Redundancy pay and tax

There is a tax-free limit of £30,000 for redundancy pay regardless of whether it is your statutory redundancy payment or a higher payment from your employer.

If you have been employed for two years or more and are made redundant, you are usually entitled to redundancy pay. The legal minimum you can receive is known as "statutory redundancy pay." However, there are exceptions, such as if your employer offers to keep you on or provides suitable alternative work, which you then refuse without a valid reason.

The amount of statutory redundancy pay depends on your age and length of service and is calculated as follows:

• Under 22: Half a week’s pay for each full year of service
• Aged 22 to 40: One week’s pay for each full year of service
• Over 41: One and a half weeks’ pay for each full year of service

Weekly pay is capped at £700, with a maximum of 20 years of service considered. The maximum statutory redundancy pay for 2024-25 is £21,000, with slightly higher limits in Northern Ireland.

Employers can choose to offer a higher redundancy payment, or you may be entitled to one based on the terms of your employment contract.