Employees in England, Scotland and Wales can make a statutory request to change their hours, working times, days or place of work from their first day in a job. The employer must consider the request reasonably, discuss it with the employee before refusing it and decide within two months unless both sides agree to extend the period. The right is to request a change, not a guarantee that it will be approved. Northern Ireland follows a separate process; the Great Britain rules below should not be applied to an NI workplace.
Day-one right to request
Put the request in writing
Two months for a decision
What flexible working can change
A statutory request can ask to change:
- the number of hours worked, for example a reduction or a compressed schedule;
- the times the employee starts or finishes;
- the days worked; or
- the place of work, including a request to work from home for some or all working time.
The statutory process applies to employees. It does not itself provide a separate right to paid time off, a benefit payment, or approval of a particular home-working arrangement. A request to change the working pattern is also different from taking unpaid Parental Leave, using planned Carer’s Leave, or taking emergency time off for dependants. Those routes have their own eligibility and notice rules.
Who can make a statutory request
The current Great Britain guidance gives employees the right to request from day one; it does not set a minimum service period for the request. An employee may make up to two statutory applications in any 12-month period. That is a rolling period, not automatically two requests per calendar year.
If the proposed pattern affects pay, overtime, commission, pension contributions or benefits, ask the employer to explain the practical effect before agreeing to a permanent change. A flexible working request does not guarantee that existing pay or hours will be preserved when the contract changes.
What to put in the request
Write or email the employer. The statutory application should include all of the following:
- the date the request is made;
- a statement that it is a statutory request for flexible working;
- the working-pattern change requested and the date it should start; and
- whether the employee has made a previous application, and if so when.
GOV.UK links to a standard request form that employers may ask employees to use. Acas also provides a template letter. A workplace form can help, but check that the submitted request contains the required information. Keep a dated copy and proof of when it was sent.
An employee who wants to withdraw a request should tell the employer in writing. GOV.UK says an employer may treat the request as withdrawn if the employee misses two meetings about the request or appeal without a good reason, such as sickness. The employer must tell the employee if it is treating the request as withdrawn. If you cannot attend, explain promptly and ask to rearrange the discussion.
Prepare and follow up a Great Britain request
- 1Decide which hours, start/finish times, workdays or work location you want to change, and give a practical proposed start date.
- 2Check the date and outcome of any earlier statutory request in the previous 12 months.
- 3Send a written statutory request with all four required details; save a copy and the submission date.
- 4Discuss the request with the employer. Consider alternatives or a trial period, and confirm any agreed extension to the decision deadline in writing.
- 5Ask for the decision in writing. If approved, check the agreed contract changes and start date; if refused, request the business reason and use any workplace appeal or dispute process.
What the employer must do
The employer must handle the request in a reasonable manner. That includes discussing the request with the employee before refusing it. GOV.UK points employers and employees to the Acas Code of Practice for examples of a fair process, including considering the advantages and disadvantages and discussing possible alternatives.
The employer must reach and communicate a decision within two months of the request, unless the employee agrees to a longer period. Ask the employer to confirm the new deadline if an extension is discussed. The two-month period is for the employer’s decision; it does not mean a proposed pattern must automatically start at the end of two months.
If the employer approves the request, it should write down the agreed changes and start date, then update the employment contract as soon as possible and no later than 28 days after approval. Read the wording carefully, especially where the arrangement changes contracted hours, pay, work location or whether the change is temporary or permanent.
When an employer may refuse
The employer may refuse only for one or more of the statutory business reasons listed in the GOV.UK guidance:
- extra costs that would damage the business;
- difficulty reorganising work among existing staff;
- inability to recruit additional staff;
- a detrimental effect on quality;
- a detrimental effect on performance;
- a detrimental effect on the ability to meet customer demand;
- insufficient work during the proposed working times; or
- planned structural changes to the workforce.
The official list has eight grounds. The employer must discuss the request before refusing it and explain its decision. An employee can ask how the cited ground applies to the work proposed and whether a different pattern or trial period could address the concern; the employer does not have to accept an alternative.
Appeals, complaints and the Northern Ireland boundary
There is no longer a statutory right to appeal a refused request, although an employer may provide an appeal under its own procedure. Follow the employer’s policy and ask for a clear written outcome. Acas can help with workplace resolution in Great Britain.
An employee cannot take an employment tribunal claim merely because the employer refused the requested pattern. GOV.UK lists possible complaints where the employer failed to handle the process reasonably, wrongly treated the request as withdrawn, treated the employee badly because of the request, or refused it based on incorrect facts. Separate discrimination rights may also be relevant, but require their own assessment.
GOV.UK currently says the usual tribunal time limit is six months for relevant events on or after 1 October 2026. It notes that an event before that date may have a three-month limit. Tribunal deadlines are strict and fact-specific; get current advice promptly rather than relying on this summary to calculate a claim deadline.
These steps cover England, Scotland and Wales. For a workplace in Northern Ireland, read our dedicated Northern Ireland flexible-working request guide and nidirect’s flexible working guidance; do not assume the Great Britain day-one, request-count or tribunal process applies there.
Frequently asked questions
Can I request flexible working from my first day?
How many statutory flexible working requests can I make?
What must I include in a flexible working request?
Can my employer treat my request as withdrawn?
How long does my employer have to decide?
Does my employer have to meet with me?
Does my employer have to approve my request?
Can I ask to work from home?
What are the statutory reasons for refusing a request?
Do I have a statutory right to appeal a refusal?
Can I go to an employment tribunal because my request was refused?
What is the tribunal time limit for a flexible working complaint?
Do these rules apply in Northern Ireland?
Does flexible working give me paid leave or a benefit?
This guide reflects GOV.UK and Acas material checked on 29 October 2026. Acas says the Code of Practice will be updated to reflect law changes expected in 2027; check the current official guidance before sending a request or acting on a refusal. This is general process information, not legal advice or a decision about an individual claim.