Redundancy Letter (UK) (Acas)
This template is a formal letter for an employer to notify an employee that their position is at risk of redundancy. It initiates the consultation process, explaining its purpose, who will be involved (individual or collective consultation), and the expected duration. The letter emphasizes that no final decisions have been made yet.
Letter Informing an Employee They are at Risk of Redundancy
An employer can adapt this template to inform an employee they are at risk of redundancy.
Find out more about following a fair redundancy process.
Instructions or options to fill in this template are in [square brackets].
[date]
Dear [employee name],
I write following the meeting held earlier today / on [meeting date]. As we discussed, the organisation may need to make redundancies.
The organisation is considering making [number of employees at risk] employees within the [affected area] redundant because [reason for redundancy]. Unfortunately, your post is one of those at risk of redundancy.
What happens next?
The organisation will now start the consultation process. The purpose of consultation is to:
discuss and explore ways of avoiding or reducing the number of redundancies and reach agreement if possible
give you the opportunity to make suggestions and raise any questions you may have
consider possible suitable alternative employment within the organisation
seek to agree criteria for selecting employees if redundancies are necessary or [or explain the selection process agreed with the relevant trade union / employee representative body]
identify your needs during the process and provide you with any necessary support or assistance
I want to make it clear that no decisions have been taken yet and that no decision on this will be made until the consultation has concluded.
Who will we consult with?
Use option A if you will collectively consult with a recognised trade union or members of an existing employee forum.
Use option B if you will elect employee representatives from the workforce to collectively consult with.
Use option C if you have no recognised trade union or employee representative body and will individually consult with staff at risk of redundancy. You can only use this option if you are proposing to either:
dismiss as redundant less than 20 people within a 90-day period
dismiss as redundant 20 or more employees within a 90-day period, and you offered the opportunity to elect employee representatives but nobody put themselves forward
Find out more about how to follow the right process when managing redundancies.
Option A The organisation will be consulting with about ways of avoiding or reducing the need for redundancies and about the criteria on which any selection for redundancy would be based. You will also be given an opportunity to be consulted directly about how the process affects you.
Option B The organisation will be arranging for the election of representatives who will be consulted on ways of avoiding or reducing the need for redundancies and about the criteria on which any selection for redundancy would be based. We will announce details of this process and how you can participate soon. You will also be given an opportunity to be consulted directly about how the process affects you.
Option C The organisation will consult with you on an individual basis. We will be writing to you soon to invite you to a meeting to discuss ways of avoiding or reducing the need for redundancies and about the criteria on which any selection for redundancy would be based. All suggestions will be considered.
How long will the consultation last?
Option A The consultation will last for a minimum period of 30 / 45 days because the organisation is proposing to make 20 or more / 100 or more employees redundant over a period of 90 days or less.
Option B There is no set period for how long the consultation will last, because it will depend upon the issues that are raised, but we expect it to last for at least [consultation weeks] weeks.
We will keep you informed and involved throughout the process. In the next few days / coming weeks, we will write to invite you to an individual consultation meeting to discuss the issues outlined in this letter, and any other concerns that you may have.
We appreciate that this is likely to be an upsetting and difficult time for everyone. Please feel free to talk to your manager or contact me / [contact person] if you have any queries or would like to discuss any aspect of the process further.
Yours sincerely
[sender name]
5.0 out of 5 on Google
Read reviewsAs seen in
Frequently asked questions
A template isn't binding on its own - like any contract, it becomes binding once it's properly completed and signed. Templates in our curated library are professionally drafted for US or UK law; review any template before you sign it.
Yes. Chat with GitLaw to edit any section, or make changes directly in the editor.
Yes, read about team plans here.
Describe what you need in the chat and GitLaw will draft it for you.
Templates in our curated library are professionally drafted for US or UK law. The wider library comes from the GitLaw community and public sources - a solid starting point, but check any template fits your situation before you rely on it.
Mostly US and UK law. Some templates use general commercial terms that work across jurisdictions, and many note which law they're written for.
It depends on the situation. Templates work well for routine business agreements. For anything involving significant money, complex IP, employment, or areas you're unsure about, it's worth getting professional advice before you sign. GitLaw provides templates and tools, not legal advice.
Open any template in GitLaw and describe the change you want in the chat — 'make clause 4 mutual' or 'add a 30-day notice period', for example. GitLaw drafts the revised language and shows it as a suggested edit. You accept, reject, or keep editing from there.
Yes. Upload a Word, PDF, or Markdown file and GitLaw will open it in the editor. You can review, edit, or chat with GitLaw about it the same way you would with any template from the library.
Trusted by thousands of businesses
From template to signed, in one place
Every template opens in an editor with an AI agent alongside it.
Open
Pick a template and open it. Nothing to download, and no credit card to start.
Free to open
Edit with AI
Describe your situation in chat and the agent adapts the wording, clause by clause.
Tracked changes you can review
Send and sign
Share it for negotiation, then collect signatures without leaving GitLaw.
eSign included
Built for your legal work, with practicing lawyers
Trained on 5.5K+ clauses and specialist areas of law. Built with a standards committee of independent lawyers.
As seen in
Start free
No sales calls, no credit card. Just chat with GitLaw.
GitLaw provides templates and tools, not legal advice. Templates are a starting point, not a substitute for advice on your situation - for anything significant, speak to a qualified lawyer.