At a glance

The British Franchise Association (BFA) has launched free Redundancy Toolkits for both employers and individuals facing job cuts, as a study indicates a third of employers plan redundancies by January 2027. The toolkits provide information on franchising as a potential path to self-employment, including industry statistics, advice, and educational resources. This initiative aims to support those affected by redundancies, offering them alternative career options during challenging times.

The BFA (British Franchise Association) has launched two free Redundancy Toolkits: one for employers and the other for those being made redundant. According to a study by Acas[1], ‘a third of employers (33%) are likely to make staff redundancies by January 2027’. This week Royal Mail [2] announced it is planning to cut 2,500 jobs and last month Jaguar Land Rover revealed they would be cutting 4,000 jobs over the next two years.

Toolkit contents The toolkits include an overview of franchising, statistics about the size of the industry, guides to franchising terminology, advice on how to research a franchise opportunity, case studies and links to free online courses. They are available to download from the BFA’s website at: https://www.thebfa.org/advice-redundancy-advice-for-individuals/ and https://www.thebfa.org/advice-redundancy-advice-for-businesses/. The BFA will also be proactively sending the toolkits to firms announcing redundancies.

Information not a sales pitch CEO of the BFA Pip Wilkins QFP said: “We aren’t here to try to convince anyone to buy a franchise, far from it, but we do want people to know that franchising exists and could be a route into self-employment for them following redundancy.”

Unique view of economy Wilkins continued: “As a sector that contributes £19.1 billion to the UK economy, and with members whose businesses encompass every conceivable industry from domiciliary home care to drain cleaning, we have a unique view of the financial health of the country and sadly we could see redundancies were on their way. As a result, we’ve built these free toolkits to support employers and those facing redundancy, to help them make informed choices at a difficult time. They are full of facts about the industry, questions they should ask, due diligence they should do and free educational courses they should take.”

Franchising - Less than 6% failure rate Franchising is well known as being a safer route into business ownership. According to the 2024 British Franchise Survey, sponsored by NIC Local[3], the industry has had a commercial failure rate of less than 6% for over 25 years, compared to 44% of all start-ups failing within the first three years[4].

Redundancy to franchising - a well-trodden path Franchising after redundancy is not an uncommon route into self-employment. A recent Question of the Month poll conducted by the BFA revealed that 19% of their franchisee members who responded, bought their franchise after being made redundant.

Franchisee insight - redundancy after 24 years BFA member Sarah Orchard, who bought her Pink Spaghetti PA Services franchise after being made redundant in January 2026, said: “I was aware of franchising, but it wasn’t something I had considered until I was facing redundancy myself. After 24 years working for the same large corporate organisation, redundancy gave me the opportunity to really think about what I wanted the next stage of my career to look like. I knew I had a huge amount of experience and transferable skills, but I also knew I didn’t necessarily want to simply move into another corporate role.”

‘An opportunity’ Orchard continued: “Redundancy can be a very unsettling time, particularly when you have spent so many years with the same employer, but it can also create an opportunity to reassess what you want from your working life. Take your time, do your research and don’t feel that you have to replace the job you have lost with another version of the same thing. Think carefully about the skills and experience you have built up and how they could transfer into something completely different.”

To download the Redundancy Toolkits, visit https://www.thebfa.org/advice-redundancy-advice-for-individuals/ and https://www.thebfa.org/advice-redundancy-advice-for-businesses/

[1] https://www.acas.org.uk/new-study-reveals-a-third-of-employers-are-likely-to-make-redundancies-by-january-2027

[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwvgdld13e3eo

[3]  https://www.thebfa.org/product/the-british-franchise-journal-2024/  

[4] https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/methodologies/businessdemographyqm

Editorial insight

With a significant proportion of UK employers anticipating job cuts in the next two years, the British Franchise Association’s decision to offer free Redundancy Toolkits comes at a time of heightened uncertainty for both businesses and employees. The move follows recent high-profile redundancy announcements from major employers, underlining the practical need for accessible guidance as more individuals consider alternative career paths.

For those facing redundancy, franchising is presented as one possible route to self-employment, with the BFA positioning its resources as informational rather than promotional. The toolkits aim to help affected workers and employers make informed decisions, offering a structured introduction to franchising, industry data, and practical advice. While franchising is not a solution for everyone, the BFA’s intervention may be particularly relevant for individuals seeking stability or a new direction in a challenging job market.

Story ideas and journalist angles

Jobs/employment

Rising Redundancies and Franchising as an Alternative Career Path

With a third of employers planning job cuts by 2027, the BFA's new toolkits offer franchising as an alternative career path for those facing redundancy.

Target audience business-finance Story potential 8/10 Economic impact

The Economic Impact of Franchising Amid Rising Redundancies

As redundancies rise, the franchising sector, contributing £19.1 billion to the UK economy, may play a crucial role in absorbing unemployed workers into self-employment.

Target audience economics Story potential 7/10