Employment law

Breach of contract.

If your employer has not paid what you are owed or has gone back on agreed terms, we help you understand your contract and recover what is due.

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When your employer breaks the agreement

Your contract of employment sets out what you and your employer have agreed: your pay, hours, duties, notice, benefits and more. Some terms are written down, others are implied by law or established by practice. When your employer fails to honour those terms, you may have a claim for breach of contract.

Common examples include unpaid wages or holiday pay, failing to pay notice when you are dismissed, withholding a bonus or commission you have earned, and changing your pay, hours or place of work without your agreement. Dismissing you without the notice you are entitled to is known as wrongful dismissal.

Breach of contract claims can be brought in the Employment Tribunal in some circumstances, and in the civil courts in others. Each route has its own rules and time limits, and some claims, such as unlawful deductions from wages, have their own separate rights. We advise you on the right route for your claim.

Before taking any action, we look closely at your contract, your staff handbook and how things have worked in practice. That allows us to give you a clear view of your position and a realistic plan to resolve it, whether through a letter to your employer, negotiation or a formal claim.

What we do for you

Unpaid wages, notice pay and holiday pay
Bonus and commission disputes
Changes to terms without your agreement
Wrongful dismissal without proper notice
Advice on the right forum and time limit

What we can help with

We advise on breaches of written, implied and agreed terms.

Unpaid wages
Recovering pay, overtime or holiday pay your employer has failed to pay.
Notice pay
Wrongful dismissal where you were let go without the notice you were owed.
Bonus and commission
Payments withheld or calculated wrongly under your contract or scheme rules.
Unilateral changes
Changes to pay, hours, duties or location made without your agreement.
Restrictive covenants
Advice on non-compete and similar clauses when you move to a new job.
Contract reviews
Checking a new or amended contract before you sign it.

How we help

A clear, practical approach to getting back what you are owed.

Initial call

Tell us what has happened in a free initial call. We flag any urgent time limits straight away.
Review your contract

We look at your contract, handbook and payslips to work out what you are entitled to.
Put it to your employer

We write to your employer setting out your claim and try to resolve it without proceedings.
Take it further

If the matter does not settle, we take you through ACAS early conciliation and represent you in the tribunal or court.

Key contact

Attiq Malik

Director and solicitor-advocate

Attiq has represented employees, including members of the RMT, T&G and CWU, as well as small and large businesses. He negotiates settlements and represents clients in tribunals. He has appeared in the Employment Appeal Tribunal, where he successfully argued a complex legal point that clarified the time claimants have to bring Employment Tribunal claims following ACAS conciliation. He regularly advises on settlement agreements and ACAS early conciliation.

Call 01582 853 783 Request a callback

What our clients say

Real feedback from the people we have represented, published on ReviewSolicitors and Google.

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Questions people ask

General information, not advice on your case. For that, speak to us — the first conversation costs nothing.

Can my employer change my contract without my agreement?

Generally, your employer needs your agreement to change the terms of your contract, unless the contract itself allows the change. Imposing a change without agreement may be a breach. How you respond matters, so get advice before you accept or reject the change.

What is wrongful dismissal?

Wrongful dismissal is a breach of contract claim where your employer dismisses you without giving the notice, or pay in lieu of notice, you are entitled to. It is different from unfair dismissal and does not depend on your length of service.

Where is a breach of contract claim heard?

It depends on the claim. Some breach of contract claims can be brought in the Employment Tribunal once your employment has ended, while others must go to the civil courts. The time limits are different, so take advice early.

My employer has not paid my wages. What should I do?

Check your payslips and contract, then raise it with your employer in writing. If it is not resolved, you may have a claim for unlawful deductions from wages or breach of contract. Contact us and we will advise you on the quickest way to recover what you are owed.

Nothing on this page is legal advice, and no solicitor–client relationship is created by reading it. Every case turns on its own facts.

Tell us what has happened.

The first conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Two offices, one emergency line, and a solicitor at the end of it.

Luton office

01582 853 783

43 Windmill Road
Luton LU1 3XL

9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday

London office

0208 528 1019

107–111 Fleet Street
London EC4A 2AB

9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday

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Breach of contract.