11-year employee wins redundancy, notice pay and unfair dismissal claim

When redundancy goes wrong: no notice, no payment

A former employee with 11 years' service at Emma’s Beauty (Epsom) Limited was dismissed without notice and without receiving any redundancy payment. The employee had been earning £250 per week gross. Despite their long service, the employer failed to pay the statutory redundancy entitlement or provide the required notice period.

The employee brought claims for redundancy payment, wrongful dismissal (notice pay), and unfair dismissal. The tribunal found in their favour on all three claims, awarding a total of £4,654.51.

What the employer did wrong

The employer appears to have made no redundancy payment and gave no notice. Under UK law, employees with at least two years' service are entitled to statutory redundancy pay based on age, length of service, and weekly pay. They are also entitled to notice — either worked or paid in lieu. By failing to do either, the employer left itself open to multiple claims.

The tribunal awarded the redundancy payment of £3,000 (calculated using the statutory formula), notice pay of £1,154.51 (11 weeks' net pay minus any earnings the employee received after dismissal), and £500 for loss of statutory rights, a standard sum in unfair dismissal cases.

Why this matters for similar claims

This case is a straightforward example of what happens when an employer ignores its basic obligations during a redundancy process. For employees, it shows that even without a complex legal argument, the tribunal will enforce statutory rights. For employers, it is a reminder that redundancy does not exempt them from paying what is owed — and that failing to do so can result in multiple awards.

The total award of £4,654.51 reflects the employee's statutory entitlements, not any additional compensation for injury to feelings or future loss. It demonstrates that even in a relatively low-paid role, the sums can add up when basic rights are breached.