How to work out your notice period in the UK

Three steps: check what your contract says, find your statutory entitlement, then take whichever figure is higher. The UK notice period calculator does this automatically once you enter your employment start date, the date notice is given, and your contractual weeks if you know them.

Here is what each step involves.

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Step 1: check what your contract says

Look at your employment contract, staff handbook, or original offer letter. Most contracts state notice in weeks or months. Common phrasings:

• “Four weeks’ notice”: exactly 28 days, no variation
• “One month’s notice” or “1 month’s notice”: a calendar month, which is 28 to 31 days depending on when notice starts. These are not the same as 4 weeks.
• “Three months’ notice”: three calendar months from the day after notice is given

If your contract says nothing about notice, the statutory minimum applies by default.

The calculator takes contractual notice in weeks. If your contract says “1 month” or “3 months,” do not treat that as exactly 4 or 13 weeks for your final date. Use the calculator to check your statutory minimum, then count the calendar-month notice period from the day after notice is given.

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Step 2: find your statutory entitlement

Statutory notice is the legal minimum under the Employment Rights Act 1996. The amount depends on who is giving notice and how long the employee has worked there.

If your employer is giving you notice (redundancy or dismissal):

Length of service	Minimum notice your employer must give
Less than 1 month	None
1 month to under 2 years	1 week
2 complete years	2 weeks
3 complete years	3 weeks
4 complete years	4 weeks
Each additional year up to 12	+1 week
12 or more complete years	12 weeks (maximum)

If you are resigning:

You owe your employer 1 week of notice once you have worked there for more than 1 month. This stays at 1 week no matter how many years you have been there, unless your contract says more.

Sources: gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights/notice-periods (employer notice) and gov.uk/handing-in-your-notice/giving-notice (resignation notice), last verified June 2026.

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Step 3: take whichever figure is higher

Your employer cannot give you less than your statutory entitlement. If your contract offers less than the statutory minimum, the statutory minimum takes over. If your contract offers more, the contract applies.

A few examples to make the rule concrete:

• You have worked 5 years (statutory: 5 weeks). Your contract says 4 weeks. Your employer must give you 5 weeks.
• You have worked 5 years (statutory: 5 weeks). Your contract says 8 weeks. Your employer must give you 8 weeks.
• You have worked 18 months (statutory: 1 week). Your contract says 4 weeks. Your employer must give you 4 weeks.

The notice period calculator makes this comparison automatically and labels the result as either “contractual notice” or “statutory notice” so you can see which one applied.

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When does the notice period actually start?

Not on the day you give or receive notice.

ACAS confirms that if your contract does not say when notice starts, the period begins the day after notice is given. Resign on a Monday and your notice period starts on Tuesday.

This shifts your last working day forward by one day. If you have agreed a start date with a new employer, that single day matters. The calculator adds one day to whatever date you enter before counting forward, so the last working day it shows already accounts for this.

Source: acas.org.uk/notice-periods/when-the-notice-period-starts.

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Worked examples

Example 1: employer giving notice

Priya has worked at a company for 5 years and 3 months. Her contract states 4 weeks’ notice. Her employer gives her notice in person on 10 June.

• Statutory entitlement: 5 complete years = 5 weeks
• Contractual notice: 4 weeks
• 5 weeks is higher, so 5 weeks applies
• Notice period starts: 11 June
• Last working day: 15 July

Example 2: employee resigning

James has worked at a company for 2 years. His contract says 3 months’ notice. He hands in his resignation on 3 June.

• Statutory minimum when resigning: 1 week
• Contractual notice: 3 calendar months
• 3 months is higher, so the contract applies
• Notice period starts: 4 June
• Last working day: 3 September

For weekly contracts use the notice period calculator to confirm the date. For calendar-month contracts (1 month, 3 months), count forward by calendar months from the day after notice is given.

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What if you are in your first month?

If you have been employed for less than a month, neither party has a statutory notice obligation by default. Your employer may be able to end your employment on the day. Check your contract for a probationary period clause: many include a short notice period of 1 week even during the first month.