The Employment Rights Act 2025 gave parents the right to request flexible working from their first day of employment, and strengthened the framework that employers must follow before they can refuse. But knowing your rights and knowing how to exercise them are two different things. A poorly worded request is easy for an employer to decline on procedural grounds, even if the underlying ask is entirely reasonable.
This guide gives you two ready-to-use templates: a formal written request letter for submitting to HR, and a shorter follow-up email for chasing a response. Both are written to meet the statutory requirements under the Employment Rights Act 2025 and the ACAS Code of Practice on flexible working. You can copy either template directly and fill in the bracketed sections with your own details.
Before You Write: The Four Things Your Request Must Cover
A statutory flexible working request must be made in writing and must include four specific pieces of information. If any of these are missing, your employer can return the request as incomplete, which resets the clock and delays the process.
| Required Element | What to Include |
|---|---|
| The change you are requesting | Be specific: adjusted start and finish times, compressed hours, term-time only working, or a combination |
| The date you want the change to start | Give a specific date, not "as soon as possible" |
| Whether you have made a previous request | State whether this is your first request or a subsequent one, and if so, when the previous request was made |
| The effect on the employer and how it might be dealt with | Acknowledge any operational impact and propose how it could be managed |
The fourth element is the one most parents leave out, and it is the one that most often determines whether a request succeeds. Employers are far more likely to approve a request that comes with a practical solution to the coverage problem than one that simply asks for a change without acknowledging the impact on the team.
Template 1: Formal Flexible Working Request Letter
Use this for your initial statutory request. Send it by email with a read receipt, or by recorded post if your employer requires written correspondence. Keep a copy.
[Your Full Name]
[Your Job Title]
[Your Department]
[Date][Manager's Full Name]
[Their Job Title]
[Company Name]Dear [Manager's Name],
Formal Request for Flexible Working Arrangements
I am writing to make a formal request for a change to my working arrangements under the Employment Rights Act 2025 and the statutory right to request flexible working.
I am currently employed as [Job Title] and have been with [Company Name] since [Start Date]. This is my [first / second] statutory flexible working request. [If a previous request was made: My previous request was submitted on [date].] [If this is your first request: I have not previously made a statutory flexible working request.]
The change I am requesting
I would like to request the following change to my working pattern, to take effect from [proposed start date]:
[Describe your requested arrangement clearly. Examples below -- choose the one that applies and delete the others:]
Option A (adjusted hours): I would like to change my working hours to [new start time] to [new finish time], [number] days per week, on [specify days]. My total contracted hours would remain [the same / change to X hours per week].
Option B (compressed hours): I would like to compress my contracted [X] hours into [number of days] days per week, working [hours] on each of those days. I would not be working on [day(s)].
Option C (term-time only): I would like to move to a term-time only contract, working my full contracted hours during school term periods and taking unpaid leave during school holiday periods. Based on the current academic calendar for [county/local authority], this would mean approximately [number] weeks of unpaid leave per year.
The effect on the business and how it could be managed
I recognise that this change may have an impact on [team coverage / client-facing availability / meeting schedules -- describe the specific impact relevant to your role]. I would propose to manage this in the following ways:
[Describe your proposed solutions. Examples: "I would ensure all client-facing commitments are scheduled within my revised working hours." / "I would be available by phone for urgent matters outside my core hours during the school holidays." / "I would work with [colleague's name] to arrange cover for the [specific responsibility] on the days I am not working."]
I am happy to discuss this request in more detail and to consider alternative arrangements if the specific pattern I have proposed is not workable. I would welcome a meeting to explore options.
Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, I understand that you are required to deal with this request in a reasonable manner and within a decision period of two months from the date of this letter, unless we agree to extend that period. I also understand that if you are unable to agree to this request, you are required to consult with me and provide written reasons based on one of the eight statutory business grounds before refusing.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your contact details]
Template 2: Follow-Up Email (If No Response Within 28 Days)
If you have not received an acknowledgement or a meeting invitation within 28 days of submitting your request, send this follow-up. Keep the tone neutral and factual.
Subject: Follow-up: Flexible Working Request Submitted [Date]
Dear [Manager's Name],
I am writing to follow up on my formal flexible working request, which I submitted on [date of original request].
I have not yet received an acknowledgement or a meeting invitation. Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, requests should be dealt with within a two-month decision period. I wanted to check that my request was received and to ask when I might expect to hear back.
I am happy to meet at a time that suits you to discuss the request in more detail. Please let me know your availability.
I have attached a copy of my original request for reference.
Kind regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your contact details]
The Eight Grounds for Refusal: What to Expect
If your employer refuses your request, they must give you a written explanation citing one or more of the eight statutory business grounds. Knowing what these are in advance helps you anticipate objections and address them proactively in your original request.
| Ground | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|
| Burden of additional costs | The change would cost the employer significantly more to implement |
| Detrimental effect on ability to meet customer demand | The business cannot serve customers adequately with the proposed arrangement |
| Inability to reorganise work among existing staff | There is no one else who can cover the responsibilities |
| Inability to recruit additional staff | The gap cannot be filled by hiring |
| Detrimental impact on quality | The work would be done less well under the new arrangement |
| Detrimental impact on performance | The employee's own performance would suffer |
| Insufficiency of work during the proposed periods | There is not enough work to justify the hours being requested |
| Planned structural changes | The business is about to reorganise in a way that makes the request impractical |
If your employer refuses on grounds that do not genuinely apply to your role or situation, you can raise a grievance. If the refusal was not preceded by a proper consultation, or if the written reasons are vague or do not correspond to one of the eight grounds, you may have grounds for an employment tribunal claim. ACAS provides a free early conciliation service that is worth using before going to tribunal.
Planning Your Request Around the School Calendar
The most effective flexible working requests are specific about dates and grounded in the actual school calendar. Vague requests for "more flexibility during the holidays" are harder for employers to evaluate and easier to refuse. A request that says "I would like to work 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM during the six-week summer holiday period, which runs from [specific date] to [specific date] for [county] schools" is concrete, time-limited, and easy to assess.
You can find the exact term dates and school holiday windows for your local authority on SchoolHolidays.org.uk. The site covers all four UK nations and every local authority, so you can quote the precise dates in your request rather than estimating. The summer holiday dates, half-term windows, and Easter break pages are the most useful starting points. For a broader view of how your county's dates compare to others, the England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland pages list every local authority in each nation.
For the broader context on working from home during school holidays, including the Shift and Split method and low-cost childcare strategies, see our companion guide The WFH Parent's Survival Guide.