Updated September 2026
A settlement agreement is a legally binding contract in which you agree not to bring certain employment claims against your employer, usually in return for a payment.
If you work in Bolton, Horwich, Farnworth, Westhoughton or anywhere else in the borough and you have been handed a settlement agreement, we can go through it with you by phone or video, often the same day. Under our cost promise, in almost every case our fee is covered in full by the contribution your employer has agreed to pay.
Bolton settlement agreements at a glance
| Question | Short answer |
| Who pays for the advice? | Usually your employer, through a legal fees contribution written into the agreement. |
| How long should I get to decide? | The Acas Code recommends at least 10 calendar days to consider the written terms. |
| Where would a claim from Bolton be heard? | Manchester Employment Tribunal, Alexandra House, 14-22 The Parsonage, Manchester M3 2JA. |
| Is the payment tax-free? | Up to £30,000 of a genuine termination payment can be. Pay you are already owed is taxed normally. |
Settlement agreements and Bolton’s workplaces
Bolton’s employers are varied, and the main sectors include:
Health, local government and education. Many people in the town work for Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the Royal Bolton Hospital, for Bolton Council or for the University of Bolton.
If you work in the public sector, exits sometimes come through a formal scheme, such as a mutually agreed resignation scheme (MARS) in the NHS.
Logistics and distribution. Logistics North, at junction 4 of the M61, is home to operations run by Amazon, Aldi, Lidl, Costa and Whistl, among others, and its developer reports around 5,500 people employed on the site.
Engineering, defence and manufacturing. MBDA’s Bolton missile systems facility housed around 670 design, engineering and manufacturing staff when it opened in 2018, and Warburtons, the family baker founded in 1876, is headquartered in the town.
Whatever sector you work in, we can help you with your settlement agreement. Call now on: tel 0800 861 1883 or start my settlement.
Bolton’s courts and the employment tribunal
The Law Courts on Blackhorse Street (BL1 1SU) house Bolton Crown Court and Bolton Magistrates’ Court, and are not for claims against employers.
A tribunal claim is presented online, or on paper to the Employment Tribunal central office, and is then allocated to a regional office. HMCTS guidance T420 allocates every BL postcode, which covers Bury and Ramsbottom as well as Bolton, to Manchester. Claims from Leigh and Wigan (WN) and from Chorley (PR) are also allocated to Manchester. That office is Manchester Employment Tribunal, Alexandra House, 14-22 The Parsonage, Manchester M3 2JA. You can read more on our Manchester settlement agreement solicitor page.
What makes a settlement agreement legally binding?
Section 203(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 sets six conditions for the waiver in a settlement agreement (which involves you giving up certain rights to bring a claim) to work:
- The agreement must be in writing.
- It must relate to particular proceedings.
- You must have received advice from a relevant independent adviser on its terms and effect, and in particular on its effect on your ability to pursue your rights before an employment tribunal.
- The adviser must be covered by insurance or an indemnity for the risk of a claim against them arising from that advice.
- The agreement must identify the adviser.
- The agreement must state that the statutory conditions regulating settlement agreements have been satisfied.
Under section 203(3A), the adviser can be a qualified solicitor, a certified trade union official, or a certified advice centre worker.
How long do you have to decide?
Paragraph 12 of the Acas Code of Practice on Settlement Agreements says you should be given a reasonable period to consider the proposed written terms and take advice, and that this should be at least 10 calendar days unless you agree otherwise. There’s usually plenty to consider from the payment breakdown and the claims being waived, to the bonus or commission and pension, to your reference and any restricted covenants, and confidentiality clauses. If you are being pressed for an answer within a day or two of receiving the document, tell us straight away.
How it works
- Contact us. Call or email and we will arrange a time to talk, usually the same or next working day.
- We review the agreement. We go through it with you in plain English.
- We advise and, where it is worth it, negotiate. If there is a good case for a better deal we can help you to negotiate with your employer, or in some cases we can do this on your behalf.
- Signing. When you are happy, we sign the adviser’s certificate so your agreement can complete. Straightforward agreements can be finished on the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay for a settlement agreement solicitor in Bolton?
In almost every case, no. Your employer will usually agree to contribute towards your legal fees, and the contribution is written into the agreement. Under our cost promise, our fee for advising you on the terms and effect of the agreement will not be more than the amount your employer has agreed to pay.
Where would an employment tribunal claim from Bolton be heard?
Claims from Bolton are allocated to Manchester Employment Tribunal at Alexandra House, 14-22 The Parsonage, Manchester M3 2JA. Bolton’s own courthouse on Blackhorse Street deals with criminal work, not claims against employers. HMCTS guidance T420 allocates all BL postcodes to the Manchester office.
Can I negotiate a better settlement?
Whether it is worth negotiating depends on the strength of any potential claims, your contractual entitlements and what else matters to you, such as the reference, your leaving date or the restrictive covenants.
Is my settlement payment tax-free?
Up to £30,000 of a genuine termination payment can be paid free of income tax. Payments you are already entitled to, such as salary, holiday pay, bonus and notice pay, are taxed in the normal way, even if they are paid under the settlement agreement. Our guide on whether a settlement payment is tax-free explains how this works.
What happens if I refuse to sign?
You are not obliged to sign. If you refuse, you keep your right to bring a claim, and your employer may continue with whatever process it was following, such as a redundancy or performance process.
Can I change my mind after I have signed?
There is no statutory cooling-off period for a settlement agreement. Once it has been signed by both parties and the statutory conditions are met, it is binding. That is why it matters to take advice and raise any concerns before you sign.
What is the difference between a settlement agreement and a COT3?
Both settle employment claims. A settlement agreement is made directly between you and your employer and needs independent advice to be effective. A COT3 is agreed with the help of an Acas conciliator, usually during early conciliation or once a tribunal claim has started.
Settlement agreement fact
Under section 203(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, an employee’s agreement to waive statutory employment claims is only effective if they have received advice on the terms and effect of the agreement from a relevant independent adviser, and the agreement meets five further conditions set out in that section.
Areas we cover
We advise employees across the Bolton borough and the surrounding area, including Bolton town centre, Middlebrook, Horwich, Farnworth, Westhoughton, Little Lever, Kearsley, Blackrod, Turton, Tyldesley, Leigh, Chorley, Bury and Salford. All advice is given by phone or video, so you do not need to travel.
Related reading
- Settlement agreements: the complete guide
- Our cost promise
- Manchester settlement agreement solicitor
- Acas Code of Practice on Settlement Agreements
Reviewed by John Hassells, employment solicitor. Last reviewed: 29 September 2026.
Legal disclaimer
The contents of this page are general guidance only and should not be regarded as legal or other advice or recommendations. You should take advice on your own circumstances. You are free to instruct any solicitor you wish.
