Redundancy Consultation Meeting Script: UK Employer Compliance Checklist

Redundancy conversations are some of the hardest you’ll have as a small business owner.

You’re trying to keep the business afloat, treat people fairly, and avoid a process that drifts into “we’ve already decided” territory (which is where legal risk tends to spike).

This guide gives you a practical redundancy consultation meeting script for UK employers you can adapt for your business, plus the key steps you need to take before, during and after the meeting to stay compliant.

While this article is written in plain English, redundancy is a technical area of UK employment law. If you’re unsure about timing, selection pools, or settlement options, getting tailored advice early can save you a lot of stress later.

What Is A Redundancy Consultation Meeting (And Why Does It Matter)?

A redundancy consultation meeting is a formal discussion with an affected employee (or employees) where you:

• Explain the business reason for the proposed redundancies;
• Explain the selection pool and selection criteria (if you’re selecting between people);
• Share information about the role(s) at risk;
• Discuss ways to avoid redundancy (including alternative roles); and
• Genuinely listen to feedback and consider it before any final decision is made.

That last point is critical. Consultation isn’t a box-ticking exercise. If the process looks like a decision was pre-made, you increase the risk of unfair dismissal claims (and, in larger-scale situations, collective consultation issues).

In the UK, redundancy consultations sit alongside legal duties under (among other things):

• Employment Rights Act 1996 (unfair dismissal and redundancy principles);
• Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (collective consultation rules in certain cases); and
• ACAS guidance, which tribunals often look at when assessing fairness.

If you’re unsure about how long consultation needs to last in your situation, it’s worth checking the Consultation Periods you should be working to (and whether collective consultation is triggered).

What You Should Prepare Before The Redundancy Consultation Meeting

A solid consultation meeting usually starts days (or weeks) earlier - in your planning.

Before you invite anyone to a redundancy consultation meeting, try to get these foundations in place.

1) Clarify The Business Rationale (In Plain English)

You should be able to explain, succinctly:

• What has changed (e.g. reduced demand, loss of a contract, restructure, closure);
• Why that change means you need fewer employees or different roles; and
• What alternatives you’ve considered (even if they won’t work).

Tip: write this down as a short brief. It helps you stay consistent across meetings and prevents “off the cuff” comments that can be misunderstood later.

2) Identify The Role(s) At Risk And The Selection Pool

Ask yourself:

• Is redundancy affecting one specific role (e.g. you’re removing a function)?
• Or are you selecting between employees doing similar work (meaning you need a selection pool)?

Where you have more than one person doing similar work, a fair selection approach matters. Many employers use scoring to support objectivity - but it needs to be set up carefully and applied consistently.

If you’re using scoring, having a structured approach like a Redundancy Scoring Matrix can help you document how decisions are made.

3) Gather The Paperwork You’ll Need

For a smooth meeting, have these ready (even if you don’t hand everything over immediately):

• Proposed new org chart or restructure outline (if relevant);
• Selection criteria and draft scoring (if you’re selecting);
• Employee’s current job description and core duties;
• List of any suitable alternative roles (including part-time or adjusted roles, where realistic);
• Estimated redundancy pay (if applicable), notice period, holiday balance assumptions.

Also check the employee’s Employment Contract for notice provisions, lay-off/short-time clauses (if relevant), and any enhanced redundancy terms you might have promised.

4) Decide Who Should Attend (And Who Takes Notes)

Common attendees include:

• The manager leading the consultation (often you);
• Someone to take notes (or a second manager/HR support);
• The employee; and
• The employee may ask to be accompanied (for example, by a colleague or union representative). While there isn’t a general statutory right to be accompanied at redundancy consultation meetings, allowing this is often good practice and can help the process feel fair.

Notes matter. They’re your record that you consulted fairly, discussed alternatives, and considered feedback.

5) Pressure-Test The Real Reason: Is This Redundancy Or Performance?

A common small business trap is using “redundancy” to manage performance issues.

If the real driver is capability, skill gaps, or underperformance, redundancy may be the wrong route - and it can create unnecessary risk. In that case, a fair process such as Performance Improvement Plans might be more appropriate (or at least part of the background analysis before you restructure).

Redundancy Consultation Meeting Script (UK): First Meeting (Suggested Wording)

Below is a practical script you can use for your first redundancy consultation meeting. You should adapt it to your business and keep it natural - the goal is clarity and fairness, not sounding robotic.

