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1. This is guidance — and only ever guidance

Everything produced by ukworkrights.co.uk is general guidance. It is not legal advice. It is not a substitute for advice from a qualified solicitor. Never treat it as the final word — use it as a starting point, then check and take responsibility for any action you take.

2. AI can make mistakes

The guidance is generated by artificial intelligence. AI can and does make mistakes — wrong dates, wrong figures, wrong legal references, missed nuances. Read everything carefully. If the matter is serious, get it checked by ACAS, Citizens Advice, or a qualified solicitor before acting on it.

3. Verified figures and guidance sources

Statutory figures (such as rates for minimum wage, SSP, redundancy, pension contributions, council tax bands, flight compensation amounts, and benefit rates) are checked against official sources. Laws and rates change regularly. Always verify important figures at gov.uk before making decisions or taking action.

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6. Useful Official Resources

  • ACAS — Free employment advice: 0300 123 1100 — acas.org.uk
  • Citizens Advice — Free legal guidance: 0800 144 8848 — citizensadvice.org.uk
  • GOV.UK — Official UK government guidance: gov.uk
  • ICO — Data protection queries: 0303 123 1113 — ico.org.uk
  • Financial Ombudsman — Financial disputes: 0800 023 4567 — financial-ombudsman.org.uk
  • Energy Ombudsman — Energy disputes: energyombudsman.org
  • NHS — Healthcare guidance: nhs.uk
  • Veterans UK: 0808 1914 218
  • Jobcentre Plus (existing benefit claims): 0800 169 0310

For personal injury claims, immigration advice, criminal matters, or complex legal situations — always consult a regulated solicitor. Find one at solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk or gov.uk/find-a-solicitor.

7. Scope of this service

This service covers a wide range of UK rights topics including employment, housing, benefits, consumer rights, driving, NHS complaints, data protection, tax, school rights, wills and probate, energy, travel, and more. For all topics, the guidance is general in nature. For regulated activities — including personal injury claims, immigration applications, criminal defence, and financial advice — you must use a regulated professional.

The law is not the same across the UK. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ — sometimes substantially — on housing, tribunals, employment procedure, benefits, education, and wills and probate. Your guidance is tailored to the nation you selected at the top of the page, so please make sure it is right before you rely on the answer. If you live in one nation and the matter arose in another, say so in your description. Where a rule applies in only part of the UK, the guidance should say so — if it does not, treat that as a reason to check with one of the services listed above.

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🤝 Settlement Agreement Checker

Is My Settlement Agreement Offer Fair?

Being offered a settlement agreement? Describe your situation and get instant plain English guidance on whether the offer is fair and what to do next.

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Free to use: Run any checker, read your full results and download them as a printable report — no account needed.

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What is your settlement agreement situation?

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Tip: Focus on one issue at a time for the clearest answer. If you have multiple issues, run them separately for a full picture on each one.

📍 Where are you based?
England
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Scotland
N. Ireland

Include how long you have worked there, what you are being offered, why your job is ending, and any deadline you have been given.

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Free · Guidance only, not legal advice

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a solicitor to sign a settlement agreement?

Yes. Independent legal advice from an identified, insured adviser is mandatory for a settlement agreement to be valid — it is not optional. Employers typically contribute towards the cost of that advice.

How much of a settlement is tax free?

The first £30,000 of a genuine termination payment is tax free. Anything above that is taxable. This is not discretionary.

How long do I get to consider an offer?

The ACAS Code suggests a minimum of 10 calendar days to consider a settlement offer.

What is a COT3 and how is it different?

A COT3 is an ACAS-brokered alternative to a settlement agreement. Unlike a settlement agreement, it does not require you to take independent legal advice.

What does signing actually give up?

Once signed, a settlement agreement genuinely waives the claims it covers. It must be in writing and must relate to particular complaints rather than being open-ended.

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Your Rights Summary

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⚠️ Important: This is general guidance only — not legal advice. Our guides are checked against official sources. Always verify important information before making decisions.

