Valeby ResumeGuru
Free tool · United Kingdom

Statutory notice period calculator (UK)

The legal minimum notice from your start date: at least one week from you, and one to twelve weeks from your employer, by complete years of service.

The start of your continuous employment with this employer.

Your statutory minimum notice

Preparing today's date.

Preparing your local date…

Free, and there is no account. The dates are worked out in this browser and sent nowhere.

The table

Statutory minimum notice by length of service.

From Acas guidance, checked on 22 October 2026. It applies to employees; agency, casual and zero-hours workers are often not employees.

Statutory minimum notice in the UK by complete years of continuous service
Continuous serviceEmployer givesYou give
Less than 1 monthNoneNone
1 month to less than 2 years1 week1 week
2 complete years2 weeks1 week
3 complete years3 weeks1 week
4 complete years4 weeks1 week
5 complete years5 weeks1 week
6 complete years6 weeks1 week
7 complete years7 weeks1 week
8 complete years8 weeks1 week
9 complete years9 weeks1 week
10 complete years10 weeks1 week
11 complete years11 weeks1 week
12 years or more12 weeks1 week
How it is counted

Complete years, from the day after notice.

Three rules decide the date.

Only complete years count

Someone who started on 15 March 2019 and is given notice on 2 November 2026 has 7 complete years of service, so the employer must give at least 7 weeks, ending no earlier than Monday, 21 December 2026. The day you started and the notice date both count, so a year is complete the day before its anniversary.

Notice starts the next day

Unless your contract says otherwise, notice starts the day after you resign or are told in person. Written notice from an employer starts once you have had a reasonable time to read it, which can be later if you are away.

The contract can add, not cut

A contract, written statement or staff policy can ask for more notice than the statutory minimum, and the longer one applies. Work out a contractual month or 4 weeks with the notice period calculator.

Leaving before notice ends

Pay in lieu and garden leave.

Your employer can sometimes end your days at work early. Your pay for the notice period stays.

Pay in lieu of notice

The job ends straight away and you are paid in full for the notice period. Your employer can insist on it only if your contract has a clause allowing it; otherwise they need your agreement.

Garden leave

You are told not to work some or all of your notice. You are still employed and paid as usual, including contractual benefits, until the notice ends.

Sources

Acas advises on employment in England, Scotland and Wales. This is general information, not legal advice.

Questions

Common questions.

What is the statutory notice period in the UK?
It is the legal minimum. An employee who has worked for a month or more must give at least one week. An employer must give one week from one month to two years' service, one week for each complete year from two years, and twelve weeks from twelve years on.
How much notice do I have to give my employer?
At least one week once you have worked there for a month, or more if your contract or written statement says so. You and your employer can agree a different arrangement, such as leaving sooner.
When does my notice period start?
If your contract does not say, notice starts the day after you tell your employer you are resigning. Written notice from an employer starts once you have had a reasonable time to read it.
Can my employer pay me instead of letting me work my notice?
Only if your contract allows payment in lieu of notice, or you agree to it. Either way you get full pay for the notice period. On garden leave you stay employed and paid but do not work.
Does my contract or the statutory minimum apply?
Whichever is longer. A contract can give more notice than the statutory minimum but not less.

Your notice has an end date. Your next job starts with a resume.

The free review reads your whole resume and tells you what a recruiter sees first.

Start with a free resume reviewUpload your resume. See what’s working and what to improve next.

No resume handy? Talk to Vale instead →