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Statutory notice period calculator
Statutory notice is the minimum notice the law requires when employment ends in England and Wales. Your employer must give one week per complete year of service, capped at 12 weeks; you must give at least one week. Enter your dates below to see both.
Covers England and Wales. This tool gives legal information, not legal advice.
No sign-up is required to use this tool. If you use a calculator, your answers are calculated in this browser and are not saved unless you choose to create an account.
The date your continuous employment began with this employer.
Your last day of employment. If you are still employed, tick the box and we will count your service up to today.
How statutory notice works
Statutory minimum notice comes from section 86 of the Employment Rights Act 1996. It applies once you have been continuously employed for at least one month. From an employer to an employee, the minimum is one week's notice for under two years of service, then one week for each complete year of continuous employment, up to a cap of 12 weeks once you reach 12 years. From an employee to an employer, the minimum is one week and it does not rise with service.
Continuous employment is not always the same as the gap between your start and end dates - it can be preserved across certain breaks and business transfers. The figure here assumes unbroken service and that notice is measured from the point it is given.
Statutory vs contractual notice
Your contract can promise more notice than the statutory minimum, but never less. Where the two differ, you are entitled to whichever is longer - so always read your contract or written statement of particulars alongside this figure. Statutory notice also does not apply where you were dismissed without notice for gross misconduct. If you are unsure how your notice was handled, our employment law guides explain your options.
Common questions
How much notice am I entitled to?
Once you have been continuously employed for one month, the statutory minimum your employer must give is one week's notice for under two years' service, then one week for each complete year, up to a maximum of 12 weeks at 12 years or more. This is only the legal minimum - if your contract gives a longer notice period, you are entitled to whichever is longer.
How much notice do I have to give my employer?
If you have been employed for one month or more, the statutory minimum you must give is one week. Unlike the notice your employer owes you, this does not increase with length of service. Your contract may require you to give more.
Is statutory notice capped?
Yes. Statutory notice from an employer is capped at 12 weeks, reached after 12 complete years of continuous employment. Longer service does not increase the statutory figure - though your contract can provide for more.
Does statutory notice apply if I was dismissed for gross misconduct?
No. Where an employer is entitled to dismiss you without notice because of your conduct (summary dismissal for gross misconduct), the statutory notice entitlement does not apply. This calculator assumes an ordinary dismissal or resignation.
Is this calculator a substitute for checking my contract?
No. It applies the statutory minimum under the Employment Rights Act 1996 to the dates you enter. Your actual entitlement is the greater of the statutory minimum and whatever your contract says, and continuous employment can be affected by transfers and breaks the tool cannot see. Check your contract and verify your position independently.
Legal basis & sources
This calculator applies published statutory rules in code - it is not AI generated. It is built on:
- Employment Rights Act 1996, s.86 (rights of employer and employee to minimum notice)
- ACAS - Notice periods
- GOV.UK - Handing in your notice
We review these figures and rules regularly, but employment law changes - statutory rates uprate every April and reforms come into force on their own timetable - so what you see here may not yet reflect the very latest change. Always confirm the current position on the official source above (legislation.gov.uk, gov.uk or acas.org.uk) before relying on a figure or date. This is legal information, not legal advice.
Key terms
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