UK Notice Period: Your Complete Guide

What is a Notice Period?

A notice period is the amount of time you must work after giving notice (or receiving notice) that your employment will end. It applies when resigning or being made redundant.

Statutory Minimum Notice

The minimum notice an employer must give is:

• 1 week if employed less than 2 years
• 2 weeks if employed 2-3 years
• 3 weeks if employed 3-4 years
• And so on, up to 12 weeks for 12+ years

Employee Notice Period

When resigning, employees must give:

• 1 week's notice (minimum)
• Or whatever is in your contract (often longer)

Pay in Lieu of Notice

Employers can sometimes pay you instead of requiring you to work your notice period. This is called "pay in lieu of notice" and may include bonuses or holiday pay you're owed.

Garden Leave

You can be put on "garden leave" where you stay home but still get paid. Your contract should say if this applies.