UK Notice Period Calculator
Work out the legal minimum notice period for resigning or dismissing an employee in England, Scotland and Wales — based on the Employment Rights Act 1996. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
Notice periods trip up employers and employees constantly — mostly because people assume the contract is the only thing that matters. It isn't. UK law sets a legal floor that no contract can go below.
How the statutory minimum works
Section 86 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 sets two different minimums, depending on who's giving notice:
Employer giving notice to an employee
| Length of continuous service | Statutory minimum notice |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 month | None |
| 1 month to 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 to 12 years | 1 week per complete year of service |
| 12 years or more | 12 weeks (capped) |
Employee giving notice to an employer
This one's simpler and doesn't scale with service length: the statutory minimum is a flat 1 week, once the employee has been continuously employed for at least 1 month. Below 1 month, there's no statutory minimum at all.
What this calculator doesn't cover
- Gross misconduct dismissals — an employer can dismiss without notice (summary dismissal) in genuine gross misconduct cases, though this carries real legal risk if challenged.
- Redundancy pay — notice period rules are the same for redundancy, but redundancy pay is a separate, additional statutory entitlement based on age, weekly pay and length of service.
- Payment in lieu of notice (PILON) — some contracts allow the employer to pay out the notice period instead of requiring the employee to work it.
Frequently asked questions
What if my contract says less notice than the legal minimum?
That part of the contract isn't enforceable — the statutory minimum applies instead.
Can I be paid in lieu of notice instead of working it?
Only if the contract contains a PILON clause, or both sides agree to it at the time.
Is the notice period different during probation?
The statutory minimum doesn't start until 1 month of service. Many contracts set a shorter probationary notice period, which is fine as long as it isn't below the statutory minimum once that minimum kicks in.
Does redundancy have a different notice period?
No — the same statutory notice rules apply. Redundancy pay is separate and additional.
Does this cover Scotland and Northern Ireland?
The Employment Rights Act 1996 minimums apply across Great Britain. Northern Ireland has its own, broadly equivalent legislation.
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