Is one week the legal minimum on probation?

After your first month of employment, yes — that's the statutory minimum from an employee. In the first month, no notice is technically required either way under the statutory rules, though contracts often specify a week.

What if my contract doesn't mention a probation period?

Then there isn't one — the standard contractual notice applies from your first day. Some roles don't have a formal probation, particularly more senior positions.

Can I leave on probation with no notice at all?

Only in your first month of employment, and only if your contract doesn't specify otherwise. After a month, the statutory minimum of one week applies.

Will leaving during probation hurt my CV?

It can if it happens repeatedly. A single short stint, well-explained, isn't a problem. Be prepared to talk about why the role wasn't right and what you learned from it.

Probation Notice Period Calculator (UK)

Resignation date

Notice period

If the final day falls on a weekend, use the previous Friday

Pick a valid resignation date.

This calculator is for general guidance only. Always check your employment contract.

Typical probation length and notice

Probation periods in the UK are usually three or six months, depending on the role and the employer. The notice clause inside the probation clause typically shortens the standard contractual notice — one week is the most common figure, with some employers specifying no notice in the first month.

Once you pass probation, you usually move to the full contractual notice — typically one or three months. If your contract is silent on probation notice, the statutory minimum applies once you've been employed for a full month: that's one week from you, and one week from your employer.

What if your probation is extended?

Employers can extend a probation period if they want more time to evaluate fit. Extensions are usually three months and have to be done before the original probation ends — they can't be applied retrospectively.

An extension keeps you on the shorter probation notice. If you're considering leaving while on extended probation, the same shorter notice applies as before.

If your employer ends probation early

Employers can dismiss you during probation with the contractual probation notice — usually a week — and don't need to follow the full disciplinary process. They do still need to give a fair reason, and certain protections apply from day one (discrimination, whistleblowing, certain health and safety grounds).

If the dismissal feels unfair or discriminatory, ACAS is the first port of call. The two-year qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal claims means you can't bring a standard claim, but the protected grounds above don't have a qualifying period.

When does probation actually end?

Probation ends on the date specified in your contract — but only if your employer formally confirms you've passed. Some employers do this in writing automatically, others let it lapse silently, and a few require an explicit sign-off.

If your probation end date has passed and you haven't heard either way, ask your manager in writing. The default position is usually that you've passed, and clarifying it now avoids ambiguity later.

Frequently asked questions

Is one week the legal minimum on probation?: After your first month of employment, yes — that's the statutory minimum from an employee. In the first month, no notice is technically required either way under the statutory rules, though contracts often specify a week.
What if my contract doesn't mention a probation period?: Then there isn't one — the standard contractual notice applies from your first day. Some roles don't have a formal probation, particularly more senior positions.
Can I leave on probation with no notice at all?: Only in your first month of employment, and only if your contract doesn't specify otherwise. After a month, the statutory minimum of one week applies.
Will leaving during probation hurt my CV?: It can if it happens repeatedly. A single short stint, well-explained, isn't a problem. Be prepared to talk about why the role wasn't right and what you learned from it.

Planning your next move?

A few things worth lining up before your last day.

Update your CV

Refresh your CV before you start applying — most hiring managers spend under a minute on the first scan.

Build your CV

Search for your next role

Browse openings that match your experience and notice period, with filters for remote and hybrid roles.

See open roles

Prepare for interviews

Practical interview prep — common questions, structured answers, and a short framework for tough ones.

Start preparing

Notice periods in the UK — a practical guide

How is a notice period calculated?

A notice period runs from the day you hand in your resignation to the last day you’re contractually required to work. If your contract says “one month’s notice”, you add one calendar month to the date you resign — so handing notice in on 15 March gives a final working day of 15 April. Weeks work the same way: two weeks is fourteen calendar days, not ten working days.

When the notice is in months and the target month doesn’t have your start day (e.g. resigning on 31 January with one month’s notice), the convention is to roll back to the last day of the next month — 28 February in most years, 29 February in a leap year.

Do weekends count in a notice period?

Yes. Notice is measured in calendar time, so weekends and bank holidays are included. If your final day lands on a Saturday or Sunday, most employers treat the previous Friday as your last working day — but that’s a practical convention, not a legal rule. The toggle in the calculator above mirrors that approach.

What is the minimum notice period in the UK?

If you’ve been employed for one month or more, the statutory minimum notice you have to give is one week — even if your contract is silent on the subject. Employers, by contrast, owe you at least one week’s notice for each full year of service, up to a cap of twelve weeks after twelve years.

Most contracts ask for longer than the statutory minimum (typically one or three months), and the longer of the two periods applies. Senior roles often have three or six months written in.

Can your employer ask you to work longer?

Not unilaterally. Your notice period is whatever your contract says (or the statutory minimum, whichever is longer). An employer can’t simply extend it. They can, however, ask you to leave earlier and pay you for the unworked notice (a payment in lieu of notice, or PILON), or place you on garden leave — keeping you on the payroll but away from the office.

If you’d like to leave sooner than your contract allows, the best route is usually a polite conversation. Many employers will agree to a shorter notice period in writing if cover is in place.

What should you do after resigning?

Get written acknowledgement of your resignation and the agreed final working day. Check that any accrued holiday will be paid out, and ask when to expect your final payslip and P45. Tidy up handover notes early so the last fortnight isn’t a scramble, and line up references before access to work systems is removed.

If you don’t already have your next role lined up, give yourself a week to refresh your CV and shortlist roles before starting applications in earnest — the resources below are a decent starting point.