Request a change to your hours
A request to change your hours or working pattern should be made in writing. This letter records your request and the date you want it to start.
Registered mail is not available to United Kingdom.
Please fill in the fields marked *.
What to look out for
- Say clearly what you are asking for: the hours, the days and the pattern you want.
- Employers are expected to consider a statutory flexible working request properly and to give you a decision in writing. Acas publishes free guidance on the process.
- Suggest how the change could work for the business — cover, handovers, a trial period. It makes a yes much more likely.
- Keep a copy: the date of a written request matters if the decision is later reviewed.
FAQ
- Does my employer have to agree?
- Not automatically. But a statutory request has to be considered properly, and a refusal should be explained. Acas guidance sets out the process and the grounds employers can rely on.
- Can I ask only to change my working pattern?
- Yes. Leave the hours the same and describe the days or times you want in the comments field.