data tool
Statutory notice period calculator for the UK
In the UK an employer must give at least one week's notice after a month of employment, then one week for each complete year from two years, up to 12 weeks. An employee gives at least one week after a month. A longer notice in the contract wins. This calculator works out the minimum, the last day and the notice pay.
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- No watermark, no file limit
How it works
- 1
Pick who gives notice
Choose the employer or the employee; the rules differ.
- 2
Enter the dates
Type the first day of work and the day notice is given.
- 3
Add weekly pay
Type weekly pay if you want the notice pay worked out; leave it blank otherwise.
- 4
Read the result
The tiles show the minimum weeks, the last day, the notice pay and the service.
One week per year, from two years
Section 86 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 sets the employer's minimum. After one month of continuous employment and before two years, it is one week. From two years it is one week for each complete year, so five years' service gives five weeks, and it stops at 12 weeks after 12 years. The employee's minimum is one week after a month, however long they have worked. Below one month there is no statutory minimum, though a contract or reasonableness can still require some notice.
Counting the end date
Notice normally starts running on the day after it is given, so one week's notice given on Monday 5 January ends on Monday 12 January. If notice is given by letter, it takes effect when the letter is received, not when it is posted. The calculator counts from the day you type as the day notice is given, so use the day the other side actually received it. If the contract says notice runs from a different point, follow the contract.
When the contract says more
A contract can give longer notice than the statute but never less. A contract with one month's notice for an employee with five years' service still owes five weeks, because the statutory five weeks is longer than a month. A contract with three months gives three months. Senior contracts often set different periods for each side. The calculator gives the statutory floor so you can compare it with the contract and use whichever is longer for the employer.
Three cases worked through
An employee who started on 4 March 2019 and is given notice by the employer on 2 November 2026 has 7 complete years, so the minimum is 7 weeks and the job ends on 21 December 2026 if the notice is worked. Someone with 18 months gets 1 week whatever the contract says less. Someone with 15 years gets the 12 week ceiling. If any of them resigns instead, the statutory minimum they owe is 1 week, and the contract usually says more. The calculator's example button runs a fourth case with weekly pay included.
Notice pay and pay in lieu
During statutory notice the employee is generally entitled to their normal pay. An employer can pay in lieu of notice where the contract allows it, or by agreement, and end the employment at once. Pay in lieu is taxed as earnings. The calculator multiplies the minimum weeks by the weekly pay you type to show the statutory notice pay; contractual benefits during notice are not included.
Putting notice in writing
Notice does not have to be in writing unless the contract says so, but writing it down avoids arguments about dates. A termination or resignation letter states the date notice is given, the length of notice, the last working day and what happens to holiday and pay. The AI document generator writes either letter from a description; give it the dates and the weeks from this calculator.
Limits
- Law checked on 21 October 2026 against the Employment Rights Act 1996 section 86 and Acas. This is arithmetic, not legal advice.
- Statutory minimum only; check the contract, which can set a longer period for either side.
- Notice is counted from the day after it is given; a contract can say otherwise.
- No garden leave, no pay in lieu tax, and no summary dismissal for gross misconduct.
What it does not do
- It does not read a contract's notice clause.
- It does not work out redundancy pay; the redundancy calculator does.
- It does not store the dates.
Questions people ask
How much notice must my employer give me?
At least one week if you have worked there for a month but less than two years, and one week for each complete year of service from two years, up to 12 weeks. If your contract gives a longer period, the longer period applies. Gross misconduct can justify dismissal without notice.
What is the minimum notice an employee gives in the UK?
At least one week once you have worked there for a month, unless your contract or terms say more. Many contracts set one month or more for employees. Leaving without giving the notice in your contract can be a breach, although employers rarely sue over it.
Does a longer notice in my contract apply?
Yes. The statutory figure is a minimum; a contract that gives more notice applies instead. A contract can never give less than the statutory minimum for an employer's notice. If the contract and the statute differ, the employee is entitled to the longer of the two.
Does notice include the day it is given?
Usually not. Notice generally starts the day after it is given, so a week's notice given on a Wednesday ends the following Wednesday. A letter takes effect when the employee receives it, which matters when notice is posted near a holiday.
Can my employer pay me instead of notice?
Only if your contract has a pay in lieu of notice clause, or you agree. Without either, ending the job at once with pay instead can be a breach of contract, though the damages are usually close to the notice pay. Pay in lieu is taxed like wages.
Do I get notice during probation?
After one month of employment the statutory minimum of one week applies even during probation. Some contracts set a shorter probation notice, but it cannot go below the statutory week once the first month has passed. Before the first month ends, the contract decides.
Write the notice letter
Take what you made here into documents.
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Background reading: the question page on this.
Written and checked by the OneCraft team. Last checked .