Settlement agreement help in London

Free settlement calculator and introductions to independent employment solicitors for London. We are a referral service, not a law firm. Your employer often pays legal fees in most cases when you instruct a solicitor.

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Independent SRA-regulated solicitors

Serving London & surrounding areas

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Employer Often Pays Solicitor Fees

Local map — London

Approximate map for local context — we are a referral service, not a law firm.

Key facts — settlement agreements in London

Your jurisdiction is England. A settlement agreement here is governed by section 203 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, and a claim you did not settle would be heard by the Employment Tribunals (England and Wales).
Independent legal advice is required before you sign. The agreement does not bind you until a relevant independent adviser has advised you on its terms and effect — that is usually a solicitor, but a certified trade union official or advice centre worker also qualifies.
Free to you. Employers customarily contribute towards that adviser's fee — commonly around £500 plus VAT, sometimes higher — and the contribution is normally negotiated as part of the agreement. It is customary practice, not a legal obligation, so check what has been offered in writing.
Acas early conciliation applies before most tribunal claims, and the Acas Code of Practice recommends you be given at least 10 calendar days to consider a proposed agreement — guidance rather than a statutory minimum.
Handled remotely. Independent solicitors we introduce act for employees across London and the wider Greater London region by phone and email — no office visit needed in most cases.
We are not a law firm. This is a referral service; the adviser you instruct gives the legal advice.

Settlement agreements in London

London is served by more than one Employment Tribunal, including London (South) and, for parts of the wider area, the Croydon Employment Tribunal. Which one would deal with a claim depends on where you worked rather than where you live, and the official Find a Court or Tribunal service will confirm it.

In practice most London settlement agreements never reach a tribunal at all. The offer arrives precisely because the employer wants to avoid one, which is why the terms are usually negotiable and why the law requires you to be advised before you give up your right to claim.

The clauses that matter in a London exit

Restrictive covenants do more damage here than almost anywhere else, because the pool of competing employers is concentrated. A twelve-month non-compete in a City or tech contract can be the single most expensive clause in the document, and it is frequently negotiable when the employer's real concern is client contact rather than your next job.

Deferred compensation is the other London-specific issue: unvested share awards, LTIPs, and bonus treatment for the current year are often dealt with by a single line that quietly forfeits them.

Under section 203 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 the agreement does not bind you until a relevant independent adviser has advised you on its terms and effect. Employers customarily contribute towards that fee, though they are not legally obliged to.

Find out what your settlement is worth in London

Our free calculator gives you an instant personalised estimate — based on your salary, service, and situation.

Settlement agreement advice near London

The same law and the same tribunal apply across England. See nearby areas below, or the full list of areas we cover.