John Lewis has placed hundreds of in-store roles at risk of redundancy across its gift wrapping and foreign exchange counters as part of an operational restructuring. If your role is affected by these changes, you have specific legal rights regarding collective consultation, redundancy pay, and potential settlement terms under the law of England and Wales.
What has been announced
- On 8 July 2026, John Lewis announced that hundreds of roles are at risk of redundancy across its in-store gift wrapping and foreign exchange counters.
- The planned cuts form part of an operational restructuring across the department store's customer services.
- This follows an earlier period reported on 9 April 2026, during which 3,300 jobs were cut across the retail partnership while the chief executive reportedly received a 25 per cent pay increase.
About the company
John Lewis is a major UK retail partnership operating department stores across the country.
The retailer offers various customer-facing services alongside its retail operations, including bureau de change counters and gift wrapping facilities.
What happens next
John Lewis must carry out consultation with affected staff before final redundancy decisions are made.
Under UK employment law, when an employer proposes to make 100 or more redundancies at one establishment within 90 days, collective consultation must last for at least 45 days. If between 20 and 99 redundancies are proposed, the minimum period is 30 days.
During consultation, the employer must explore ways to avoid redundancies, reduce the number of dismissals, and mitigate the consequences.
Employees with at least two years of continuous service are entitled to statutory redundancy pay, calculated on the basis of age, weekly pay capped at the statutory limit, and length of service.
Voluntary or compulsory redundancy
An employer may offer voluntary redundancy to minimise compulsory job losses. Employees are not obliged to accept voluntary terms.
If compulsory redundancies proceed, fair selection criteria must be established and applied objectively to all staff within the affected pools.
Employees facing compulsory redundancy must be offered suitable alternative employment where vacancies exist within the partnership.
Your settlement agreement
In some redundancy situations, employers offer enhanced redundancy terms through a settlement agreement.
A settlement agreement is a legally binding contract under which you waive the right to bring employment tribunal claims in exchange for agreed compensation or enhanced payments.
To make a settlement agreement legally valid, you must obtain independent legal advice from a qualified adviser, such as an employment solicitor.
Employers routinely pay or contribute towards the employee's legal fees for obtaining this mandatory advice.
Common questions
How many jobs are affected by the latest John Lewis announcement?
It has been reported that hundreds of roles are at risk across John Lewis gift wrapping and foreign exchange counters.
What is the collective consultation period for these redundancies?
Under England and Wales law, employers proposing 100 or more redundancies must consult for at least 45 days before dismissals take effect. If between 20 and 99 roles are affected at an establishment, the minimum consultation period is 30 days.
Who qualifies for statutory redundancy pay?
Employees with two or more years of continuous service are entitled to statutory redundancy pay. The amount depends on your age, length of service, and weekly pay up to statutory caps.
Do I need legal advice before signing a settlement agreement?
Yes. A settlement agreement is only legally binding if you receive independent advice on the terms and their effect on your ability to pursue employment claims.
How Deen & Co helps
Deen & Co Solicitors advises employees going through redundancy, collective consultation, and restructuring. Our employment solicitors provide independent advice on settlement agreements, review redundancy terms, and ensure that your statutory and contractual employment rights are fully protected.
Read more about settlement agreement advice or work out your statutory redundancy pay.
If your role is in London, our settlement agreement solicitors London can review the package before you sign.
Sources
- Hundreds of jobs at risk in John Lewis' gift wrapping and money exchange services - BBC — BBC (8 July 2026)
- John Lewis boss receives 25 per cent pay increase as 3,300 jobs cut - The Independent — The Independent (9 April 2026)
Last updated 16 September 2026. This page summarises publicly reported information and is general guidance, not legal advice on your own situation.
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