THE number of firms and workers seeking advice on redundancies and lay-offs reached a six-month high in November, according to the advisory service Acas.

Almost a third of the 60,000-plus calls to the Acas helpline last month were about redundancy, lay-offs or business transfers, an increase of 12 per cent since May.

The service’s website on redundancy issues received 15,000 visits a week in November, compared with 4,000 earlier in the year.

Calls from employers were mainly about legal responsibilities, consultation periods and how to decide which workers to make redundant.

Acas chairman Ed Sweeney said: “Given the challenging economic environment, these figures are not surprising. We are urging businesses to resist any knee-jerk reactions, and ensure that decisions are assessed well ahead of being made.

Thinking about the longer term or looking at alternatives to redundancy, such as redeployment, are just two areas where businesses may be able to save jobs and money.”