Redundancy fears ‘affecting a third of Britons’

Posted 24/11/2009

British workers are still concerned about the threat of redundancy despite recent economic improvements, according to a new poll.

Homelessness charity St Mungo’s has revealed results from an Ipsos Mori poll which shows that almost a third of UK employees fear they will face redundancy within 12 months.

This is the same proportion recorded in a similar study last year, with many of those questioned expressing concern they will miss their rent payments or be forced to leave their home if they become jobless.

Such concerns are likely to be contributing to the rise in unfair dismissal cases in 2008-09, with the Tribunals Service recently revealing that claims over unsatisfactory redundancy conditions are also on the increase.

John Charlton, editor of Employers’ Law magazine, cited the number of employers failing to adhere to proper redundancy procedure as a cause.

He therefore called on employers earlier this month to ensure they conduct any layoffs with due consideration of employment law.