Statutory Notice Period Calculator
Enter how long you've worked for your employer and your weekly pay — see the minimum notice they must give you and what that notice period is worth in wages.
How it works
Statutory minimum notice FROM your employer (Employment Rights Act 1996 s.86): nothing in the first month; 1 week once you've worked a month; then from 2 years' service, 1 week PER FULL YEAR, capped at 12 weeks for 12+ years. Example: 7 full years → 7 weeks' notice; 20 years → still 12 weeks.
Notice FROM you to your employer is different: the statutory minimum is a flat 1 week regardless of service — anything longer must come from your contract. Contracts can extend either side's notice beyond the statutory floor but can never cut it below.
During statutory notice you're entitled to normal pay (or statutory guarantee rules if work dries up). PILON (payment in lieu of notice) lets the employer end employment immediately and pay the notice as a lump sum — since 2018 PILON is always taxed as earnings, not as tax-free termination payment. Redundancy pay is separate and comes on top; use our redundancy calculator for that.
FAQ
How much notice does my employer have to give me?
The statutory floor: 1 week if you've served between one month and two years, then one week per complete year of service up to a maximum of 12 weeks. Ten years' service = 10 weeks; twenty years = 12 weeks (the cap). Your CONTRACT can promise more — many senior roles carry 3 months — and the longer of the two applies. These minimums also apply in redundancy: notice pay is owed in addition to any redundancy payment.
What is PILON and how is it taxed?
Payment In Lieu Of Notice: the employer ends your employment immediately and pays you what you would have earned over the notice period as a lump sum. Since April 2018, PILON (technically PENP) is always subject to income tax and National Insurance like normal salary — it cannot be squeezed into the £30,000 tax-free termination exemption. Only genuine ex-gratia/redundancy elements above notice pay can use that exemption.
Do I get paid if I'm put on garden leave?
Yes — garden leave means you remain employed on full pay and benefits through the notice period but are told to stay home; your restrictive covenants and duties (like not working for a competitor) continue because you're still an employee. It differs from PILON, where employment ends at once. Employers can only use garden leave if the contract allows it or you agree; otherwise they must let you work your notice or pay in lieu.