Losing your job
There are a number of rights that protect you when the person you work for sacks you or you get laid off.
It's important to remember that some of these rights only apply to people with a certain employment status (like an employee, or a worker).
If you are not sure what this means, make sure you read the general information on employment rights before you go any further.
To find out more about your rights if you lose your job, watch our webinar on YouTube.
Being unfairly sacked or forced to leave your job
Protection from unfair dismissal
If the person you work for sacks or fires you, they must give a good reason. If not they may be breaking the law.
This is called unfair dismissal.
They also cannot treat you so badly that you are forced to leave your job when you don't want to.
This is called constructive dismissal and is a type of unfair dismissal.
Protection from unfair dismissal is for employees only.
You can check whether you have been dismissed unfairly by following the steps on the Citizens Advice website.
If you do think you have been unfairly dismissed or forced to leave your job, there are lots of different ways to try and deal with the problem yourself.
Citizens Advice has some good advice on their website about what you can do.
If you are struggling to deal with the problem yourself, there are lots of places where you can get more help.
Before you contact anyone for support, it’s really important to have as much information as possible. Things you might need include:
- a description of the problem you are having
- a copy of your employment contract (if you have one)
- a copy of any recent pay slips (if you have one)
- a copy of any letters or emails between you and the person you work for that relate to the problem you are having
- details of any conversations about the problem you have had with the person you work for
Over the phone or via email
- if you want more general information about employment rights you can telephone the ACAS helpline on 0300 123 1100. It's open from 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday, and can give you help in any language. If you have a hearing or speech impairment you can use their Text Relay service on 18001 0300 123 1100. They may also be able to help you to sort out the problem with the person you work for. This is called mediation
- if you are disabled and want advice about your employment rights you can contact the Disability Law Service (DLS) on 0207 791 9800 or email [email protected]
- Working Families are a national charity and have a free Legal Advice Service providing employment law and in-work benefits advice to parents and carers. You can visit the advice section of their website for more detailed information, use their advice contact form if you need personal advice via email (they aim to respond within five working days). Alternatively, you can call their helpline to speak to an adviser on 0300 012 0312 (open Monday to Friday 11-2pm).
- if you are a member of a Trade Union you can contact them directly for advice
Face-to-face advice
We've created a map of advice centres in London to help you find out where to get help with unfair dismissal. We've also provided their details in a list. Lots of them also give advice over the telephone or by email.
It’s important to remember that some places may only be able to help you:
- with certain things like general advice or filling in forms
- if you live or work close to them (eg you may have to live in the same borough)
- if you come from certain countries or backgrounds (eg you come from Eastern or Central Europe)
- if you don’t earn very much or are struggling with money
- if you have telephoned them first to make an appointment
Make sure you check these details on our map or list of centres so you find the right place to help you.
Extra money you could get if you get laid off
Statutory Redundancy Pay
Sometimes the person you work for may have to let you go if there is no more work available or they cannot keep paying you.
This is called being made redundant.
If this happens to you the person you worked for may have to pay you a certain amount of money based on how long you worked for them.
This is called Statutory Redundancy Pay (SRP).
Statutory Redundancy Pay is for employees only.
There is more general information about redundancy pay on the government's website.
If you have been made redundant and you want to know how much money you should get, you can try using the government's redundancy pay calculator tool.
If you think the amount of redundancy pay you have been offered is wrong, there are lots of different ways to try and deal with the problem yourself.
Citizens Advice has some good advice on their website about what you can do.
If you are struggling to deal with the problem yourself, there are lots of places where you can get more help.
Before you contact anyone for support, it’s really important to have as much information as possible. Things you might need include:
- a description of the problem you are having
- a copy of your employment contract (if you have one)
- a copy of any recent pay slips (if you have one)
- a copy of any letters or emails between you and the person you work for that relate to the problem you are having
- details of any conversations about the problem you have had with the person you work for
Over the phone or via email
- if you want more general information about employment rights you can telephone the ACAS helpline on 0300 123 1100. It's open from 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday, and can give you help in any language. If you have a hearing or speech impairment you can use their Text Relay service on 18001 0300 123 1100. They may also be able to help you to sort out the problem with the person you work for. This is called mediation
- if you are disabled and want advice about your employment rights you can contact the Disability Law Service (DLS) on 0207 791 9800 or email [email protected]
- Working Families are a national charity and have a free Legal Advice Service providing employment law and in-work benefits advice to parents and carers. You can visit the advice section of their website for more detailed information, use their advice contact form if you need personal advice via email (they aim to respond within five working days). Alternatively, you can call their helpline to speak to an adviser on 0300 012 0312 (open Monday to Friday 11-2pm).
- if you are a member of a Trade Union you can contact them directly for advice
Face-to-face advice
We've created a map of advice centres in London to help you find out where to get help with Statutory Redundancy Pay. We've also provided their details in a list. Lots of them also give advice over the telephone or by email.
It’s important to remember that some places may only be able to help you:
- with certain things like general advice or filling in forms
- if you live or work close to them (eg you may have to live in the same borough)
- if you come from certain countries or backgrounds (eg you come from Eastern or Central Europe)
- if you don’t earn very much or are struggling with money
- if you have telephoned them first to make an appointment
Make sure you check these details on our map or list of centres so you find the right place to help you.
