What Happens at a Redundancy Consultation Meeting

Redundancy is one of the hardest processes an employer runs, and one of the most frequently challenged. The consultation meeting is where fairness is won or lost, because it is the point at which affected employees can still influence the outcome. Employers who treat it as a formality, announcing a decision that has already been made, put themselves at real risk.

This post explains what a redundancy consultation meeting involves, what each party can expect, and what a well-run process looks like. It is written primarily for employers and managers, but it is also relevant for employees who have been told their role is at risk.

Individual and collective consultation

Consultation means discussing proposals with the people affected while there is still time for the discussion to make a difference. There are two kinds, and it helps to know which applies.

Individual consultation applies to every redundancy, however few people are affected. There is no fixed statutory minimum period where fewer than 20 redundancies are proposed, but the consultation must be genuine and early enough for the employee's views to change the outcome.

Collective consultation applies where an employer proposes to dismiss 20 or more employees at one establishment within a 90-day period. The employer must consult appropriate representatives, either from a trade union or elected by the workforce, at least 30 days before the first dismissal where 20 to 99 redundancies are proposed, and at least 45 days before where 100 or more are proposed. The employer must also notify the Secretary of State on form HR1.

The cost of getting collective consultation wrong has risen. From 6 April 2026, the maximum protective award doubled from 90 to 180 days' pay per affected employee. The Government is also introducing a new organisation-wide threshold for collective consultation, expected during 2027, and has consulted on the level. The Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures does not apply to redundancy, but tribunals still expect a fair process.

Before the meeting: preparation and process

The first task is to be clear about the business case. Why is a reduction needed, which roles are affected, what alternatives were considered, and what is the timetable? Alternatives worth considering include recruitment freezes, reduced hours, voluntary redundancy and redeployment. An employer that cannot show it considered them will struggle to show that the consultation was genuine.

The second is to settle the selection pool and criteria. The pool should include everyone doing the same or similar work. The criteria should be objective, measurable and applied consistently, and the scoring evidence should be kept. Criteria must not discriminate. Absence linked to disability, pregnancy or family leave should not count against anyone, and criteria that favour full-time working or long service can create indirect discrimination if they are not carefully justified.

The third is the invitation. The employee should receive written notice of the meeting that explains its purpose, says that their role is at risk of redundancy, and gives them time to prepare. There is no statutory right to be accompanied at a redundancy consultation meeting, because the right in the Employment Relations Act 1999 applies to disciplinary and grievance hearings. Many employers allow a colleague or trade union representative to attend as good practice, and it usually makes the meeting more productive.

The manager should also bring the practical information the employee will want: the timetable, a list of current vacancies, how any redundancy pay would be calculated, and, at the right stage, the employee's own selection scores.

Special protections apply to some employees. Those who are pregnant, on maternity, adoption or shared parental leave, or who have recently returned from such leave, are entitled to be offered suitable alternative vacancies in priority to others. That protection now extends from the point the employee tells the employer they are pregnant until 18 months after the birth.

At the meeting: what actually happens

Most fair processes involve at least two individual meetings, and often three.

The first meeting explains the proposal. The manager sets out the business reasons, the pool, the selection criteria and the timetable, and makes clear that no final decision has been made. The employee is invited to ask questions, challenge the proposal and put forward ideas, such as alternative roles, reduced hours or ways of avoiding the redundancy altogether. The manager should listen properly and record what is said.

The second meeting takes place after selection scoring. The employee is told whether they have been provisionally selected, is shown their own scores and the reasoning, and is given the chance to challenge them. Any suggestions made at the first meeting should be answered, ideally in writing. Suitable alternative vacancies are discussed, along with what support the employer can offer.

The final meeting confirms the outcome after any challenge has been considered. If the employee is to be made redundant, the notice period, the last day of employment, payments and the right of appeal are explained.

Throughout, the manager should avoid language that suggests the decision is settled before it is. Telling someone at the first meeting that they are being made redundant, when the consultation has only just begun, is one of the commonest reasons employers lose redundancy cases.

Alternative work, pay and time off

The employer has a duty to look for suitable alternative employment and to offer it where it exists. An employee who accepts an alternative role is entitled to a four-week statutory trial period to see whether it suits them, and can still be treated as redundant if it does not.

Employees with two years' service are entitled to statutory redundancy pay. The rates and weekly pay cap are updated each April, so check the current figures. Employees with two years' service are also entitled to reasonable paid time off to look for work or arrange training during their notice period.

After the meeting: the outcome and the appeal

The outcome should be confirmed in writing. The letter should set out the reason for the redundancy, the selection outcome, the notice period and last day, the payments due, any alternative roles discussed and the right of appeal. An appeal is not a statutory requirement, but it is good practice, and it should be heard by someone who was not involved in the original decision.

The legal risk is changing. From 1 January 2027 the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal claims falls from two years to six months, and the compensation cap is removed, so employees with shorter service will be able to challenge the fairness of selection and consultation. Most tribunal claims are also due to have a six-month time limit from 1 October 2026.

The final word

A fair redundancy process is honest about the reasons, open about the criteria, and willing to change course when good ideas are put forward. Employers who consult in that spirit rarely regret it. Those who go through the motions often do.