📎 Verify your rights at official sources:
· GOV.UK Employment Rights (England, Wales and Scotland) · Acas — Free Employment Advice (England, Wales and Scotland) · Citizens Advice — Work (England) · Employment Tribunals — GOV.UK (England, Wales and Scotland) · nidirect (Northern Ireland) · Labour Relations Agency — free employment advice (Northern Ireland)

For work problems, contact Acas (England, Wales and Scotland) on 0300 123 1100 or the Labour Relations Agency (Northern Ireland) on 03300 555 300. For free help, contact Citizens Advice (England 0800 144 8848, Wales 0800 702 2020), Citizens Advice Scotland (0800 028 1456) or Advice NI (0800 915 4604), or speak to a qualified employment solicitor.
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📖 Know Your Rights Read the Employment & Pay Rights Guide →

What you need to know

The checker below answers from the verified guide for your nation. These are the key points from each one.

England, Wales and Scotland

  • A settlement agreement is a legally binding contract. You give up the right to make the claims it specifically covers, usually in return for a payment.
  • It is only binding if the legal conditions are met, including advice from a named, insured, relevant independent adviser.
  • The Acas Code of Practice recommends at least 10 days to consider the offer.
  • The first combined £30,000 of qualifying termination payments is usually tax free. Notice pay and earned pay are taxed.
  • Talking about a settlement does not pause the tribunal time limit. Early conciliation through Acas does.

Full guide: Settlement Agreements in England, Wales and Scotland. Last verified: 24 September 2026.

Northern Ireland

  • In Northern Ireland these agreements are still called compromise agreements.
  • A compromise agreement is only binding if the legal conditions in Article 245 of the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 are met, including advice from a relevant independent adviser.
  • The first combined £30,000 of qualifying termination payments is usually tax free. Notice pay and earned pay are taxed.
  • Talking about a settlement does not pause the tribunal time limit. Early conciliation through the LRA does.
  • Most claims must be made within 3 months less 1 day.

Full guide: Compromise Agreements in Northern Ireland. Last verified: 24 September 2026.

This guidance is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify current figures and legislation on GOV.UK or seek professional advice for your specific situation.

Assessing a Settlement Agreement Offer Explained

A settlement agreement offer should be judged against what you'd realistically expect to achieve at tribunal, not just accepted or rejected on gut feeling — and it's only legally binding once you've received independent legal advice on its terms and effect.

What to look at beyond the headline figure

Reference wording, confidentiality terms, notice pay, and outstanding holiday pay can all matter as much as the compensation figure itself — a lower headline offer with excellent reference terms may genuinely be worth more to you than a slightly higher offer without them.

Why independent legal advice is a requirement, not a formality

Employers often contribute toward this cost specifically because it's in their interest for the agreement to be properly binding — without genuine independent advice, the agreement isn't legally enforceable at all.

Free Guidance in Plain English

UK Work Rights provides free, plain English guidance to help you understand where you stand. Each checker answers only from its own guide for your part of the UK, checked against official sources. We cover 67 free AI rights checkers, with guides for each part of the UK, across employment, housing, benefits, consumer, driving, family and more.

When to Seek Further Help

Our guidance covers many common situations, but complex or high-stakes cases need professional advice. For employment issues, contact ACAS in England, Wales and Scotland (0300 123 1100) or the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland (03300 555 300). For free general advice, contact Citizens Advice (England 0800 144 8848, Wales 0800 702 2020), Citizens Advice Scotland (0800 028 1456) or Advice NI (0800 915 4604). For urgent housing problems in England, Shelter can help on 0808 800 4444.

Further reading: our blog explains how ACAS Early Conciliation works and how long it now takes.

Further reading: our blog explains how post-employment notice pay (PENP) is taxed in a settlement.

Further reading: our blog explains what "without prejudice" actually protects.

Directed and published by , founder of UK Work Rights. Guidance checked against GOV.UK, ACAS and legislation.gov.uk. This is general rights guidance, not legal advice.

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