Do I Need to Tell Anyone I Have Lost My Job?

Being made redundant can often make you feel ashamed and upset and sometimes the last thing you want to do is talk about it or tell people around you that you have been made redundant.

It is only natural not to want to advertise the fact you have been made redundant, but there are some people you may need to tell.

These few questions should help you determine who you need to inform about your redundancy.

1) Have You Found Another Job?

• A) Yes
• B) Yes, but I don’t start for a few months
• C) No, not yet

2) Do You Have Any Financial Commitments?

• A) Yes, a mortgage and loans
• B) I rent accommodation
• C) I have no loans

3) Do You Have Any Kind of Unemployment Insurance?

• A) Yes
• B) I have recently taken some out
• C) No

4) Do You Want to Claim Jobseekers Allowance?

• A) Yes
• B) I haven’t thought about it
• C) No

5) Are You Going For Job Interviews?

• A) Yes
• B) I have been for a few
• C) No

Your Answers

Mostly A – Honesty is the Best Policy

It sounds like there are some people in your life that you cannot avoid telling about your redundancy. If you have taken out any type of unemployment cover this is the first person you should tell. It will work to your advantage if you tell the insurance company you took the cover out with them as they can start to pay out on your policy.

You are under no obligation to tell them though and only need to if you want to claim. If you want to claim jobseekers allowance it will also be necessary to declare yourself unemployed in order to start the claim.

There are no set rules as to whether you need to tell any future employers about your redundancy but if they ask on your application form the reason why you left your last job you are legally obliged to tell the truth.

Mostly B – There May Be Some People You Need to Tell

From your answers it sounds like there might be a few people you need to tell. If you are renting a property you will need to tell your landlord if you fall behind on your payments.

If you can still pay your rent on time, you may still want to check your contract to see if it has a clause in it that tells you that you need to tell your landlord. When claiming any type of benefit you will need to fully disclose your employment status. If you received a substantial amount in redundancy pay this may affect what you can claim.

If you have found a new job there is no reason they need to know about why you left your old job, unless they request this.

Mostly C – You Don’t Need to Tell Everyone

You don’t need to worry about advertising the fact that you have been made redundant. From your answers it sounds like there is nobody that you urgently need to tell. You seem to have very few financial commitments and have no intention of taking out any job seeker’s allowance.

This does not however mean that you can’t choose to tell friends and family about your current situation, it just means that you are not legally obliged to tell anyone.

Redundancy is never a pleasant experience for anyone and sometimes telling people about it can make it better, but in some circumstances it can also make it worse.

It is up to you whether you want to share your news with your friends and family, but often this can help.

It is important that you also inform your mortgage lender or landlord of any change in your finances if you have problems paying your mortgage or rent. You will find that most people will be more than understanding and only too willing to help you, as long as you are willing to help yourself.

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