KPMG faces criticism over £100 offer to staff at risk of redundancy
KPMG is preparing to make around 200 UK staff redundant, about 4 per cent of its workforce, with employees in AI, Cyber, SAP and Testing teams particularly affected. The cuts matter because staff were told the consultation had ended and will learn by email on 9 October whether they have been selected.
Sources say KPMG is offering affected staff £100 to waive rights to appeal or bring claims, alongside post-termination obligations; some employees regard the payment as an attempt to silence them. The company has not answered questions about the offer or 2026 bonuses, which are usually paid in January and are reportedly unavailable to anyone under notice. The cuts follow 600 UK role losses six months earlier, amid wider pressure on major accountancy and consultancy firms.
- KPMG plans to cut around 200 UK jobs.
- Affected staff are due to hear on 9 October.
- Sources say £100 is offered to waive legal rights.
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KPMG, one of the UK's largest accountancy and consultancy firms, is making around 200 of its UK staff redundant. This affects roughly 4 per cent of its British workforce, with particular impact on teams working in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud systems and software testing.
This is the second major round of job cuts at KPMG in recent months, following 600 UK redundancies just six months earlier. The cuts reflect broader financial pressure affecting major professional services firms.
KPMG is offering affected staff £100 to waive their legal rights to appeal the decision or bring claims. Some staff regard this as an attempt to silence them.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Settlement agreements with financial inducements are standard employment law practice and serve legitimate purposes for both parties. Employees retain full rights if they choose to decline the offer. Efficient resolution of redundancies through voluntary settlements reduces prolonged uncertainty and legal costs, allowing the company to manage difficult business pressures responsibly whilst honouring established employment protocols.
The case against
Offering £100 in exchange for waiving significant legal protections raises serious concerns about fairness, particularly given the power imbalance when workers face redundancy. The combination of the meagre offer, withheld bonuses, and abrupt notification suggests the company is attempting to minimise accountability rather than treat departing staff equitably. Employment law protections exist to safeguard vulnerable workers, and soliciting their waiver for such trivial consideration conflicts with principles of fair dealing.
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Originally published by The Register as “KPMG tells staff facing the axe: Here’s £100, now zip it”.