Not sure if your employer’s offer is fair? We’ll review your settlement agreement, explain exactly what you’re giving up, and make sure you don’t sign for less than you deserve.
Andrew Crisp, Employment Solicitor
A settlement agreement is a legally binding contract between you and your employer. In exchange for a financial payment, you agree to waive your right to bring employment claims — including claims for unfair dismissal, discrimination, breach of contract, or unpaid wages.
Before you sign, you need to understand what you’re giving up and whether the offer reflects what those claims might actually be worth. That’s where we come in.
At Mason Bullock Solicitors, we advise employees — and only employees — on settlement agreements throughout England and Wales. We review every clause, explain what it means in plain English, identify anything that could come back to bite you, and negotiate better terms where the case warrants it.
In almost every case, your employer pays your legal fees. That usually means no cost to you at all.
Independent legal advice isn’t optional — it’s a legal requirement. A settlement agreement is only binding if you’ve received advice from a qualified solicitor who is independent from your employer. Without it, the agreement has no legal effect.
But this shouldn’t be a box-ticking exercise. The real value of good advice is knowing whether the offer on the table is actually worth accepting.
A specialist solicitor should help you understand:
Not sure what you’re signing away? Get a free consultation
Every settlement agreement is different. Our job is to make sure you understand yours — and that you’re not leaving money or rights on the table.
We go through every clause and explain what it means in plain English. That includes the financial terms, the claims you’re being asked to waive, the tax wording, your reference, confidentiality obligations, post-termination restrictions, and anything else that could affect you once you’ve left.
If the terms are acceptable and the agreement is ready to sign, we issue the independent adviser’s certificate your employer needs to make the agreement legally binding.
If the offer is too low or the terms aren’t right, we’ll advise you on the best way to push back. Sometimes that means we negotiate directly with your employer or their solicitor on your behalf. In other cases — particularly where the approach is more informal — we’ll coach you on how to negotiate yourself, which can be just as effective.
Where we do negotiate on your behalf, we offer a no-increase, no-fee arrangement — but only where we think there’s a realistic prospect of improving the offer. We won’t take on a negotiation we don’t believe in.
We’ll always give you a clear view of what’s worth pursuing before anything starts.
The initial consultation is always free. In almost every case, your employer’s contribution towards legal fees covers the rest — so you get expert advice without a bill at the end of it.
Settlement agreements are prepared by employers and their solicitors. We read them from your side — flagging anything unusual, anything unfair, and anything that could affect you after you leave.
Everything is handled by phone and email, at a time that suits you. You get the advice you need quickly, without taking time off work or sitting in a waiting room.
| Settlement agreement term | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|
| Compensation payment | We assess whether the offer reflects your salary, length of service, reason for dismissal, possible claims and negotiating strength, so you know whether the figure on the table is genuinely fair or worth pushing back on |
| Notice pay / PILON | Payment in lieu of notice is usually taxable as earnings. We check whether it has been calculated and treated correctly. |
| Tax-free termination payment | Some termination payments may qualify for the £30,000 tax exemption. We check whether the agreement separates taxable and potentially tax-free payments properly. |
| Holiday pay, bonus and commission | We check whether all outstanding contractual and accrued payments have been included. |
| Restrictive covenants | We identify clauses that could restrict your next job, clients, business contacts or ability to work in your sector. Some clauses are broader than they need to be and could limit your options without you realising. |
| Confidentiality clauses | We check whether non-disclosure and non-derogatory wording is fair, balanced and realistic. |
| Agreed reference | We try to secure clear reference wording so you know what future employers will be told. |
| Employer’s legal fee contribution | We check whether your employer’s contribution is enough for the work needed, especially if negotiation is required. |
| Waiver of claims | We explain which rights you are giving up, so you don’t inadvertently sign away a valuable claim. |
Want us to check your agreement? Book a free call
Not every settlement agreement needs to be negotiated. Sometimes the offer is fair, the process was handled properly, and the right advice is simply to sign. We’ll always tell you if that’s the case.
But in other situations, there is a genuine basis for pushing back — and employees who take advice often secure a better outcome than those who don’t. It may be worth exploring negotiation if:
If you’re not sure whether your situation warrants negotiation, that’s exactly what the free consultation is for.
Ready to find out if your offer is fair? Your first call is free.
Get a Free ConsultationIn a free consultation of up to 30 minutes, you’ll speak directly with an employment law specialist. We’ll talk through your situation, review what’s being offered, and give you a clear picture of where you stand — with no obligation to proceed.
Ready to get started? Call for a free consultation
We never act for employers. That means our advice is always independent, always in your corner, and never influenced by the other side.
