Redundancies and Restructures

Navigating redundancies and restructures can be one of the most challenging aspects of running a business. Whether you’re responding to economic pressures, streamlining operations, or adapting to market changes, it’s essential to manage workforce changes lawfully, sensitively, and strategically.

As experienced employment lawyers in Kent, we help employers across all sectors handle redundancy and restructure processes with confidence, minimising legal risk while protecting your reputation and supporting your people.

While the terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to distinct processes:

• Redundancy occurs when a role is no longer required—due to reduced demand, business closure, or technological change.
• Restructure involves reorganising roles, teams or reporting lines. It may lead to redundancies, but not always.

Both require careful planning, clear communication, and compliance with employment law to avoid claims of unfair dismissal or discrimination. And remember that  upcoming changes resulting from the Employment Rights Bill may mean you need to review your approach.

Redundancy is a potentially fair reason for dismissal under the Employment Rights Act 1996—but only if handled correctly.

Employers must:

• Identify a genuine redundancy situation
• Use fair and objective selection criteria
• Consult with affected employees (and representatives, if applicable)
• Explore suitable alternative employment
• Provide correct notice and redundancy pay

Even well-intentioned employers can fall foul of the law. Common mistakes include:

• Failing to consult properly or early enough
• Using biased or unclear selection criteria
• Overlooking protected characteristics in the selection of at-risk employees (e.g. age, disability, pregnancy)
• Mismanaging redeployment or trial periods
• Not offering a right of appeal

These errors can lead to claims for unfair dismissal, discrimination, or breach of contract with reputational and financial consequences.

Combining deep legal expertise with a pragmatic, people-first approach, we offer practical, commercially-minded advice tailored to your business:

• Strategic planning for restructures and workforce changes
• Drafting consultation documents and selection criteria
• Advising on collective consultation and union engagement
• Managing redundancy meetings and communications
• Preparing settlement agreements and exit packages
• Defending tribunal claims and resolving disputes

We also advise on contract variations, TUPE transfers, and constructive dismissal risks arising from role changes or increased workloads.

Our employment lawyers are trusted by SMEs, charities, schools, and national employers to deliver:

• Clear, responsive advice
• Risk-aware solutions
• Supportive guidance through sensitive situations
• A focus on outcomes—not just process

Whether you’re restructuring a single team or making large-scale redundancies, we’ll help you stay compliant, fair and focused on the future.

For expert employment law legal advice,  book a consultation today.