Who can qualify for statutory redundancy pay?
Employees will receive payment only if they are working under a contract of employment. Self-employed people and members of a partnership do not qualify under the Employment Rights Act 1996 although they may have separate contractual agreements. Directors and other office holders may be employees if they work under a contract of employment. They will not qualify if they do not work under a contract of employment. Contracts of employment may be spoken or written and last for any length of time or be fixed. In law, employees generally have a contract as soon as they start work and by doing so prove that they accept the conditions offered by the employer. A few groups of employees do not qualify for a statutory redundancy payment, for example members of the armed forces.
