Redundancy Notice Letter Template & Generator

If you need to formally notify an employee they are at risk of redundancy, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong redundancy notice letter should include, plus a free tool to generate yours.

What this letter needs to cover

• Confirm the role is redundant and the business reason
• Confirm the employee is at risk and in a consultation period
• Invite them to a consultation meeting
• Confirm they have the right to be accompanied
• Outline the redundancy pay they may receive
• Confirm the process that will be followed

What a fair redundancy notice needs to demonstrate

A redundancy notice isn't just a formality confirming a decision already made — genuine redundancy requires proper prior consultation, and this letter should reflect that a fair process has been, or is being, followed, rather than presenting redundancy as a fait accompli before consultation has genuinely taken place.

What to include before you send it

• Confirmation that the employee's role is at risk of redundancy, and the business reason
• Details of the consultation process that will follow, including timescales
• The selection pool and criteria that will be used, if selecting between multiple employees
• Confirmation of the right to be accompanied at consultation meetings, and the right to appeal any final decision

Why the difference between "at risk" and "confirmed redundant" matters

This initial notice should confirm someone is at risk, not that redundancy is already decided — presenting the outcome as fixed before genuine consultation has occurred can undermine the fairness of the whole process, even if the eventual decision would have been the same anyway.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should the consultation period be?
For fewer than 20 redundancies, there's no fixed statutory minimum, but it must be genuine and meaningful — for 20 or more at one establishment, specific minimum collective consultation periods apply.

What if an employee doesn't engage with the consultation process at all?
Document all reasonable attempts to consult — a fair process requires the employer to try, even if the employee chooses not to actively participate.

See our full letter template & generator library for related letters, or use our free checkers for guidance specific to your situation.