Skip to main content

SponsoredBuild your website with Vincony

Disclaimer: This is not legal advice. Legislation and case law change. Always consult a qualified solicitor for your specific situation.

UK Law Reference
All sections of Employment Rights Act 1996
1996 c. 18, s.105

Section 105 — Redundancy.

Extent: E+W+S

This version in force from 2026-07-29

Snapshot: 2026-08-24

Reproduced from legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). Amendments made after 2026-08-24 may not be reflected — always check the official text .

(1) An employee who is dismissed shall be regarded for the purposes of this Part as unfairly dismissed if—

(a) the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for the dismissal is that the employee was redundant,

(b) it is shown that the circumstances constituting the redundancy applied equally to one or more other employees in the same undertaking who held positions similar to that held by the employee and who have not been dismissed by the employer, and

(c) [F1 it is shown that any of subsections [F2 (2A) to [F3 (7N)]] applies.]

(2A) [F4 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one of those specified in subsection (1) of section 98B (unless the case is one to which subsection (2) of that section applies).]

(3) This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one of those specified in subsection (1) of section 100 (read with subsections (2) and (3) of that section).

(4) This subsection applies if either—

(a) the employee was a protected shop worker or an opted-out shop worker, or a protected betting worker or an opted-out betting worker, and the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was that specified in subsection (1) of section 101 (read with subsection (2) of that section), or

(b) the employee was a shop worker or a betting worker and the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was that specified in subsection (3) of that section.

(4A) [F5 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one of those specified in section 101A.]

(5) This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was that specified in section 102(1).

(6) This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was that specified in section 103.

(6A) [F6 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was that specified in section 103A.]

(7) This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one of those specified in subsection (1) of section 104 (read with subsections (2) and (3) of that section).

(7A) [F7 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one of those specified in subsection (1) of section 104A (read with subsection (2) of that section).]

(7B) [F8 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one of those specified in subsection (1) of section 104B (read with subsection (2) of that section).]

(7BA) [F9 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one of those specified in section 104C.]

(7BB) [F10 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one of those specified in section 104E.]

(7C) [F11 This subsection applies if—]

(a) [F11 the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was the reason mentioned in section 238A(2) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (participation in official industrial action), ...]

(7D) [F12 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one specified in paragraph (3) or (6) of regulation 28 of the Transnational Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 1999 (read with paragraphs (4) and (7) of that regulation).]

(7E) [F13 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one specified in paragraph (3) of regulation 7 of the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 (unless the case is one to which paragraph (4) of that regulation applies).]

(7F) [F14 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one specified in paragraph (3) of regulation 6 of the Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002 (unless the case is one to which paragraph (4) of that regulation applies).]

(7G) [F15 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one specified in paragraph (3) or (6) of regulation 42 of the European Public Limited-Liability Company Regulations 2004 (read with paragraphs (4) and (7) of that regulation).]

(7H) [F16 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one specified in paragraph (3) or (6) of regulation 30 of the Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004 (read with paragraphs (4) and (7) of that regulation).]

(7I) [F17 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one specified in paragraph 5(3) or (5) of the Schedule to the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Consultation by Employers and Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2006 (read with paragraph 5(6) of that Schedule).]

(7J) [F19 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one specified in paragraph (3) or (6) of regulation 31 of the European Cooperative Society (Involvement of Employees) Regulations 2006 (read with paragraphs (4) and (7) of that regulation).]

(7JA) [F20 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one of those specified in subsection (1) of section 104D (read with subsection (2) of that section).]

(7L) [F21 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one specified in paragraph (3) or (6) of regulation 29 of the European Public Limited-Liability Company (Employee Involvement) (Great Britain) Regulations 2009( S.I. 2009/2401) (read with paragraphs (4) and (7) of that regulation). ]

(7M) [F22 This subsection applies if—]

(a) [F22 the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was the one specified in the opening words of section 104F(1), and]

(b) [F22 the condition in paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection was met.]

(7N) [F23 This subsection applies if the reason (or, if more than one, the principal reason) for which the employee was selected for dismissal was one specified in—]

(a) [F23 paragraph (3) of regulation 17 of the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 (unless the case is one to which paragraph (4) of that regulation applies); or]

(b) [F23 paragraph (3) of regulation 5 of the Agency Workers (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (unless the case is one to which paragraph (4) of that regulation applies).]

(8) For the purposes of section 36(2)(b) or 41(1)(b), the appropriate date in relation to this section is the effective date of termination.