Your first call is free and lasts up to 30 minutes. You’ll speak directly with an employment law specialist, with no obligation to proceed afterwards.
Specialist solicitors who have seen every variation of these agreements — not generalists who handle them occasionally.
We invoice your employer, not you—so you get expert legal advice without the stress of paying out of pocket.
No office visits, no delays. We work quickly and remotely, which matters when your employer has given you a deadline.
We tell you what the agreement means, what you’re giving up, and whether it’s worth signing — in plain English, without the runaround.
Speak directly with an employment law specialist. It’s free and there’s no obligation
In almost every case, your employer pays your legal costs in full — so you pay nothing.
If negotiation is needed, the cost depends on whether there’s a realistic prospect of improving the offer. Where we think it’s worth pursuing, we offer a no-increase, no-fee arrangement — so you’re still not out of pocket if the offer doesn’t improve.
If you’d like to discuss fees before proceeding, just ask during your free consultation.
You can read more about our fees here: How much does settlement agreement advice cost?
We’ve helped hundreds of employees get clarity on their settlement agreements — and in most cases, at no cost to them. Here’s what they said:
Not sure where to start? Explore your options with these simple settlement agreement guides for employees.
Yes — and it’s not just good practice, it’s a legal requirement. A settlement agreement is only binding if you’ve received independent advice from a qualified solicitor who is independent from your employer. The advice needs to cover the terms of the agreement and, crucially, the claims you’re being asked to give up. Without it, the agreement has no legal effect.
The Acas Code of Practice on Settlement Agreements recommends that employees be given at least 10 calendar days to consider the proposed terms and take independent legal advice, unless both parties agree otherwise.
If your employer is pressuring you to sign more quickly, take advice before agreeing to a shortened timeframe. How your employer handles the process can be relevant if there is later a dispute about whether the settlement discussions were conducted properly.
No — you’re never legally obliged to accept. You can reject it, ask for better terms, or walk away entirely. That said, if you do reject it your employer may proceed with a formal redundancy or disciplinary process, so it’s worth understanding your position before you decide. That’s exactly why getting good legal advice is so important.
Yes — and it’s more common than many employees realise. Negotiation is particularly worth exploring if your employer hasn’t followed a fair process, you have potential employment claims, or the financial terms don’t reflect your circumstances. We’ll tell you honestly whether we think negotiation is realistic — and if it is, we can handle it on your behalf or coach you through it yourself.
Yes, where there’s a sensible basis for it. That might be because the compensation is too low, the dismissal process was flawed, you have strong employment claims, or your employer wants a quick and confidential exit. Negotiation isn’t always appropriate, but in the right case it can make a significant difference — and we’ll tell you honestly which situation you’re in.
In most cases, yes. Your employer usually contributes towards your legal fees because independent advice is needed for the agreement to be legally valid. That contribution usually covers our fee in full, subject to a minimum of £500 plus VAT. It may not cover detailed advice on the merits of your employment claims or extended negotiation — but we’ll always be upfront about costs before carrying out any additional work.
Your adviser must be independent from your employer and qualified to advise on the terms and effect of the agreement. In practice, most employees use an employment law solicitor who specialises in settlement agreements. It’s worth choosing someone who focuses on employee-side work — their advice will be independent of any employer relationships.
Usually, no. The purpose of a settlement agreement is to settle claims and prevent future Employment Tribunal or court proceedings about the matters covered by the agreement. There are some rights that cannot be waived — personal injury claims that haven’t yet arisen, for example — and the precise wording of the agreement matters. This is one of the reasons taking advice before signing is so important.
If you’re being made redundant, the agreement should deal properly with redundancy pay, notice pay, holiday pay, benefits, tax treatment and any enhanced compensation. You should also consider whether the redundancy process was genuinely fair — if it wasn’t, that’s relevant to whether the offer reflects your true position and whether there’s a basis for negotiating more.
If there may be a discrimination element to your situation, the value and risk of your case can be very different from a straightforward dismissal or redundancy. Discrimination claims — including those involving disability, sex, pregnancy or maternity, race, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, harassment, or victimisation — can carry higher compensation and stronger negotiating leverage. Make sure your solicitor knows the full picture before advising you on whether the offer is fair.
We can often turn around a review on the same day for urgent cases. If your employer has given you a tight deadline, contact us as soon as possible — the sooner we can look at the agreement, the more options you’ll have.
If your employer has offered you a settlement agreement and you’re not sure what to do, the best first step is a conversation. There’s no cost, no obligation, and no jargon — just clear advice from an employment law specialist who works exclusively for employees.
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