Gather the whole offer
Keep the draft agreement, covering correspondence, contract and relevant pay information together. Record the proposed deadline and whether the draft has changed. Read the schedules and attachments as well as the main terms. Make a separate list of promises discussed but not yet recorded in the draft. Do not assume the covering email and signed agreement will have identical effects.
Prepare a payment worksheet
List the proposed payments and what the employer says each is for. Record the payment date, any deductions described and any outstanding salary, notice, holiday or benefits questions. Flag tax questions for the appropriate adviser; do not infer tax treatment from a general phrase or a round figure. The practical value of an offer depends on its conditions and timing as well as its headline amount.
List terms you need explained
Ask your adviser about the claims being waived, confidentiality, any restrictions, references, return of property and obligations after employment ends. Mark clauses you cannot explain in your own words. A useful question is: “What would I have to do, or stop doing, if I sign this?” Ask how any breach provisions work rather than assuming all clauses are standard and harmless.
Check the advice and timetable
Acas explains the need for an eligible independent adviser and the conditions for a valid settlement agreement. Its Code recommends allowing at least 10 days to consider a formal offer; that recommendation is not a universal statutory deadline. Discuss timing with your adviser, especially if pressure, health issues or missing information affect your ability to decide.
An example of useful preparation
A fictional employee wants a reference but the draft contains no reference wording. The employee marks the gap and asks the adviser how an agreed reference should be recorded. This is a preparation example. It is not advice to accept or reject an agreement, nor a guarantee that the employer must provide the preferred wording.
Use the book before the advice meeting
The Settlement Agreements volume is the focused title in this series. Its role is to help you understand the subject and prepare better questions. Review the Amazon sample and use qualified advice for your agreement, the rights affected and whether the proposed outcome is appropriate for you.
Sources & scope
Checked on 8 October 2026. Follow your tribunal’s directions and jurisdiction-specific rules. Examples on this page are fictional and illustrate preparation methods, not legal outcomes.
Edition notes and current-rule checks · General information, not individual legal advice.