Settlement Agreement Solicitors – Cardiff.
Have you been offered a settlement agreement in Cardiff? Whether it has come from a government department, a health board, or from the private sector, the same rule applies. The settlement agreement is only legally valid if you have first had advice on the agreement from a relevant independent adviser.
That is why your employer may have asked you to see a solicitor, and it is also why your employer usually pays for this advice. A contribution towards your legal fees is a standard term. Where a reasonable contribution towards the fee is offered we cap our fee at that contribution and bill your employer directly, so in almost every case there is nothing for you to pay.
Call 0800 861 1883 to speak to a specialist settlement agreement solicitor. We advise by telephone or video call, and same-day appointments are usually available.
Cardiff’s employment picture
As the capital, Cardiff has a distinctive employer mix. Cardiff is home to the devolved institutions — the Welsh Government at Cathays Park, the Senedd and Cardiff Council — and to a major UK Government hub. Tŷ William Morgan in Central Square, opened in December 2022, houses more than 4,000 full-time equivalent HMRC staff and around 500 staff from other UK Government departments. Companies House has its headquarters at Crown Way. Add Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, which employs approximately 17,000 staff, and Cardiff University. Major insurers are also based in Cardiff, and the city has a wider financial and professional services sector.
Across the capital region. Many people who work in Cardiff live in Newport, Caerphilly, Pontypridd, Bridgend or the Vale of Glamorgan, and many Cardiff residents commute out. For the agreement itself, geography makes no difference: we advise by phone and video wherever you are.
What makes a settlement agreement legally binding
The conditions are set out in section 203(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
- The agreement must be in writing.
- It must relate to the particular proceedings.
- You must have received advice from a relevant independent adviser on the terms and effect of the agreement, and in particular its effect on your ability to pursue your rights before an employment tribunal.
- The adviser must be covered by insurance or professional indemnity when the advice is given.
- The agreement must identify the adviser.
- The agreement must state that the statutory conditions are satisfied.
Section 203(3A) allows the relevant independent adviser to be a qualified lawyer, a certified trade union official or a certified advice centre worker. In practice most people use a solicitor, and our guide explains what a settlement agreement solicitor does.
How long do you have to decide?
Paragraph 12 of the Acas Code of Practice on Settlement Agreements says that, as a general rule, you should be given a minimum of 10 calendar days to consider the proposed formal written terms and take independent advice, unless the parties agree otherwise. Once a valid agreement is signed there is no statutory cooling-off period.
Frequently asked questions
Where would a tribunal claim from Cardiff be heard? Cardiff is where the Wales Employment Tribunal is based. Its office is on the 3rd Floor of Cardiff and the Vale Magistrates’ Court, Fitzalan Place, Cardiff CF24 0RZ.
Can I deal with the tribunal in Welsh? Yes. Under section 22(1) of the Welsh Language Act 1993, anyone taking part in legal proceedings in Wales may speak Welsh if they wish to. The Wales Employment Tribunal has a Welsh language helpline on 0300 303 5176, and you can write to it in Welsh.
Who pays for settlement agreement advice? Your employer, in almost every case. A contribution towards your legal fees is a standard term. Where one is offered we cap our fee at that contribution and invoice your employer directly — that is our cost promise.
Is my settlement payment tax free? The first £30,000 of a compensation payment for loss of employment can usually be paid without deduction of tax. Notice pay, contractual payments, accrued holiday and bonuses are taxed in the normal way. Our guide explains whether the payment is tax free in more detail.
Related reading
- What is a settlement agreement? — our main guide
- Mutually agreed resignation schemes (MARS) — common across NHS Wales
- Is the payment tax free?
- Is there a cooling-off period?
- Acas Code of Practice on Settlement Agreements
- Wales Employment Tribunal — GOV.UK court and tribunal finder
Speak to a specialist settlement agreement solicitor
Telephone: 0800 861 1883 Email: hello@settlementagreement.co.uk
Send us your agreement and we will call you back the same working day wherever possible.
John Hassells, employment solicitor is Head of Legal at settlementagreement.co.uk. John is a specialist settlement agreement solicitor with over 20 years’ experience advising employees and employers on employment law issues and disputes. He is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Last reviewed: September 2026
Legal disclaimer
IMPORTANT: The contents of this page are general guidance only and should not therefore be regarded as constituting legal or other advice or recommendations. You are free to instruct any solicitor you wish.IMPORTANT: The contents of this page are general guidance only and should not therefore be regarded as constituting legal or other advice or recommendations. You are free to instruct any solicitor you wish.
