What Will Happen in My Redundancy Pay Claim? 10% Win Rate at Hearing
This article applies to England, Wales and Scotland.
Important: This guide provides information about UK employment law. It is not legal advice. Every situation is different. If you are dealing with a workplace dispute, consider speaking to a solicitor for advice specific to your circumstances.
In brief: Redundancy pay claims rose 68% year-on-year to 620 complaints in Q2 2025/26. These claims have the second highest hearing success rate at 10%, the highest default judgment rate at 15%, and the lowest ACAS settlement rate at 17%. The average case takes 28 weeks to clear, in line with the all-claims average.
Last updated: February 2026
If your employer has made you redundant and you believe you have not received the redundancy pay you are owed, the tribunal data suggests you have better prospects than most. Redundancy pay claims have the second highest success rate at a full hearing (behind working time) and the highest rate of default judgments, where the employer simply does not respond. They also resolve at roughly the average pace.
The figures in this article come from the Ministry of Justice's Employment Tribunal Statistics (Reform system data), covering Q2 2024/25 through Q2 2025/26. The right to statutory redundancy pay is set out in Part XI of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and applies to employees with two or more years of continuous service.
How many people are in your position?
In Q2 2025/26 (July to September 2025), 620 redundancy pay complaints were filed, representing 7% of all single claims.
| Quarter | Redundancy pay complaints | Share of all claims |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2024/25 (Jul-Sep 2024) | 369 | 6% |
| Q3 2024/25 (Oct-Dec 2024) | 421 | 7% |
| Q4 2024/25 (Jan-Mar 2025) | 489 | 7% |
| Q1 2025/26 (Apr-Jun 2025) | 553 | 6% |
| Q2 2025/26 (Jul-Sep 2025) | 620 | 7% |
That is a 68% increase compared to Q2 2024/25, when 369 complaints were filed. The growth reflects both increased economic restructuring and, in some cases, employer insolvency leaving workers without redundancy payments.
Redundancy pay claims are often filed alongside other complaints, particularly unfair dismissal (where the redundancy process is alleged to have been unfair) and breach of contract (where notice pay or other contractual entitlements were not paid). Some redundancy pay claims are brought against the Secretary of State rather than the employer, where the employer has become insolvent and the claim is for payment from the National Insurance Fund.
How will your case most likely end?
The tribunal disposed of 242 redundancy pay complaints in Q2 2025/26. Here is how they were resolved:
| Outcome | Percentage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| ACAS conciliated settlement | 17% | Settled through ACAS before hearing |
| Withdrawn or dismissed | 41% | Claim withdrawn by claimant or dismissed by tribunal |
| Default judgment | 15% | Employer failed to respond, claimant won by default |
| Successful at hearing | 10% | Went to full hearing, claimant won |
| Struck out | 8% | Tribunal removed the claim |
| Unsuccessful at hearing | 4% | Went to full hearing, employer won |
| Other | 5% | Includes various procedural outcomes |
Three figures stand out. The 10% hearing success rate is the second highest of any major claim type, behind working time (11%). The 15% default judgment rate is the highest, meaning one in seven employers does not respond at all. And the 17% ACAS settlement rate is the lowest of any claim type.
If you imagine 100 redundancy pay claims filed today, roughly 17 would settle through ACAS, 15 would win by default because the employer did not respond, and only 14 would reach a full contested hearing, where 10 would win and 4 would lose. The remaining 54 would be withdrawn, struck out, or resolved through other routes.
The low ACAS settlement rate combined with the high default judgment rate tells a specific story. Many redundancy pay claims are against employers who have become insolvent or ceased trading. These employers cannot settle through ACAS because they no longer operate, and they do not respond to the tribunal because there is nobody to respond. The claim then either results in a default judgment or, if the employer is insolvent, is redirected to the Redundancy Payments Service for payment from the National Insurance Fund.
How long will it take?
