What to do when Facing Redundancy
- Redundancy Rights and Entitlements
- Exit Details & Planning Ahead
- What to do if you are Made Redundant During Parental Leave or Sick Leave?
- Check if you’re Eligible for Additional Support
- Updating Your CV
- Looking for New Roles and Reconnect with Your Network
- Upskill and Refresh Your Knowledge
- Take Care of your Mental Health
- Planning Finances & Budgeting When Facing Redundancy
What to do when Facing Redundancy
Facing redundancy can be one of the most challenging obstacles individuals can encounter in their careers. Redundancy can feel like a personal rejection and can affect even the strongest and hardest-working individuals. Losing your job can have a significant impact on an individual's life, not just professionally, but emotionally, financially, and even physically - according to Mind, the mental health charity, losing a job is one of the most stressful life events and can lead to increased risk of depression and anxiety. In the UK, thousands face redundancy each year – according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), between January and March 2024, over 90,000 redundancies were reported across the UK workforce.
Going through redundancy can be scary, but it is very important to remember that you are not alone and there is help available to you. With the right information, mindset, and support, you can turn this career setback into a stepping stone.
Redundancy Rights and Entitlements
When at risk of being made redundant, the first and best thing you should do is try and understand your legal rights. In the UK, if you have been employed for two or more years, are entitled to statutory redundancy pay. Your notice period, redundancy pay, and final salary must comply with employment law.
What are you entitled to when going through redundancy?
- Statutory Redundancy Pay – this is based on your age, length of service, and weekly earnings. Some companies may also provide additional redundancy packages, so it is worth checking this with your employer or HR.
- A Notice Period – or this can be given as pay in lieu.
- Time off to Look for Work.
- The Right to Challenge an Unfair Redundancy Process.
For more information, visit Gov.uk’s redundancy section (https://www.gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights) for official guidance.
Exit Details & Planning Ahead
It is important that you understand the redundancy process and what you are entitled to as this will help you plan your next steps. Ask your HR department for a formal redundancy letter, including the reasons for the redundancy, your final working date, and all financial details (redundancy pay, unused holiday, pension contributions). This will be useful should you need to apply for universal credit or Jobseeker's allowance.
What to do if you are Made Redundant During Parental Leave or Sick Leave?
Being made redundant while on sick leave, maternity, paternity, or shared parental leave can feel even more overwhelming – it is extremely important to know that you have extra legal protections in these circumstances. Your employer can still make you redundant, but only if the redundancy is genuine, for example, the role no longer exists, and the process is fair and non-discriminatory. If you're on maternity leave, you have the right to be offered any suitable alternative roles first, ahead of other employees. This is outlined under Regulation 10 of the Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 1999. Similarly, employees on long-term sick leave cannot be selected for redundancy purely because of their health condition – this could count as disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. If you feel the process has been unfair or discriminatory, speak to ACAS for free employment law advice (www.acas.org.uk), or get help from Citizens Advice or an employment solicitor.
Check if you’re Eligible for Additional Support
In some cases, an organisation may offer outplacement services, career coaching, or mental health support through employee assistance programmes. If your employer provides these, take advantage of them – they are often underused but can be very helpful during a time of transition and uncertainty.
You may also be eligible for
- Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service
- Universal Credit
- Citizens Advice Financial and Legal Support
Updating Your CV
Facing redundancy often sparks an urgent job search. Now is the perfect time to update your CV, tailor your cover letter, and refresh your LinkedIn profile to reflect your skills and achievements. Don't forget to include:
- Your most recent role and its responsibilities
- Key achievements and outcomes you have achieved
- Transferable skills, such as team leadership, communication, and stakeholder management
CV Top Tip
When Facing Redundancy: Keep your CV clear, keyword-optimised, and tailored to the roles you are applying for. Use strong action words such as "led", "developed", "managed", and "increased".
If you are unsure where to start, this is where professional CV writers and career consultants can offer invaluable help. Working with experts can fast-track your job hunt and help you stand out in competitive markets. Send Me Your CV offers a free CV review service; they can provide in-depth reports and feedback on your CV while highlighting any areas for improvement. If you would like to work with a professional CV writer, see Send Me Your CVs prices and packages for a tailored, ATS-optimised CV rewrite.
Look for New Roles and Reconnect with Your Network
Redundancy can feel isolating, and some may also find it slightly embarrassing, but it is a great time to reconnect with your professional network and explore job opportunities across various platforms – whilst remembering, that redundancy is not personal.
The UK's Top Job Boards:
- Indeed - https://uk.indeed.com/
- TotalJobs - https://www.totaljobs.com/
- LinkedIn Jobs - https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/
- Reed - https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs
Over 70% of job roles are filled through networking, so don't be afraid to send a message and reach out as well as letting your contacts know you're "open to work".
Upskill and Refresh Your Knowledge
Redundancy can be the perfect opportunity to retrain or upskill – especially if you're thinking of changing careers or returning to an industry after a break. A lot of online platforms also provide free courses, which is great when you're having to pinch the pennies. Consider online platforms such as:
LinkedIn Learning - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/
Future Learn - https://www.futurelearn.com
Coursera - https://www.coursera.org
Reed - https://www.reed.co.uk/courses
The Skills Toolkit - https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk
OpenLearn - https://www.open.edu/openlearn
No matter the length of the course, they can be added to your CV to increase your experience and enhance your confidence.
Take Care of your Mental Health
Losing a job can take an emotional toll. It's important to remember to acknowledge how you're feeling and take time to look after your mental well-being. It is completely normal to feel anxious, angry, unsettled, or even relieved after redundancy. Give yourself time to process it, and don't hesitate to seek mental health support if you need it.
- NHS Mental Health Support - https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health
- Mind – mental health charity offering advice and helplines - https://www.mind.org.uk
- Hub of Hope - https://hubofhope.co.uk
- Read Mind's Redundancy Toolkit here - https://www.solentmind.org.uk/assets/uploads/resources/Redundancy%20-%20toolkit%20-5.pdf
Planning Finances & Budgeting When Facing Redundancy
While you may receive redundancy pay, it's wise to review your finances and make a temporary budget plan. This will help to stretch your funds and reduce stress while you search for new work.
Use free budgeting tools from MoneyHelper to help you plan
https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/budgeting/budget-planner