Notice period calculator

Notice Period Calculator UK: When Does My Notice End?

Enter the date notice was given and the notice period to get the last day of employment, check it against the legal minimum, and see what pay in lieu of notice would be. Works for resigning and for dismissal. Updated October 2026.

Quick answer

Notice starts the day after it is given. One month's notice handed in on Monday 12 October 2026 ends on Thursday 12 November; four weeks' notice ends on Monday 9 November. By law an employer must give at least one week's notice per complete year of service (minimum one week, maximum 12 weeks); an employee must give at least one week.

Notice details

Enter 0 if the contract says nothing about notice.
Last day of employment
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Notice length
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Statutory minimum
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Length of service
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Pay in lieu (gross)
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Same notice date, other periods

Notice periodEnds on
Notice runs from the day after it is given unless the contract says otherwise (Wang v University of Keele, EAT 2011). A month means a calendar month: it ends on the same date in the later month, or the last day of that month if it is shorter.

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How to work out when your notice period ends

  1. Find the day notice was given. For a letter or email, that is the day it was received and read, not the date written on it.
  2. Start counting the next day. The day notice is given does not count as part of the notice.
  3. Add the period. Weeks are counted in 7-day blocks, so four weeks from Monday ends on the Monday four weeks later. Months are calendar months, so one month from 12 October ends on 12 November.
  4. Check the statutory minimum. If the contract gives less than the legal minimum, the minimum applies.

Four weeks or one month?

They are not the same. A calendar month is 28 to 31 days, so one month's notice is usually two or three days longer than four weeks. If the contract says "one month", the employee does not have to leave after four weeks, and the employer must pay the full month.

Notice given on Monday 12 October 2026Last day of employment
1 weekMonday 19 October 2026
2 weeksMonday 26 October 2026
4 weeksMonday 9 November 2026
1 monthThursday 12 November 2026
2 monthsSaturday 12 December 2026
3 monthsTuesday 12 January 2027

Statutory minimum notice in the UK

The Employment Rights Act 1996 (s86) sets minimum notice once someone has worked for one month. A contract can give more, never less.

Length of serviceEmployer must giveEmployee must give
Less than 1 monthNo statutory minimumNo statutory minimum
1 month to under 2 years1 week1 week
2 to 12 years1 week per complete year1 week
12 years or more12 weeks1 week

Pay in lieu of notice (PILON) and garden leave

An employer can end employment straight away and pay the notice instead (PILON), if the contract allows it or the employee agrees; otherwise it is technically a breach of contract, though the damages are usually the same notice pay. PILON is taxed like normal pay, with income tax and National Insurance, and has been since April 2018 whatever the contract says. Garden leave is different: the employee stays employed and paid through the notice but is told not to work. Holiday keeps building up during notice, and any untaken holiday is paid on the last day. If notice pay forms part of an exit deal, the settlement agreement calculator shows the tax.

Notice period questions

When does a one-month notice period end?
Notice starts the day after it is given, and a month is a calendar month. One month's notice given on 12 October ends on 12 November. If the later month is shorter, it ends on that month's last day, so one month from 31 January ends on 28 February (29 in a leap year).
Is one month's notice the same as four weeks?
No. Four weeks is exactly 28 days, while a calendar month is 28 to 31 days. Four weeks from Monday 12 October 2026 ends on Monday 9 November, but one month ends on Thursday 12 November.
Does the day I hand in my notice count?
No. Unless the contract says otherwise, notice runs from the day after it is given, as the Employment Appeal Tribunal confirmed in Wang v University of Keele (2011). For a letter or email, notice is given when it is received and read.
What is the statutory minimum notice period in the UK?
After one month's employment an employer must give at least one week's notice, rising to one week per complete year of service from two years, up to a maximum of 12 weeks after 12 years. An employee must give at least one week. A contract can require more but not less.
Do weekends and bank holidays count in a notice period?
Yes. Notice is counted in calendar days, weeks or months, not working days, so weekends and bank holidays fall within the notice period. Holiday also continues to build up during notice.
Is pay in lieu of notice taxed?
Yes. Payment in lieu of notice is taxed like normal pay, with income tax and National Insurance. Since April 2018 this applies whether or not the contract has a PILON clause.
Holiday entitlement calculatorUntaken leave when someone leaves Part-month salary calculatorFinal month's pay to the leaving date Redundancy pay calculatorStatutory entitlement by age Settlement agreement calculatorNotice pay tax and the £30k rule

Sources: GOV.UK: handing in your notice; GOV.UK: dismissal notice periods; Employment Rights Act 1996, s86; Acas: notice periods. Reviewed October 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Written and reviewed by James Whitfield and the editorial team.

Every figure is checked against current HMRC and GOV.UK guidance and reviewed for the 2026/27 tax year. We explain the numbers in plain English with worked examples. Editorial standards · About us