How long you can keep working after being sacked or laid off
Statutory Notice Periods and Statutory Redundancy Notice
If the person you work for sacks you or lays you off, they may have to give you a certain amount of time before you have to leave.
This is called a Statutory Notice Period if you have been sacked, or Statutory Redundancy Notice if you have been laid off.
How long your notice period is depends on how long you have been in your job.
If you have a contract you may have agreed to a different notice period. This called a Contractual Notice Period.
You might have to leave work straight away if you are sacked for doing something really bad. This is called gross misconduct.
Rights about notice periods are for employees only.
The person you work for must normally keep paying you your full wages during your notice period.
Sometimes they can ask you to leave straight away but pay you all the wages you would have earned during your notice period.
This is called payment in lieu of notice.
There is more detailed information about notice periods and pay on the Citizens Advice website.
You can check whether you have been given the right notice period and pay using this tool on the MyPay London website.
If you think you have a problem with the notice period or pay you have been given, there are lots of ways to try and deal with the problem yourself.
There is some good advice about what you can do on the Citizens Advice website.
If you are struggling to deal with the problem yourself, there are lots of places where you can get more help.
Before you contact anyone for support, it’s really important to have as much information as possible. Things you might need include:
- a description of the problem you are having
- a copy of your employment contract (if you have one)
- a copy of any recent pay slips (if you have one)
- a copy of any letters or emails between you and the person you work for that relate to the problem you are having
- details of any conversations about the problem you have had with the person you work for
Over the phone or via email
- if you want more general information about employment rights you can telephone the ACAS helpline on 0300 123 1100. It's open from 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday, and can give you help in any language. If you have a hearing or speech impairment you can use their Text Relay service on 18001 0300 123 1100. They may also be able to help you to sort out the problem with the person you work for. This is called mediation
- if you are disabled and want advice about your employment rights you can contact the Disability Law Service (DLS) on 0207 791 9800 or email [email protected]
- Working Families are a national charity and have a free Legal Advice Service providing employment law and in-work benefits advice to parents and carers. You can visit the advice section of their website for more detailed information, use their advice contact form if you need personal advice via email (they aim to respond within five working days). Alternatively, you can call their helpline to speak to an adviser on 0300 012 0312 (open Monday to Friday 11-2pm).
- if you are a member of a Trade Union you can contact them directly for advice
Face-to-face advice
We've created a map of advice centres in London to help you find out where to get help with notice periods and pay. We've also provided their details in a list. Lots of them also give advice over the telephone or by email.
It’s important to remember that some places may only be able to help you:
- with certain things like general advice or filling in forms
- if you live or work close to them (eg you may have to live in the same borough)
- if you come from certain countries or backgrounds (eg you come from Eastern or Central Europe)
- if you don’t earn very much or are struggling with money
- if you have telephoned them first to make an appointment
Make sure you check these details on our map or list of centres so you find the right place to help you.
Protection if the company you work for gets taken over
Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)
If the company you work for gets taken over by somebody else, you should usually keep your job under the same terms and conditions. If you don't the new owners may be breaking the law.
You are protected under a law called Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) or TUPE for short.
It can be difficult to know when you are protected by TUPE. For example, the new owners of your company may be able to make you redundant or lay you off if the company has no money.
There are also different rules about what happens to your pension (if you have one) depending on what sort of job you do.
Protection under TUPE is for employees only.
There is some good information on the Worksmart website about your rights when the company you work for is taken over.
If you do think your rights under TUPE have been breached, there are lots of ways you can try and deal with the problem yourself.
There is some good advice about what you can do on the Citizens Advice website.
If you are struggling to deal with the problem yourself, there are lots of places where you can get more help.
Before you contact anyone for support, it’s really important to have as much information as possible. Things you might need include:
- a description of the problem you are having
- a copy of your employment contract (if you have one)
- a copy of any recent pay slips (if you have one)
- a copy of any letters or emails between you and the person you work for that relate to the problem you are having
- details of any conversations about the problem you have had with the person you work for
Over the phone or via email
- if you want more general information about employment rights you can telephone the ACAS helpline on 0300 123 1100. It's open from 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday, and can give you help in any language. If you have a hearing or speech impairment you can use their Text Relay service on 18001 0300 123 1100. They may also be able to help you to sort out the problem with the person you work for. This is called mediation
- if you are disabled and want advice about your employment rights you can contact the Disability Law Service (DLS) on 0207 791 9800 or email [email protected]
- Working Families are a national charity and have a free Legal Advice Service providing employment law and in-work benefits advice to parents and carers. You can visit the advice section of their website for more detailed information, use their advice contact form if you need personal advice via email (they aim to respond within five working days). Alternatively, you can call their helpline to speak to an adviser on 0300 012 0312 (open Monday to Friday 11-2pm).
- if you are a member of a Trade Union you can contact them directly for advice
Face-to-face advice
We've created a map of advice centres in London to help you find out where to get help with TUPE. We've also provided their details in a list. Lots of them also give advice over the telephone or by email.
It’s important to remember that some places may only be able to help you:
- with certain things like general advice or filling in forms
- if you live or work close to them (eg you may have to live in the same borough)
- if you come from certain countries or backgrounds (eg you come from Eastern or Central Europe)
- if you don’t earn very much or are struggling with money
- if you have telephoned them first to make an appointment
Make sure you check these details on our map or list of centres so you find the right place to help you.
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