Two employees win redundancy, notice and holiday pay after 20 and 5 years
A tribunal ordered a fish merchant to pay over £9,000 to two former employees for unpaid redundancy, notice pay, holiday pay and failure to provide written particulars.
1 min read · Last updated 18 May 2026
Case details
Key facts
- Mrs S Wilkins worked for the respondent for 20 years and was made redundant.
- Mr G Wilkins worked for the respondent for 5 years and was made redundant.
- Neither claimant received proper notice or pay in lieu of notice.
- Both claimants were owed accrued holiday pay.
- The respondent failed to provide written statements of particulars.
Timeline
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Hearing and judgment
Employment Tribunal hearing in Nottingham via CVP. Judgment given ordering redundancy payments, notice pay, holiday pay, and compensation for failure to provide written particulars.
The legal issue
Whether the employer was liable to pay statutory redundancy payments, notice pay, accrued holiday pay, and compensation for not providing written statements of employment particulars after making two employees redundant.
The outcome
The tribunal ruled in favour of both claimants, ordering the respondent to pay a total of £9,073.80.
- Mrs S Wilkins (20 years' service): £3,706.56 redundancy payment, £1,710.72 notice pay, £500 loss of statutory rights, £213.84 holiday pay, and £570.24 for failure to provide written particulars — total £6,701.36.
- Mr G Wilkins (5 years' service): £334.40 redundancy payment, £668.60 notice pay, £500 loss of statutory rights, £334.40 holiday pay, and £535.04 for failure to provide written particulars — total £2,372.44.
Lessons & takeaways
- Employees made redundant are entitled to statutory redundancy pay based on age, length of service and weekly pay — check your entitlement if you are being let go.
- Employers must give proper notice or pay in lieu — failing to do so is a breach of contract that can be claimed at tribunal.
- Accrued but untaken holiday pay must be paid on termination — this is a common and straightforward claim.
- Employers must provide a written statement of particulars within two months of starting work; failure can result in compensation of up to 4 weeks' pay.
- Representation by a solicitor or counsel can help ensure all heads of claim are identified and properly calculated.
What this case shows in practice
Two former employees of a fish merchant were made redundant after 20 and 5 years of service respectively. They had not received their statutory redundancy payments, nor were they given proper notice or paid in lieu. They were also owed accrued holiday pay, and their employer had never provided them with written statements of employment particulars.
The tribunal awarded them a combined total of over £9,000, covering redundancy pay, notice pay, holiday pay, compensation for loss of statutory rights, and penalties for the missing written particulars. The case illustrates that even when an employer agrees to a claim (as happened here with the redundancy payments), employees should still pursue all other entitlements arising from the termination.
What the employer could have done differently
The respondent, who represented himself at the hearing, could have avoided the claim entirely by paying the statutory redundancy, notice and holiday pay when the employees were let go. Providing written particulars from the start would also have prevented that head of claim. The case is a reminder that failing to meet basic employment obligations can lead to multiple compensation awards.
Why the result matters for similar claims
This case shows that employment tribunals will enforce statutory rights even where the employer is a small business. The awards for failure to provide written particulars (4 weeks' pay each) are the maximum possible, reflecting the seriousness of the breach. For employees, it demonstrates the importance of checking all potential claims when leaving a job — including redundancy pay, notice, holiday pay and written particulars — and seeking legal advice to ensure nothing is missed.
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