![A garden gate standing open between two very different plots](https://viacara.com/img/content/moments-index-feature-light.webp) # Facing redundancy Redundancy can take your routine, your income and your sense of who you are. Space to talk about the loss and what comes next. Redundancy is a decision about a role. It rarely feels that way to the person in it. This page offers routes to support. It cannot tell you what to do next. ## Why does this feel like *more* than a job? A job carries your routine, your income and a large part of how you see yourself. Losing it takes all three at once. You may want to talk about the work itself, or about what the work was holding up. Both belong in the same conversation. ## I have not *told* anyone yet You do not have to tell anyone before you talk to a professional. It can be the first place you say it out loud. Shame often arrives with redundancy, even when the decision had nothing to do with you. You can bring that too. ## Where do I check what I am *owed*? Acas gives free advice on redundancy pay, notice periods and consultation. Its advisers know the law. We do not give that advice. [Acas](https://www.acas.org.uk) Employees and employers England Scotland Wales Free advice on redundancy pay, notice periods and consultation, by phone and online. Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm [Call](tel:+443001231100) [Labour Relations Agency](https://www.lra.org.uk) Employees and employers Northern Ireland Free workplace advice for Northern Ireland, which has its own employment law. Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm [Call](tel:+443300555300) Northern Ireland has its own service and its own employment law. [The rules on redundancy](https://www.gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights) are also set out on GOV.UK. Knowing where you stand can quieten one part of the worry. It rarely quietens all of it. Sources: [Acas: advice](https://viacara.com/support/moments/redundancy/#ref-1), [LRA: workplace information](https://viacara.com/support/moments/redundancy/#ref-2), [HM Government: redundancy rights](https://viacara.com/support/moments/redundancy/#ref-3) ## Why can I not stop going over the meeting? A short meeting can keep replaying for weeks afterwards. Your mind may be looking for the moment it could have gone differently. That search rarely ends on its own. A professional can help you put it down. ## I am *angry* and nobody wants to hear it Anger is a reasonable response to losing work you did well. You may be keeping it down to stay employable, or to protect people at home. A private conversation is somewhere it can be said without cost. Nothing there goes on a reference. ## The *money* worry has taken over Money worry and job loss usually arrive together. Each makes the other louder. Free debt advice handles the money side. [Our money worries page](https://viacara.com/support/money-worries/) lists who gives that advice free. Talking support is for what the worry is doing to you. ## I was already *exhausted* before this Redundancy often lands on someone who was already running on empty. A long stretch of overwork does not end when the job does. [Our page on burnout at work](https://viacara.com/support/burnout/burnout-at-work/) covers that exhaustion. You can talk about both. ## What do I say when people ask what I *do*? You can decide what to say before you are asked. Practising the sentence with someone can take the dread out of it. You do not owe anyone the full story. A short answer is a complete answer. ## Everyone says it is an *opportunity* You do not have to call this an opportunity while it still feels like a loss. People say it kindly. It can still land badly. A conversation can start with how it truly feels. The hopeful part can come later, or not yet. ## Is it too *soon* to talk to someone? You can ask for support in the first week or a year later. There is no point at which this becomes the wrong thing to raise. A professional can explain how they work and what they charge. You can then decide whether to book. If this has you thinking about ending your life, [our crisis page](https://viacara.com/crisis/gb/) lists who to talk to now. Thanks for your interest. We're not taking on new clients at the moment. ## Want to talk about the *loss*, not just the next job? We ask what matters to you, then find professionals who fit. Leave your email and we'll let you know as soon as we're ready for you. This conversation helps us find you the right support. What you share helps us understand what you're looking for and find someone who fits. Your email keeps you updated on what's happening next and isn't shared with anyone we introduce you to. [Privacy policy](https://viacara.com/privacy) [Terms of service](https://viacara.com/terms) ## References 1. Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (2026). *Contact us for advice*. [Link](https://www.acas.org.uk/contact/get-advice) 2. Labour Relations Agency (2026). *What we do*. [Link](https://www.lra.org.uk/about/what-we-do) 3. HM Government (2026). *Redundancy: your rights*. [Link](https://www.gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights) ## Related ### [Money worries](https://viacara.com/support/money-worries/) Money worries can affect your mental health, and the other way round. Free debt advice handles the money. We help with the worry, alongside it. ### [Burnout at Work](https://viacara.com/support/burnout/burnout-at-work/) Burnout has one official definition and it stops at the job. The three dimensions, the UK numbers and what a professional can change. ### [Work and Career](https://viacara.com/support/work-and-career/) Changing career, stepping up, speaking, running a business or competing. How a coach can help you move forward, and when a therapist fits better. ### [Understanding Anxiety](https://viacara.com/support/anxiety/) Learn about anxiety, its symptoms and how therapy can help. Find the right practitioner for anxiety support. ### [Finding the Right Practitioner](https://viacara.com/guides/finding-a-practitioner/) A practical guide to finding a mental health practitioner who fits your needs, preferences and budget.