(9) In this Part “redundancy case” means a case where paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of this section are satisfied.

Amendment notes

  1. F1 S. 105(1)(c) substituted (18.8.2006) by The European Cooperative Society (Involvement of Employees) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/2059), reg. 32(1)(a)
  2. F2 Words in s. 105(1)(c) substituted (15.12.2007) by The Companies (Cross-Border Mergers) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2974), reg. 48(1)(a)
  3. F3 Words in s. 105(1)(c) substituted (1.10.2011) by The Agency Workers Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/93), reg. 25, Sch. 2 para. 15
  4. F4 S. 105(2A) inserted (6.4.2005) by Employment Relations Act 2004 (c. 24), ss. 40(5), 59(2)-(4); S.I. 2005/872, arts. 4, 5, Sch. (subject to arts. 6-12)
  5. F5 S. 105(4A) inserted (1.10.1998) by S.I. 1998/1833, reg. 32(3)
  6. F6 S. 105(6A) inserted (2.7.1999) by 1998 c. 23, s. 6; S.I. 1999/1547, art. 2
  7. F7 S. 105(7A) inserted (1.11.1998) by 1998 c. 39, s. 25(2); S.I. 1998/2574, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 3)
  8. F8 S. 105(7B) inserted (5.10.1999) by 1999 c. 10, ss. 7, 20(2), Sch. 3 para. 3(2) (which amending Act was repealed (in part on 27.8.2002 and 4.12.2002, otherwise prosp.) by Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21), s. 60, Sch. 6; S.I. 2002/1727, art. 2) and insertion continued (1.9.2002 for certain purposes, otherwise prosp.) by Tax Credits Act 2002 (c. 21), s. 27, Sch. 1 para. 3(3); S.I. 2002/1727, art. 2
  9. F9 S. 105(7BA) inserted (6.4.2005) by Employment Relations Act 2004 (c. 24), ss. 41(4), 59(2)-(4); S.I. 2005/872, arts. 4, 5, Sch. (subject to arts. 6-12)
  10. F10 S. 105(7BB) inserted (6.4.2010 for certain purposes and otherwise prosp.) by Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c. 22), ss. 40, 269(4), Sch. 1 para. 3; S.I. 2010/303, art. 4, Sch. 3 (with arts. 8-14) (as amended by S.I. 2010/1151, art. 22)
  11. F11 S. 105(7C) inserted (24.4.2000) by 1999 c. 26, s. 16, Sch. 5 para. 5(3); S.I. 2000/875, art. 2 (with transitional provision in art. 3)
  12. F12 S. 105(7D) inserted after subsection (7C) (15.1.2000) by virtue of S.I. 1999/3323, reg. 29(1)
  13. F13 S. 105(7E) inserted (1.7.2000) by S.I. 2000/1551, reg. 10, Sch. para. 2(1)
  14. F14 S. 105(7F) inserted (1.10.2002) by The Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/2034), reg. 11, Sch. 2 Pt. 1 para. 3(10) (with regs. 13-20 and subject to transitional provisions in Sch. 2 Pt. 2)
  15. F15 S. 105(7G) inserted (8.10.2004) by The European Public Limited-Liability Company Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/2326), regs. 1(2), 43(1)(b)
  16. F16 S. 105(7H) inserted (6.4.2005) by The Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/3426), regs. 1(1), 31(1)(b) (with reg. 3)
  17. F17 S. 105(7I) inserted (6.4.2006) by The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Consultation by Employers and Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/349), regs. 1(3), 17, Sch. para. 6(b)
  18. F18 S. 105(7IA) inserted (6.4.2007) by The Employment Equality (Age) (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/825), reg. 3(2)
  19. F19 S. 105(7J) inserted (18.8.2006) by The European Cooperative Society (Involvement of Employees) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/2059), reg. 32(1)(b)
  20. F20 S. 105(7JA) inserted (30.6.2012) by Pensions Act 2008 (c. 30), ss. 57(4), 149(1); S.I. 2012/1682, art. 2, Sch. 2
  21. F21 S. 105(7L) inserted (1.10.2009) by The European Public Limited-Liability Company (Employee Involvement) (Great Britain) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2401), reg. 30(2) (with reg. 41)
  22. F22 S. 105(7M) inserted (2.3.2010) by The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/493), reg. 12(3)(b)
  23. F23 S. 105(7N) substituted (6.4.2020) by The Agency Workers (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/794), regs. 1(1), 8(2) (with reg. 7)