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Free, plain-English guides to UK employment law, with the sources to back them up.
Statutory employer notice
How much notice am I owed?
7 full years: 7 weeks of statutory employer notice.
| Continuous service | Minimum |
|---|---|
| 1 month to under 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 to 12 full years | 1 week per year |
| 12 years or more | 12 weeks |
For employees with at least a year’s service. Your contract may give more. Gross misconduct can remove the right to notice. Check the notice rules.
Commencement No. 6, made on 1 October, legally fixes this start for stronger harassment prevention and third-party protections, union access, remaining recognition and derecognition reforms, and time-off rights for union officials, learning representatives and qualifying equality representatives. Section 56 and Schedule 5's seafarer-protection framework also came into force, but operational declaration requirements need further regulations. These changes are in force from 30 October 2026.
The regulations are scheduled for this date, not yet in force.
The qualifying period is scheduled to fall to six months and the ordinary compensatory-award cap is scheduled to be removed for dismissals with an effective termination date from this day. Strengthened tipping law and the union-rights statement duty are also scheduled for this date.
Fire-and-rehire protections are planned for March, not January. Mandatory gender-equality and menopause action plans for public authorities are also scheduled for March.
Dates and status from our reform tracker. Scheduled does not mean in force.
You do not have to be a union member to join a protected strike. What matters is who called the action, whether it covers your job and whether the legal steps were followed.
Dated guidance. Primary sources. A clear line between the law now and what comes next.
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