UK Recruitment Glossary
Long-Service Award
In recruiter context
Common UK milestones: 5 years (often £100-£500 voucher), 10 years (£500-£1,500), 25 years (more substantial — £1,000-£3,000 plus extra leave). Some long-service awards are tax-free if structured correctly under HMRC rules: must be after 20+ years' service, value under £50 per year of service, gift not cash. Cash awards are always taxable as income. Worth asking about when evaluating offers at companies with long-tenured workforces — public sector, large financial services, established UK retailers all have structured schemes. Less common at growth-stage tech companies due to short median tenure.
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Furlough
A temporary leave of absence with reduced or zero pay, where the employee remains employed.
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Dismissal because the role itself no longer exists — not because of your performance.