Redundancy pay claims resolve at about the average pace. The clearance data uses the broader "Insolvency/Redundancy" category:
| Percentile | Insolvency/Redundancy | All claims |
|---|---|---|
| 25th (fastest quarter) | 15 weeks | 14 weeks |
| Median (middle case) | 25 weeks | 25 weeks |
| 75th (slower cases) | 39 weeks | 40 weeks |
| Mean (average) | 28 weeks | 28 weeks |
The average case takes 28 weeks, exactly matching the all-claims mean. The median is 25 weeks, also matching. The fastest quarter clear within 15 weeks, and one in four take 39 weeks or more.
The relatively fast pace for a financial claim reflects the fact that many redundancy pay cases are resolved through default judgment or early settlement without needing a full hearing. Cases involving disputed redundancy (where the employer contests whether a genuine redundancy took place) take longer.
For a full comparison of timelines across all claim types, see our waiting times analysis.
What this means for you
The data suggests redundancy pay claims are among the most favourable for claimants, with important caveats depending on your employer's situation.
Your chances at hearing are among the best. At 10%, redundancy pay has the second highest success rate at a full hearing, behind only working time claims (11%). The legal test is relatively factual: were you made redundant? Do you have the qualifying service? Was the redundancy pay calculated correctly? These questions tend to have clear documentary answers, making redundancy pay claims among the easier types to prove.
If your employer has gone bust, the process is different. When your employer is insolvent, the Redundancy Payments Service (part of the Insolvency Service) can pay your statutory redundancy from the National Insurance Fund. You may not need to go through the full tribunal process. The tribunal can make a declaration of your entitlement, which the Redundancy Payments Service then fulfils.
Many employers do not respond. The 15% default judgment rate is the highest of any claim type. This is often because the employer has ceased trading or become insolvent. If your employer does not file a response within 28 days, the tribunal may enter judgment in your favour.
Settlement is less common, for specific reasons. The 17% ACAS settlement rate, the lowest of any claim type, does not reflect weakness in these claims. It reflects the fact that many are against insolvent or non-trading employers who cannot negotiate. Where the employer is still operating, settlement rates are likely closer to the average.
The 8% struck out rate is the highest of any claim type. This often occurs where the claim was premature (the employer was still in an insolvency process), where the wrong respondent was named, or where the Redundancy Payments Service route was more appropriate. Getting the procedural steps right from the start matters.
Time limits still apply. You must claim redundancy pay within six months of the relevant date (usually your termination date) under section 164 of the Employment Rights Act 1996. This is longer than the three-month time limit that applies to most other tribunal claims. If your employer is insolvent, there may be separate processes and deadlines for claiming from the National Insurance Fund. The backlog does not extend your deadline.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many redundancy pay claims are filed?
In Q2 2025/26, 620 redundancy pay complaints were filed, a 68% increase on the same quarter the previous year. Redundancy pay accounts for around 7% of all tribunal claims.
What percentage of redundancy pay claims succeed?
Around 10% succeed at a full hearing, the second highest rate of any claim type. Another 15% result in default judgment where the employer fails to respond. In total, 17% settle through ACAS.
How long does a redundancy pay claim take?
The average is 28 weeks from filing to resolution, matching the all-claims average. The fastest 25% of cases clear within 15 weeks, while 25% take 39 weeks or more.
How much statutory redundancy pay am I entitled to?
Statutory redundancy pay is calculated based on your age, length of service, and weekly pay (capped at a statutory maximum, currently £719 per week from April 2025). You receive half a week's pay for each full year of service when aged under 22, one week's pay per year between 22 and 40, and one and a half weeks' pay per year aged 41 or over. The maximum is 20 years' service.
What if my employer has gone into administration or liquidation?
If your employer is insolvent, you can claim statutory redundancy pay from the National Insurance Fund through the Redundancy Payments Service. You may also be able to claim unpaid wages (up to 8 weeks), holiday pay (up to 6 weeks), and notice pay through the same route. A tribunal claim may still be needed to establish your entitlement.
Sources
- "Employment Tribunal Statistics, Tables ET_1_R, ET_2_R, T_3", Ministry of Justice / HM Courts & Tribunals Service, 2025 - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics
- Employment Rights Act 1996, Part XI (Redundancy Payments) - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/18/part/XI
- "Redundancy: your rights", GOV.UK - https://www.gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights
- "Early Conciliation", ACAS - https://www.acas.org.uk/early-conciliation