UK Notice Period Calculator — Free, Built by a Recruiter

How UK notice periods work

Two rules run in parallel: the statutory minimum set by the Employment Rights Act 1996 (section 86), and your contract notice agreed when you signed your offer letter. Whichever is longer wins. A contract can give you more than statute, but it cannot give you less.

Statutory minimum scales with service: nothing under one month, one week between one month and two years, then one week per complete year of service up to a cap of twelve weeks at twelve years. So a candidate with seven years' service has a seven-week statutory minimum even if their contract says only one month — and yes, I've seen this misunderstood enough times that the calculator above is genuinely useful.

Most UK commercial contracts give more than statutory: one month for mid-level roles, three months for senior or specialist positions, six months for executive or director-level. If you don't know what your contract says, dig out your offer letter or signed contract before you resign — it's the single most important document for this calculation, and you'll need it again for the counter-offer conversation.

Garden leave, PILON, and other exit mechanics

Garden leave means you stay employed during your notice period but the employer doesn't want you in the office. You're still paid, still bound by confidentiality, still can't start a new role. Common in commercially sensitive senior roles. PILON (pay in lieu of notice) means the employer pays out your notice and you leave immediately. Both are decided by the contract clause or negotiated at exit, and neither changes the underlying notice length.

I've negotiated dozens of exits where the candidate's three-month contract notice was reduced to four to six weeks because the employer had no genuine business need to retain them. Always ask. The worst they can say is no, and many decent employers will release you on a reasonable timeline. Don't assume your contract is fixed without a conversation.

Probation period notice

UK contracts almost always specify shorter notice during probation — typically one week from either side, sometimes two. Once you pass probation, the full notice period kicks in. If you're still in probation, the calculator's "1 week" or "2 weeks" option is usually the right one to pick. Read your specific contract; probation notice is the most overlooked clause in UK employment paperwork.

What happens if I don't serve my notice?

Walking out short of notice is technically a breach of contract. UK employers rarely chase damages — the legal cost outweighs the recovery — but two things can hurt: pay can be withheld for the unworked period, and the reference becomes awkward. UK references are mostly factual ("dates of employment, role, reason for leaving") but a "left without working full notice" line makes the next hiring conversation tougher. If you can't serve the full period, negotiate a written release. It costs nothing to ask. For more on the broader exit process, see the career change pillar and our should-I-tell-my-manager guide.

Why I built this

I've placed candidates for twelve years and the single most common pre-resignation question is "how much notice do I have to give?" The answer is online, but it's buried in HR policy documents and the gov.uk pages aren't always obvious. So I built a calculator. Free, no signup, runs in your browser. The same logic I'd walk you through if you rang me on a Tuesday evening trying to work out your last working day.

For the broader picture on resigning well — counter-offers, manager conversations, timing your exit — the full UK notice period guide covers what the calculator can't, and the notice period glossary entry has the legal definition in one paragraph.

Common questions

What is the UK statutory minimum notice period?

Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, section 86, the statutory minimum is: zero notice if you've been there under a month, one week if between one month and two years, one week per complete year of service from two to twelve years, and twelve weeks capped at twelve years or more. Most contracts give more than this, and the contract overrides as long as it gives more.

What if my contract says less than the statutory minimum?

The statutory minimum overrides. A contract cannot reduce your statutory notice rights. So if you've worked there five years and your contract says one week, the law gives you five weeks regardless of what's written.

What if my contract says more than statutory minimum — do I have to give that?

Yes, in principle. Your contract is a binding agreement. In practice, many employers will release you earlier if you ask, particularly if there's no specific business need to retain you. I've placed candidates whose six-month contract notice was negotiated down to six weeks because the employer had no real handover requirement.

Does this calculator account for garden leave or PILON?

No, but those don't change the legal notice period — they change how it's served. Garden leave means you stay employed and paid but stop working. PILON (pay in lieu of notice) means the employer pays out the notice and you leave immediately. Both are decided by the contract or negotiated at exit. The notice length itself stays the same.

What about my probation period?

During probation, most UK contracts allow notice as short as one week from either side. The statutory minimum still applies once you've passed the one-month service mark, but your contract will usually specify the probation notice rules. Read your offer letter — probation notice is often the most overlooked clause in UK employment.

Should I always serve my full notice period?

Usually yes. Walking out short of notice is a breach of contract and can give the employer grounds to withhold pay or chase damages, though damages claims are rare. The bigger cost is reference risk — UK references are mostly factual, but a noted 'left without working notice' makes future hiring conversations awkward. If you genuinely can't serve, negotiate a release in writing first.