Continuous employment calculator
Calculate complete years, months and weeks of UK continuous employment and check the common one-month and two-year service thresholds. This is an educational estimate, not legal advice.
Employer email template
Subject: Request for final pay review
I am writing to ask you to review my final pay. Based on the information available to me, I believe the amount or deadline may not match the applicable rule. Please confirm the calculation, the pay period covered, any deductions, and the expected payment date.
Wage claim checklist
- OK Final payslip or pay statement
- OK Employment contract or handbook policy
- OK Dates worked and termination/resignation date
- OK Written request sent to employer
- OK Official state or country claim link
Measuring continuous employment correctly
Continuous employment is the legal service period used for several UK employment rights. The starting point is usually the date your employment with the employer began, not the date you moved role, changed hours or received a replacement contract. Enter that date and the leaving or review date to see the complete calendar years, elapsed weeks and the dates of the common one-month and two-year thresholds.
Calendar arithmetic is only the first step. The Employment Rights Act contains rules that can preserve continuity during sickness, statutory leave, temporary cessations of work and some arrangements where no work is performed. A TUPE transfer also normally carries the original start date to the incoming employer. Conversely, a genuine break that is not protected may interrupt the chain. Keep contracts, payslips, transfer letters and absence records if the start date is disputed.
The highlighted thresholds are signposts, not automatic findings of entitlement. Two years is commonly relevant to statutory redundancy pay and ordinary unfair-dismissal protection, while one month is relevant to statutory notice. Employment status, the reason employment ended, special day-one protections and contract terms can all change the answer. Use the downloadable worksheet to record the dates, then confirm any disputed continuity with your employer, ACAS or an employment adviser.
Frequently asked questions
How is continuous employment calculated in the UK?+−
Continuous employment normally runs from your legal start date to the date being checked. Complete calendar years matter for rights such as redundancy pay. Employment Rights Act 1996 sections 210–219 explain when weeks count and when continuity can survive an absence or temporary break.
Does a TUPE transfer reset my continuous service?+−
Normally no. On a protected TUPE transfer, the new employer generally inherits the employment contract and the original continuous-employment start date. Check the transfer documents and raise any incorrect reset date promptly.
Do maternity leave and sick leave count as continuous employment?+−
Authorised statutory leave and many periods of sickness normally preserve the employment relationship, so the calendar service continues. The detailed result can depend on employment status and the reason for any break, so check the statutory continuity rules for unusual gaps.
How much continuous service is needed for redundancy pay?+−
UK statutory redundancy pay normally requires at least two years of continuous employment as an employee. Other conditions still apply, including that the dismissal is genuinely by reason of redundancy.
How much service is needed for statutory notice?+−
An employee normally becomes entitled to at least one week of statutory notice after one month of continuous employment. The minimum then rises with complete years of service, up to 12 weeks, subject to the contract and statutory rules.
Can a break between contracts preserve continuous employment?+−
Sometimes. Certain temporary cessations, arrangements or statutory absences can preserve continuity, while other breaks may interrupt it. This calculator measures elapsed calendar time and cannot decide whether a disputed break legally counts.
Legal basis and primary sources
All statutory figures are sourced directly from official government legislation and guidance. See our methodology →