Have you been offered a settlement agreement in Nottingham?
Last updated: October 2026
If your employer in Nottingham has put a settlement agreement in front of you, we’ll review it and explain what it means. Happy with it? We offer a fast sign-off service, with same day appointments available. Your employer meets the legal cost if it’s contributing towards your legal fees, and the whole process runs by phone or video.
Whether your settlement agreement in Nottingham has come from a university, for example, from a settlement agreement from Nottingham University where a reported 2,697 staff are now at risk of “potential redundancy” according to the BBC, or a bank, a hospital trust, a government department, or a retailer, the same rule applies. You can only validly give up your employment claims if you have first had advice on the agreement from a relevant independent adviser. Without that advice, the clauses in which you waive your claims do not work.
That is why your employer is asking you to take advice, and it is also why your employer usually pays. A contribution towards your legal fees is a standard term. Where one 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 or start your settlement online. Advice is given by telephone or video call, and same-day appointments are usually available.
Settlement agreements and Nottingham’s employers
Nottingham’s larger employers fall broadly into three groups:
Health and government. From Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, HMRC’s Nottingham Regional Centre at Unity Square, the city and county councils, the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University, a significant part of Nottingham’s workforce is employed in the public sector. Some public sector roles may run through a set scheme such as voluntary redundancy or a mutually agreed resignation scheme.
Financial services and data. From banks to financial institutions, Nottingham’s employers include well known brands in the sector.
Retail, manufacturing and logistics. Nottingham, and the M1 corridor between Nottingham, Derby and Leicester is home to a large logistics and distribution workforce.
What makes a settlement agreement legally binding
Section 203(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 sets six conditions. If any one is missing, the waiver of your statutory claims does not take effect:
- The agreement is in writing.
- It relates to the particular proceedings.
- You have received advice from a relevant independent adviser on the terms and effect of the agreement, and in particular on its effect on your ability to bring a claim in the employment tribunal.
- The adviser has insurance or professional indemnity cover in force when the advice is given.
- The agreement names the adviser.
- The agreement states that the statutory conditions are satisfied.
Under section 203(3A) the adviser can be a qualified lawyer, a certified trade union official or a certified advice centre worker. 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. That is guidance rather than a statutory deadline but once a valid agreement is signed there is no statutory cooling-off period.
Frequently asked questions
Where would a tribunal claim from Nottingham be heard? Nottingham is the base of the Midlands (East) Employment Tribunal, at Nottingham Justice Centre, Carrington Street, Nottingham NG2 1EE. It is the venue that lists “claims against employers”. The court finder also shows an older “Nottingham Employment Tribunal” entry, which is marked as no longer in service, so use the Midlands (East) listing. Nottingham County Court on Canal Street deals with money claims, housing and bankruptcy but does not list claims against employers. You do not start a claim by going to a building. A claim form (ET1) is usually presented online, or by post to Employment Tribunals, PO Box 11225, Crown House, Loughborough LE11 9PX, and is then allocated to a region. Where a hearing is listed remains a matter for the tribunal.
I work in Derby, Leicester or Lincoln. Does the same apply to me? Yes. The law on settlement agreements is the same across England and Wales, and we advise by phone and video wherever you are.
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 genuine 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.
What to Expect, Step by Step
1. Send us the agreement. Email a copy over and we’ll arrange a consultation, often the same day.
2. Understand exactly what it means. We’ll explain the terms and effects of the settlement agreement in plain English so you understand what you are signing.
3. Sign once you’re satisfied. Your solicitor countersigns the independent adviser certificate the law requires.
4. Receive your payment according to the schedule set out in the agreement.
Settlement agreement fact
You can sign a settlement agreement without legal advice and still create a binding contract. What fails is the waiver of your statutory employment claims. Under section 203(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, that waiver only works if you have received advice from a relevant independent adviser who is insured and named in the agreement.
Related reading
- What is a settlement agreement? (our main guide)
- Mutually agreed resignation schemes (MARS)
- Is the payment tax free?
- Is there a cooling-off period?
- Acas Code of Practice on Settlement Agreements
- Midlands (East) Employment Tribunal on the GOV.UK court and tribunal finder
Speak to a specialist solicitor about your settlement agreement
Telephone: 0800 861 1883
Send us your agreement and we will call you back the same working day wherever possible.
Last reviewed: October 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.