Important: Your wording should make it clear this is a proposal and the employee is at risk, not already dismissed.

1) Opening The Meeting

You: “Thanks for meeting with me today. I know this is a difficult topic, so I want to take this step-by-step and make sure you have time to ask questions.”

You: “This is a redundancy consultation meeting. No final decision has been made today. The purpose is to explain the situation, talk through the proposal, and hear your views before any decisions are taken.”

You: “Just to confirm, [name] is here to take notes so we have an accurate record of what we discuss.”

2) Explain The Business Reason For The Proposed Redundancy

You: “The reason we’re proposing redundancy is [brief business reason]. For example: our sales in [area] have reduced by [x]% over [period], and we need to reduce costs and restructure the team so the business can continue operating.”

You: “We’ve looked at alternatives such as [examples: reducing non-staff costs, pausing recruitment, reducing overtime, redeploying duties], but we still believe changes to staffing are needed.”

3) Explain What “At Risk” Means

You: “Because of this change, your role of [job title] is currently at risk of redundancy. That means we’re consulting with you about whether redundancy is necessary and whether there are alternatives that could avoid it.”

4) Explain The Proposed Selection Approach

If it’s one role being removed:

You: “At this stage, the proposal is that the [job title] role is no longer required in the structure. This is why your role is at risk.”

If you’re selecting between employees:

You: “We’ve identified a selection pool of [describe group] because these roles carry out similar work. The proposal is to reduce [number] roles within that pool.”

You: “We plan to assess selection using criteria including [example: skills and qualifications, relevant experience, performance record, disciplinary record, attendance (with appropriate adjustments for disability/pregnancy-related absence)]. We’ll share your provisional scoring with you and you’ll have the chance to comment on it.”

5) Invite Feedback And Alternatives (This Is The Heart Of Consultation)

You: “I want to pause there and give you the chance to respond. Do you have any questions about the reasons for the proposal, or anything you think we should consider?”

You: “Also, can you think of any alternatives that might avoid redundancy? For example, changes to duties, reduced hours, different working patterns, or cost-saving ideas.”

You: “If there’s anything you’d like to suggest after you’ve had time to think, you can email it to me as well. We’ll take it seriously and consider it before any decision is made.”

6) Discuss Suitable Alternative Employment

You: “One of our duties during consultation is to look for suitable alternative roles. At the moment, we have [list roles / confirm none identified yet].”

You: “If any suitable roles come up during consultation, we’ll let you know. If you see anything internally that might be appropriate, please flag it - we can discuss whether it’s suitable and what the process would be.”

7) Explain What Happens Next (And Avoid Making Promises You Can’t Keep)

You: “The next step is that we’ll continue consultation. We’ll review anything you raise today, and we’ll meet again on [date] to discuss updates, any alternative roles, and (if relevant) your selection scoring.”

You: “If, after consultation, redundancy is confirmed, we’ll explain the outcome in writing, your notice period, and redundancy pay details (where applicable). But we’re not at that point today.”

8) Close The Meeting With Care

You: “I appreciate this is a lot to take in. Take some time to process it. If you think of questions later, send them through and we’ll address them at the next meeting.”

You: “We’ll send you the notes from today’s meeting, and we’ll confirm the date/time of the next consultation meeting.”

Follow-Up Consultation Meetings: What To Cover And What To Document

Most small businesses run at least two meetings (sometimes more depending on complexity). Follow-up meetings are where you show you’ve listened, considered suggestions, and handled selection fairly.

1) Start By Confirming What Was Discussed Last Time

Open by confirming:

• The role(s) at risk;
• The business rationale; and
• Any questions raised previously.

This keeps the process consistent and helps avoid misunderstandings.

2) Respond To The Employee’s Suggestions (Even If The Answer Is “No”)

If the employee suggests alternatives, you should respond with genuine consideration:

• What you considered;
• Any constraints (financial, operational, client requirements); and
• Why an alternative does or doesn’t work.

A “no” can still be fair - but it should be a reasoned “no”, not silence.

3) Share Selection Scoring And Allow Challenges

If you’re selecting between employees, this step matters a lot for fairness.

In your follow-up meeting, you can say:

You: “We’ve completed provisional scoring using the criteria we discussed. I’ll take you through your scores and the evidence we relied on. Please tell me if you disagree with anything or think there’s information we’ve missed.”

