Our approach
What we cover
We advise employers on redundancy processes of all sizes: individual redundancies where one role is at risk, small-scale restructures, and larger collective redundancies. The legal requirements differ significantly depending on scale, and getting this wrong can be expensive. We make sure you understand what the process requires before you start.
For individual and small-scale redundancies, we advise on selection criteria (which must be objective and consistently applied), meaningful consultation with affected employees, statutory notice periods, and redundancy pay calculations. Where the process concludes with a settlement agreement rather than a redundancy dismissal, we handle that too. Settlement is often the cleanest way to end the employment relationship on both sides, and we can advise on whether it's the right approach for your situation.
Where you're proposing to make twenty or more redundancies within a 90-day period, additional statutory obligations apply around collective consultation and notification. We advise on what those require and manage the process accordingly.
How we work with you
We work with you from the point of decision. That means helping you structure the proposal, advising on who is in scope, preparing the communications and consultation documents, and supporting you through the consultation period itself. We can also help where redundancy is the end point of a longer restructure, or where the process has already started and you need support to get it back on track.
Where redundancy leads to a settlement agreement, we draft and negotiate the terms, advise on the tax treatment of payments (alongside your accountants where needed), and make sure the agreement properly settles the claims you need it to settle.
Who we work with
We act for employers: founder-led agencies, tech businesses and high-growth companies going through restructure, downturn, or strategic change. For many of our clients, redundancy is unfamiliar territory. They know what they need to do commercially but aren't sure what the law requires. That's exactly where we come in.
We handle the legal process so you can focus on your people and your business. If you're an employee who has been made redundant and has been offered a settlement agreement, our sister service Check My Settlement may be able to help with independent advice.
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Case Studies
Meet the team
Whether it's putting in place the right documents for your staff, handling tricky processes or dealing with employment disputes, Georgiana will calmly navigate your business through employment law requirements.
Georgiana has acted for clients ranging from start-ups and SMEs across a host of different industries working at both a Legal 500 firm and boutique west end London law firm gaining experience and knowledge from a broad spectrum of clients and cases. She enjoys working with clients as their businesses grow and providing the employment law support, they need at each stage of those journeys.
Having worked on both the employer and employee sides, she has a real insight into how each party is likely to approach a matter. She delivers clear, pragmatic advice and practical solutions in a friendly, no-nonsense manner.
When not crafting bespoke employment solutions, Georgiana can be found running early in the morning, enjoying ballet performances and art exhibitions, going on long walks and being by the sea.
Alistair co-founded Tend Legal with Shona on a simple idea: that small and medium-sized businesses deserve the same quality of legal advice as large companies, without the large firm experience.
As a solicitor with a broad commercial practice, he advises business owners on the full range of issues that come with running and growing a company. That means employment law: advising on settlement agreements, workforce decisions and the day-to-day employment questions that land on founders' desks. It means commercial work: negotiating and reviewing contracts, supplier agreements, and the commercial arrangements that keep a business running. And it means corporate transactions: from business sales and acquisitions to investment rounds, share structures and restructures.
Before co-founding Tend Legal, Alistair was a partner at Woodfords Solicitors in South West London, where he spent over a decade building a reputation for clear, commercial advice to SMEs. He is known for his calm approach, his ability to cut through complexity, and his willingness to give a straight answer.
When not working or acting as taxi driver to his three children, Alistair can be found riding bikes or skateboards, playing various instruments, or at church.
Frequently Asked Questions
A fair redundancy requires a genuine redundancy situation (the role is no longer needed), a fair and objective selection process if more than one person is in the pool, meaningful consultation with the affected employee or employees, and the correct notice and pay. If any of these steps are missed or done badly, you're exposed to an unfair dismissal claim. The good news is that a properly run process, properly documented, is strong protection.
For individual and small-scale redundancies (fewer than 20 at one establishment within 90 days), there's no statutory minimum. The law requires consultation to be genuine and meaningful, which means talking to the employee before a decision is made, while what they say can still change the outcome. For a single role, that usually means at least two meetings over a week or two: one to explain the proposal and the reasons, and a follow-up to hear their response and consider alternatives. Once you're proposing 20 or more redundancies at one establishment within 90 days, statutory minimums apply, as covered in the next question.
If you're proposing 20 or more redundancies at one establishment within any 90-day period, collective redundancy rules apply. These sit on top of the individual consultation requirements. First, you must consult with employee representatives. That consultation must start in good time and run for at least 30 days before the first dismissal takes effect if you're proposing 20 to 99 redundancies, or at least 45 days if you're proposing 100 or more. Second, you must notify the Redundancy Payments Service by submitting an HR1 form before you give notice of dismissal to anyone, and within the same 30 or 45 day minimum period. If you're facing a restructure of this scale, talk to us before you communicate anything internally.
You must tell affected employees about any suitable alternative roles that exist within the business. If an employee unreasonably refuses a suitable alternative, they may lose their entitlement to a redundancy payment. What counts as "suitable" is a factual question and we can help you assess it.
A settlement agreement can be used alongside or at the end of a redundancy process, but it doesn't replace it. If there's a genuine redundancy situation, running the process properly protects you. If the employee is happy to settle and both sides want a clean break, the settlement agreement provides that. The two can work together, and we'll advise on the right approach for your circumstances.
The risks depend on what went wrong. A procedurally unfair redundancy can result in an employment tribunal claim for unfair dismissal. A failure to comply with collective consultation obligations can result in protective awards of up to 90 days' gross pay per employee. These are significant liabilities, especially for smaller businesses. Getting advice early costs a fraction of getting it wrong.