Redundancy is becoming one of the biggest employment law challenges facing employers.
Workforce change is more complex than ever, as economic pressures, AI adoption and evolving business models are driving more restructures, role redesigns and redundancies, while employees are better informed, better equipped and more likely to challenge decisions, with AI tools at their fingertips.
To help employers navigate these challenges, our employment law experts at Halborns have created the Redundancy Risk Series – a collection of practical guides covering every stage of the redundancy process, from planning and consultation through to selection, suitable alternative employment and the latest legal developments.
Whether you’re preparing for a potential restructure or reviewing your existing approach, this series brings together expert insights to help reduce legal risk and support better decision-making.
Explore the redundancy risk series
The 10 biggest redundancy mistakes employers make
This post explores ten mistakes employers make most frequently, including using redundancy for the wrong reasons, treating consultation as a formality and overlooking discrimination risks, along with practical steps to avoid them.
Read: The 10 biggest redundancy mistakes employers make
Redundancy consultation: how do you prove it was meaningful?
This article explains what meaningful consultation looks like in practice, how individual and collective consultation differ, and the mistakes that can undermine an otherwise fair process.
Read: Redundancy consultation: how do you prove it was meaningful?
Redundancy selection and scoring: could you defend your decisions in tribunal?
This post explains how to choose an appropriate selection pool, develop objective scoring criteria, apply them consistently and reduce the risk of discrimination claims if your decisions are challenged.
Read: Redundancy selection and scoring: Could you defend your decisions in tribunal?
Suitable alternative employment: how far do you have to go to avoid redundancy?
This article explores employers’ obligations to consider redeployment, retraining, trial periods and suitable alternative roles, as well as the enhanced protections available to some employees.
Read: Suitable alternative employment: how far do you have to go to avoid redundancy?
Redundancy risk is increasing. Here’s why.
This guide explains how Employment Rights Act reforms, collective consultation proposals and changes to unfair dismissal rights could affect employers, along with the steps organisations should be taking now.
Read: Redundancy risk is increasing. Here’s why.
Planning a redundancy exercise? Set yourself up for success
This article in the series brings together the key principles of effective planning, helping employers build fair, consistent and legally defensible redundancy processes from the outset.
Read: Planning a redundancy exercise? Set yourself up for success.
Frequently asked questions
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What are the legal requirements for redundancy in the UK?
To make an employee redundant fairly in the UK, employers must have a genuine redundancy situation and follow a fair process. This includes consulting with affected employees before making any final decisions, identifying an appropriate selection pool, using objective and evidence-based selection criteria, considering suitable alternative employment and ensuring decisions are free from discrimination.
Where collective redundancy rules apply, employers must also meet their statutory consultation and notification obligations. Following a fair, well-documented process helps reduce the risk of Employment Tribunal claims.
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What are the key steps employers should follow for redundancy processes in the UK?
While every redundancy exercise is different, most follow the same core stages. Employers should establish a clear business case, identify the appropriate selection pool, develop objective selection criteria, carry out meaningful consultation, consider suitable alternative employment and document every key decision. Before confirming dismissal, it’s important to ensure the process has been applied fairly and consistently.
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When is collective redundancy consultation required?
Collective consultation is generally required when an employer proposes making 20 or more employees redundant within a 90-day period at one establishment. Where this threshold is met, employers must consult employee representatives, comply with the statutory minimum consultation periods and notify the Redundancy Payments Service within the required timescales.
Employers should also be preparing for further changes under the Employment Rights Act. The government has proposed replacing the current “one establishment” test with an organisation-wide threshold for triggering collective consultation and notification obligations, although the details have not yet been finalised and the changes are not expected to take effect until 2027 at the earliest.
The government’s Make Work Pay: threshold for triggering collective redundancy obligations consultation, which closed on 21 May 2026, sought views on how the new threshold should operate. Proposals included either a fixed threshold of between 250 and 1,000 proposed redundancies, or a tiered threshold based on the size of the employer. Until the legislation is confirmed, employers should continue to comply with the current collective consultation rules while monitoring further developments.
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Which platforms offer legal advice for employers managing redundancy?
Employers can access redundancy advice through specialist employment law firms, HR consultancies and legal support services. The right option will depend on the size and complexity of the redundancy exercise. Halborns supports employers with practical employment law advice, documentation, redundancy templates and end-to-end legal guidance, helping organisations manage both individual and collective redundancy processes with confidence.
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How can employers access professional consultation services for redundancy planning?
Planning ahead is one of the best ways to reduce redundancy risk. Employers can work with employment law specialists to review redundancy plans, prepare documentation, support consultation meetings, advise on selection criteria and ensure legal obligations are met throughout the process. As part of Empowering People Group, Halborns also works alongside Working Transitions to provide outplacement support, helping organisations support affected employees while reducing legal and reputational risk.
