General legal information about contract terms in the UK, not legal advice.
Be Wise owl logoContract Glossary

Be Wise › Contract glossary › Restrictive covenant

Restrictive covenant

A restrictive covenant limits what a party can do after a relationship ends — for example not competing, not soliciting customers or not poaching staff.

Prepared by a retired English qualified solicitor (LLB, LLM) · reviewed · applies across the UK unless stated · how we draft

In more detail

Restrictive covenants in employment contracts are enforceable only if they protect a legitimate interest and are no wider than reasonably necessary.

Put it into a contract

Be Contract Wise provides very powerful, carefully prepared tools to draft and review simple or complex contracts under the law of England and Wales or Scots law, explaining every clause in plain English.

England & Wales appScotland app

Reviewed 2026-09-24. General legal information, not legal advice.