What am I going to do now.

[YouDoIDo]

Extremely long time lurker (20+years) but first time poster.

I have worked at the same company for 19 years, it’s a small business that employs around 20 staff. Yesterday evening the owner has called us all to say that they are going into administration with immediate effect and that our last day will be today 22nd. Apparently they didn’t have a clue themselves and that they were looking for advice about there current financial situation and were told yesterday afternoon that they needed to go into administration with immediate effect.

I’m heartbroken, scared, angry and a whole other load of emotions. I think I’m also in a state of shock it doesn’t feel real. How could they do this just before Christmas and the worst part is that it was 0 hours contract so my last payment was last Friday and that’s it once it’s gone it’s gone.
I’m a single mother with 3 kids I have luckily already sorted Christmas gifts/dinner etc but it just doesn’t seem real.

I have signed up for UC which can take up to 5/6 weeks and I will let my landlord know asap but not sure what else to do.

Apologies for the long post.

You can apply for a budgeting loan from uc to tide you over until your 1st payment comes through and they'll take back from your award over a year

I have no helpful advice, although other posters will be able to help.

Just to say, breathe, take things slowly and enjoy Christmas with your DC. I hope things improve very soon.

Oh love that's awful. I really feel for you! No advice I'm sorry but I hope you have supportive friends and family around you and that you are able to secure employment again soon. All the best wishes x

I’m so sorry you are going through this. It’s scary and a horrible thing. This happened to me earlier this year and I felt bereft. I have survived and work with a lovely group of people now. You are stronger than you realise and I made lovely friends in the 20 years in my previous place and we have kept in touch. I hope you are ok x

Oh gosh! Sorry to hear this OP.

Things to add to the list:

Check a benefits calculator site like entitled to, to see if there’s anything else you can claim.

Check what redundancy you’re entitled to - there is a govt scheme to apply to if your employer is insolvent - check the gov.uk website for details.

Best of luck OP

I’m so sorry, this is awful. It happened to me when I was 6 months pregnant - literally found out the place was going into administration the following day.

In my case, there was a union and they took a case to the employment tribunal - i got around 3 months’ pay in lieu of notice - I think paid by government scheme. If there’s no union, can you contact ACAS for advice? My experience was a few years ago, but worth checking. So sorry.

Definitely contact ACAS to make sure that you are aware of your rights.

It's rotten timing, I am sorry, Op.

I'm sorry, that's crap! As well as what PP's have said start applying for roles by updating your CV and writing a cover letter. Good luck!

Thank you to all you wonderful mumsnetters, it’s still sort of sinking in but I think I will take a couple of days to enjoy Christmas with the kids and then looked into all your great advise.
I do believe everything happens for a reason but only time will tell what this reason is.

Best of Luck OP. ACAS are excellent for discussing your rights and pointing you in the right direction.

Enjoy Christmas with your kids and look forward to 2026 being the start of something new.

Get in touch with acas ASAP. Reading up on this depends if the business has classified you as a worker or employee. You need to be armed with facts and your rights.
I didn't even know ow zero hour contracts were a thing 19 years ago

Google government notice pay for administration businesses the gov will pay you notice pay

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/pay/getting-paid-if-your-employer-goes-out-of-business-or-disappears/

Ring ACAS and ask them what you need to do regarding redundancy pay. Keep all your pay slips for tge last 3/4 months.

I asked Google whether you have employment rights after 20 years with the company and below is the response - your next steps should be to contact ACAS and explain your personal working arrangement with the company so they can assess whether you might be classified as an employee due to the years you've worked there.

Yes, someone on a zero-hours contract for 20 years likely has redundancy rights, provided they are legally classified as an employee, not just a "worker", which is very probable given that length of service usually establishes an employment relationship. After two years of continuous service, employees on any contract (including zero-hours) generally qualify for statutory redundancy pay and protection from unfair dismissal, but this hinges on their actual working relationship (e.g., personal service, control) rather than just the contract's title, say Acas, Citizens Advice, and Direct Payroll Services.
Key Factors for Redundancy Rights

1. Employment Status: You must be an employee, not a "worker" (who has fewer rights) or self-employed, to get redundancy pay.
2. Length of Service: 20 years of continuous service almost always meets the 2-year minimum for statutory redundancy.
3. Reality Over Contract: Tribunals look at the working relationship (e.g., do you have to do the work personally, is there significant control?) not just the contract's label, meaning you're likely an employee.

What to Do

• Check Your Status: Contact Citizens Advice or Acas to confirm if you're an employee.
• Gather Evidence: Keep records of hours, payments, and communications to prove consistent work.
• Seek Advice: If your employer denies rights, consult Acas or a legal advisor, as tribunals often find zero-hours staff are employees.

In Summary: After 20 years, your long service usually overrides the 'zero-hours' label, making you eligible for redundancy rights if you're an employee, but confirming your employment status is the crucial first step.

Yesterday evening the owner has called us all to say that they are going into administration with immediate effect and that our last day will be today 22nd. Apparently they didn’t have a clue themselves and that they were looking for advice about there current financial situation and were told yesterday afternoon that they needed to go into administration with immediate effect.

it is vanishing unlikely that the owner had no clue that their business was in trouble and that they were going into administration. They will have had to submit quarterly returns if they are VAT registered, they will have known their sales figures, they will have known long before now that they were struggling to pay the bills, and they will either have an external accountant who would also be telling them key information, or an employee who did their accounts and paid the bills,

you need to know your employment rights by talking with ACAS or Citizens Advice asap, and then ensure you let them know you know what you're entitled to. It's an utter disgrace the are prepared to lie to their employees and make out it's all a big surprise so they can try to dodge paying you what you have earned and deserve.

Thank you everyone for the advise. I will definitely look at ACAS and for the pp saying my employer would of known long before, I think your right they turned down a few “big” clients starting a few months back and that was a bit of a red flags which we all ignored. Looking back now I think they definitely knew and that’s why they declined the clients.