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How to ask for flexible working
By Nancy Osazee, Founder
Employees can apply for flexible working from the first day in a job. GOV.UK calls this a statutory application. You can make two applications in any 12-month period.
The employer should talk to you and decide within two months, unless you agree a longer time. If they agree, the contract changes. If they refuse, they must give the business reasons. This is a right to ask.
Written by Nancy Osazee, Founder of CareerPilot. This is a practical note, not advice about your own visa, contract, or legal case. Read the official page linked on this sheet before you rely on a figure.
How to write the request
- Date it. The letter or email needs the date of the request.
- Say it is statutory. Include a statement that this is a statutory request for flexible working.
- Describe the change and the start. Hours, times, or place, and the date you want it to begin.
- Mention any earlier request. Say if and when you made a previous application.
A later change is not this rule yet
The government has consulted on a reasonableness test for flexible working, described as coming into force in 2027. The request rules on this page are the ones on GOV.UK on 10 October 2026: day one, two requests in 12 months, and a decision within two months unless you agree otherwise.
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On CareerPilot
A job that is already part-time does not need a request to become part-time. Read the hours on the advert.
Questions
Can I ask before I start the job?
The statutory right is for employees. You can still ask what the advertised pattern is before you accept. Get that in the offer if it matters.
Do I have to say I am a parent?
No. Describe the working pattern. Your reason can be short.
What if they ignore the request?
The two-month period and the need to discuss a refusal are on GOV.UK. Acas can explain the next step. This sheet is the letter, not a tribunal.
Sources
Last checked 10 October 2026.