Flexible Working Request Letter (UK)

What your request has to include

GOV.UK and Acas list the contents of a statutory request. Include every one of them, so there is no argument later about whether your request was a statutory one — the decision deadline and the duty to consult come with that status. Put the words 'statutory request' in the letter itself, not just the email subject line.

Who can ask, and how often

The statutory right belongs to people with employee status, and it applies from the first day of employment. Acas notes that agency workers, and some casual or zero-hours workers, are usually not employees for this purpose — you can still ask informally, but the statutory timetable will not apply. You can make up to two statutory requests in any 12-month period, and only one can be under consideration at a time. Because the allowance is small, it is worth making the first request as complete as possible rather than testing the water.

Explaining how it would work

You do not have to explain how the business would cope with the change — it is not one of the required contents. It often helps anyway. A refusal has to rest on a business reason, and a request that already answers the obvious objection (who covers the phone on Fridays, how meetings would work) leaves less room for one. Offering a trial period can also make a yes easier to give.

What your employer has to do

Your employer has to deal with the request in a reasonable manner. If they are not going to accept it in full, they have to discuss it with you before refusing. They have to give you a final decision, including any appeal, within two months of the request, unless you agree to a longer period. If you miss two meetings about the request without a good reason, they can treat it as withdrawn, but they have to tell you if they do.

The eight reasons an employer can refuse

A refusal has to be for one or more of the business reasons set out in law. These are the reasons as GOV.UK lists them. A refusal that names none of them, or relies on facts that are wrong, is worth questioning.

If the request is refused

Use your employer's appeal procedure first, and say specifically which reason you disagree with and why — for example, that the work already is covered on the day in question. You cannot go to an employment tribunal simply because a request was refused. You can complain to a tribunal if your employer did not handle the request in a reasonable manner, wrongly treated it as withdrawn, dismissed you or treated you badly because you asked, or refused it based on incorrect facts. Before making a claim you have to notify Acas for early conciliation. The time limit for most employment tribunal claims has been three months; Acas says it increases to six months from 1 October 2026, so check which limit applies to your dates and do not leave it late.

Changes coming in 2027

The Employment Rights Act 2025 adds a 'reasonableness test'. The government says that if, after consulting you, an employer decides to reject a request, they will have to explain why that decision is reasonable, and it will set out a consultation process employers have to follow. The government's timetable lists this for 2027, with no date announced. As of September 2026 it is not in force, so the rules above are the ones that apply to a request made now.

Statutory flexible working request example

Edit this template with your facts, dates, and requested outcome before sending.

Subject: Statutory flexible working request

Date: [date]

Dear [Manager/HR Name],

This is a statutory request for flexible working.

I currently work [current pattern — for example Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, in the office]. I would like to change this to [requested pattern — for example compressed hours over four days / working from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays / finishing at 3pm].

I would like this change to start on [date], or as soon as practicable after that.

[Optional: I have thought about how this would work in practice. For example: my regular meetings can move to [days/times]; [colleague/team] already covers [task] on [day]; I would be reachable by [phone/Teams] during core hours. I would be happy to try the arrangement for a trial period of [length] and review it.]

I [have not made a previous statutory flexible working request / made a previous statutory request on [date]].

I would welcome the chance to discuss this with you, and I look forward to your decision within the statutory two-month period.

Kind regards,
[Your Name]
[Job title, team]

Common mistakes to avoid

• ✕Not saying anywhere in the letter that it is a statutory request
• ✕Leaving out whether you have made a previous request, and when
• ✕Using up one of your two yearly requests on a vague first attempt
• ✕Asking for something open-ended ('more flexibility') instead of a specific pattern
• ✕Missing the consultation meetings, which lets the request be treated as withdrawn
• ✕Assuming a refusal alone can go to a tribunal — the claim is about how the request was handled
• ✕Letting the two-month decision period pass without asking in writing where things stand

Next steps

1. 1Decide the exact pattern you want and the date you want it to start
2. 2Check whether you have made a statutory request in the last 12 months
3. 3Write the request with all five required contents, and keep a dated copy
4. 4Note the date two months on — that is when a final decision, including appeal, is due
5. 5If refused, appeal in writing, addressing the specific business reason given