Job offer rescinded

[Hobbsy73]

Hi, I'm after some advice regarding a job offer being withdrawn after I'd signed the contract.
I recently accepted a senior position within a Live Events and Communications agency. I resigned from my current role and negotiated a reduction of my notice period from 3 months down to 2 and agreed a start date with the new company.
I signed the contract for the new role and all was well. Today I received notification, through the recruiter, that the offer is being withdrawn. Due to the coronavirus, the agency's clients are cancelling their events and as such the business is being impacted and they can't take me on.
So this now leaves me in a position with no job and bills to pay. Am I entitled to any compensation for breach of contract?

[ULA]

If the accepted job offer was unconditional, or you have met all conditions e.g. the supply of satisfactory references then it is not possible for the employer to simply “withdraw” the offer, even given their reason. Technically, to end the employment, the employer has to serve notice and make the respective notice payment.

I would advise that you go back to the recruiter and let them know that you are entitled to be paid notice in accordance with the contract. If that does not provide a positive outcome then yes, the other option would be to sue for breach of contract, however to pursue that through the court will require you to pay a fee to do so and it may not end up being financially viable, plus the court process is not a speedy one.
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