Be prepared to adjust scores if the employee provides relevant evidence (for example, training records, responsibilities they’ve taken on, or inaccuracies in your assumptions).

4) Keep Looking For Alternative Roles Until The End

Suitable alternative employment isn’t a one-time check. You should keep looking throughout consultation and (often) into notice periods.

If your business is transferring, restructuring, or changing who employs staff, you may also need to think about whether TUPE applies. If that’s on your radar, a TUPE Transfer Checklist can help you spot issues early.

5) Confirm Next Steps And Potential Outcomes

End each meeting by confirming:

• What will happen next (e.g. further meeting, scoring review, alternative role review);
• What information you’ll provide (e.g. notes, scoring sheet);
• The expected timeline for a decision.

Try not to drag consultation on unnecessarily, but don’t rush it either. The “right” length depends on your numbers, complexity, and whether collective consultation applies.

Common Compliance Mistakes Small Businesses Make (And How To Avoid Them)

Even well-meaning employers can create legal risk in redundancy consultations. Here are common traps - and what to do instead.

1) Sounding Like The Decision Is Already Made

Avoid: “We’re making you redundant.”

Use instead: “Your role is at risk of redundancy, and we’re consulting before any final decision is made.”

This one change in wording can make a big difference to how fair the process looks.

2) Not Being Clear About The Pool Or Criteria

If you’re selecting between people, you should be able to explain:

• Why certain roles are in the pool;
• Why others aren’t; and
• How you’re scoring fairly and consistently.

Ambiguity here is where disputes often start.

3) Mixing Redundancy With Disciplinary Or Performance Issues

If redundancy is genuinely about business needs, keep the consultation focused on redundancy.

If there are conduct issues, you may need a separate process (and separate meetings). If you’re still establishing facts about a situation, handling it through a structured Fact-Finding Meeting can help keep things fair and properly documented.

4) Forgetting About Discrimination Risks

Redundancy selection can create discrimination risk if criteria (even unintentionally) disadvantage people with protected characteristics, such as disability, pregnancy/maternity, age, etc.

Examples include:

• Using absence without adjusting for disability-related leave;
• Using criteria that indirectly penalise part-time working (which can disproportionately affect certain groups);
• Assuming someone “won’t want” an alternative role due to caring responsibilities (always ask, don’t assume).

When in doubt, slow down and get advice. It’s much easier to fix criteria early than defend them later.

5) Poor Documentation

If it isn’t documented, it’s harder to prove later. Keep records of:

• Invite letters/emails;
• Meeting notes;
• Scoring documents and evidence used;
• Alternative roles considered;
• Outcome letters and notice calculations.

How To Wrap Up The Process: Outcome Letters, Notice, And Final Payments

Once consultation is genuinely complete, you can move to an outcome.

If redundancy is confirmed, you’ll usually issue a written decision explaining:

• The redundancy outcome and the reason;
• The termination date;
• Notice (worked notice or pay in lieu, depending on the contract and your approach);
• Redundancy pay (if applicable);
• Holiday pay (accrued but untaken); and
• The right of appeal (this supports procedural fairness).

Be careful with calculations and wording. A small mistake in notice, holiday, or redundancy pay can quickly turn a difficult situation into a dispute.

Also consider whether you need a settlement agreement in higher-risk exits (for example, where the employee has raised complaints or there’s a dispute about selection). This is very fact-specific, so it’s a good time to get tailored advice.

Key Takeaways

• A redundancy consultation meeting should make it clear the redundancy is proposed and the employee is at risk, not already dismissed.
• Prepare your rationale, selection pool, and criteria in advance so you can explain them consistently and fairly.
• Your redundancy consultation meeting script (UK) should focus on information + listening: explain the proposal, invite feedback, and genuinely consider alternatives.
• If you’re using scoring, apply it consistently and give the employee a real chance to challenge scores with evidence.
• Keep looking for suitable alternative roles throughout consultation, and document each step so you can show a fair process.
• Avoid using redundancy to manage performance - if capability is the real issue, a performance process may be more appropriate.

If you’d like help planning or running a redundancy process (including preparing scripts, letters, scoring, and timelines), you can reach us at 08081347754 or team@sprintlaw.co.uk for a free, no-obligations chat.