What happens if you're laid off - sent away from work temporarily because there is not enough work to do - will depend on your contract. If your contract does not give your employer the right to lay you off without pay, you should generally continue to receive your normal pay (or a reduced rate of pay provided for in the contract) for the period during which you are laid off.
If your employer does have the right to lay you off without pay you can claim a guarantee payment, as long as you have worked for your employer for at least one month. This is the minimum you should be paid if you are laid off.
After you have used up any guarantee pay entitlement you may be entitled to social security benefits. In addition, if you have at least 2 years' service, you may be able to claim a redundancy payment. You can claim a redundancy payment if you are either:
You have to give written notice to your employer of your intention to claim a redundancy payment. The employer may refuse the claim by writing to you telling you that there is a reasonable chance that normal work will begin again within four weeks, and will last for at least 3 months. This is known as a counter-notice.
