The line of fire
Question
If redundancy is imminent at work, do I have less chance of being made redundant as a family man with a mortgage, compared to someone with no mortgage or no family living at home?
Answer
It can be very stressful worrying that you may be made redundant in the near future, especially if you have a family. However your employer is not allowed to use personal reasons when selecting people for redundancy as this can be seen as unfair dismissal. If an employee feels they are being discriminated against due to personal reasons they can make an unfair dismissal claim to an Employment Tribunal.
Your employer must therefore use a fair and objective way of choosing which employees they make redundant, by using selection criteria that can be applied across the workforce. They may take into consideration an employee's disciplinary record, experience, capabilities and relevant skills. Your employer may look at an employee's length of service and select those with the shortest service, so the last to join may be the first to be made redundant.
The organisation Acas, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, offers free advice and help to individuals with employment problems through a confidential helpline on 08457 474747.
If you are a member of a trade union it would be advisable to discuss any concerns with your representative. Alternatively you could visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau for further advice regarding your employment rights.
In the event that you do lose your job, you may be able to claim benefits such as Council Tax Benefit and Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI). The DirectGov website has detailed information on the different kinds of financial support available from the Government.
If you have taken out Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance (MPPI), be sure to check what you need to do in order to make a claim. You should also speak to your mortgage lender if you are experiencing a period of financial hardship. They may be able to help, for example by allowing you to take a break from making repayments.
Updated: 12/08/2010
Question answered by bss
