Answer

How long does the redundancy process take?

At least 30 days: minimum collective consultation period for 20 to 99 proposed redundancies at one establishment (<a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/52/section/188" class="text-primary underline">TULR(C)A 1992, s.188 )
At least 45 days: minimum collective consultation period for 100 or more proposed redundancies at one establishment (<a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/52/section/188" class="text-primary underline">TULR(C)A 1992, s.188 )

There is no fixed length for an individual redundancy. But where an employer proposes making 20 or more people redundant at one establishment within 90 days, the law sets a minimum collective consultation period before any dismissal can take effect: at least 30 days for 20 to 99 proposed redundancies, and at least 45 days for 100 or more, under section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Smaller, individual redundancies have no fixed minimum, but still require a fair, genuine consultation process.

Why the 20-employee threshold matters

The 30/45-day minimums are collective consultation rules: they apply per establishment (broadly, per workplace or site), not per company, and only once 20 or more redundancies are proposed there within a 90-day period. Below that threshold there is no statutory minimum timetable, but a rushed or one-sided process can still make an otherwise genuine redundancy an unfair dismissal.

ACAS publishes practical guidance on running a compliant redundancy timetable. Our full redundancy process guide walks through each stage, from at-risk notification to the final decision.