York: what their redundancy policy pays
Sourced from York's own published policy, retrieved 2026-08-19.
York's own policy
Published as Annex 1 - Exit and Pension Discretions (summary of the Council's existing policy provisions).
York's policy confirms it pays statutory redundancy pay only, with no locally discretionary enhancement on top.
"More than 2 years service: Redundancy pay is based on total local government service, the statutory number of weeks and actual weekly pay. Statutory ready reckoner used. Maximum payment is 30 weeks pay after 20 years of service at age 61+... Automatic access to unreduced pension benefits earned to date for those aged 55+ who are made redundant. This is a provision of the scheme, not a local discretion."
Like every local authority, York sets this policy under its own discretion (regulation 6 of the 2006 Regulations, below) and can amend it. Read the document itself rather than relying on this summary alone: Annex 1 - Exit and Pension Discretions (summary of the Council's existing policy provisions), retrieved 2026-08-19.
A note on this figure: Document also covers Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS): employer discretion used to allow all teachers over 55 to access unreduced pension benefits on redundancy, cost paid by council over remaining lifetime of employee. Enhancements to payments are 'not normally awarded'. Undated annex found via a 2026-2027 Pay Policy Statement listing; exact policyDate/reviewDate not stated in the fetched PDF.
A note on these figures: the policy details below are published fromYork's own linked source document and are correct to our knowledge as at 2026-08-19. Treat them as indicative, read the source document for yourself, and check your own offer against it. Read how our figures are checked.
How this compares with the statutory minimum
Every employee with at least two years' service is entitled to statutory redundancy pay regardless of what their employer's own policy says. As at 6 April 2026, that is calculated using a week's pay capped at £751, up to a maximum of £22,530 for 20 years' service at age 41 or over.
What York pays on top of the statutory floor, if anything, depends on the route out: several councils apply different terms to voluntary and compulsory redundancy, or to different staff groups. Read the council's own wording quoted above and the source document rather than relying on a single figure, and check your own offer against both.
LGPS and early pension access
Under regulation 30(7) of the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013, an LGPS member aged 55 or over who is dismissed for redundancy or business efficiency is entitled to immediate payment of their pension, rather than waiting until normal pension age. This is separate from, and on top of, any redundancy payment above.
York's own policy adds: Automatic access to unreduced LGPS pension benefits earned to date for those aged 55+ who are made redundant (a scheme provision, not local discretion); cost of early retirement paid into the Scheme over 1, 3 or 5 years. Under-55s get no pension costs on redundancy. Flexible/voluntary early retirement and efficiency retirement are 'not normally awarded'.
Source: LGPS Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/2356), regulation 30(7). Read the regulations. This does not compute a pension figure; it states the rule only, and does not replace advice from your pension fund.
Settlement agreements at York
Where a council wants to agree enhanced terms, confirm the LGPS position, or resolve a related dispute alongside a redundancy, it is often documented in a settlement agreement rather than a plain redundancy letter. A settlement agreement is only legally binding once you have received advice on its terms from a relevant independent adviser such as a solicitor, and your employer is usually required to contribute to the cost of that advice.
Before you sign anything, work out what York's own policy and the statutory minimum add up to on their own, so you can see what a settlement offer is actually adding.
Related
Get your redundancy offer reviewed
A relevant independent adviser, such as a solicitor, can check how York's offer compares with your statutory entitlement and their own policy before you sign anything. Your employer is usually required to contribute to the cost.