Settlement Agreement Solicitors – County Durham.
If you’re in the Durham area and have been offered a settlement agreement, we can provide expert specialist advice and help. Same day appointments are available. Costs are paid by your employer. Start my settlement
Settlement agreements are legally binding documents that set out the full terms agreed between an employer and an employee. Every agreement is different, but most include clauses covering: the claims being settled, the payments you will receive and how they will be taxed, and confidentiality, which usually means keeping the terms private and agreeing not to make negative remarks about your employer.
If you work in Durham City, Chester-le-Street, Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe or anywhere else in County Durham and you have been offered 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.
Settlement agreements and County Durham’s workplaces
County Durham has a wide variety of employment, across key sectors, which include:
Universities, health and local government. Durham University employs more than 4,300 staff, and County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the University Hospital of North Durham, employs more than 7,500. Manufacturing and engineering is also a key sector in the area, withHitachi Rail for example, in Newton Aycliffe.
Generally speaking, public sector exits often come through a formal scheme with a set payment formula, such as a mutually agreed resignation scheme (MARS) in the NHS or voluntary severance at a university or council.
Durham’s courts and the employment tribunal
Durham has working courts at Old Elvet, but neither hears employment claims. Durham Crown Court at The Law Courts, Old Elvet (DH1 3HW), deals with crime. Durham County Court and Family Court sits at Durham Justice Centre, Green Lane, Old Elvet (DH1 3RG).
A tribunal claim is presented online or to the central office, then allocated to a regional office. HMCTS guidance T420 allocates the DH and DL postcode areas, which between them cover most of County Durham and Darlington, to the Newcastle office. That office sits in the Newcastle Civil & Family Courts and Tribunals Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QF. You can read more on our Newcastle settlement agreement solicitor page.
What makes a settlement agreement legally binding?
A settlement agreement is a legally a binding contract once it has met the six conditions set out in Section 203(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
- 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, in particular 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 arising from that advice.
- The agreement must identify the adviser.
- The agreement must state that the statutory conditions have been satisfied.
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 the guidance says this should be at least 10 calendar days unless you agree otherwise. If you are being pressed for a quick answer, tell us straight away.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay for a settlement agreement solicitor in Durham?
In almost every case, no. Your employer usually contributes a reasonable amount 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 Durham be heard?
Claims from County Durham are allocated to the Newcastle employment tribunal office at Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QF. Durham’s own courts at Old Elvet deal with criminal, civil and family work, not claims against employers. HMCTS guidance T420 allocates the DH and DL postcode areas to the Newcastle office.
Is my settlement payment tax-free?
Up to £30,000 of a 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.
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 County Durham and nearby, including Durham City, Chester-le-Street, Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe, Spennymoor, Consett, Stanley, Seaham, Peterlee and Darlington, all by phone or video.
Related reading
Reviewed by John Hassells, employment solicitor. Last reviewed: 1 October 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.
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.
