ensure fairness, clarity and compliance.

Support for Employees

If you are facing redundancy, we can help you understand:

• Whether the redundancy situation is genuine
• If the consultation has been fair
• Whether selection criteria or scoring may be discriminatory
• Your rights to alternative employment, redundancy pay and notice pay
• Whether it may be appropriate to raise a grievance or bring a claim

We offer clear, practical guidance to help you navigate what can be a very emotional and uncertain process.

Get in Touch

Whether you are an employer planning organisational change or an employee facing redundancy, we are here to support you.

Contact us at enquiries@thrivelaw.co.uk to discuss how we can help.

We will work with you to achieve a fair, lawful and compassionate outcome.