Flexible working hub
Flexible Working Requests
How to ask for a change to your hours, pattern or place of work in the UK, and what to put in the request. General information about the process — not legal advice.
Making a flexible working request
A flexible working request asks your employer to change your hours, your working pattern or where you work. Employers have to deal with statutory requests in a reasonable manner and within the timescales set out in current GOV.UK and Acas guidance, and they can refuse a request for specified business reasons. Check the current rules on GOV.UK before you send yours, and check your employer's own policy — many are more generous than the statutory minimum.
What to include in writing
State clearly that it is a flexible working request, the change you are asking for, the date you would like it to start, and whether it is permanent or for a set period. It helps to say what effect you think the change would have on your work and how any difficulties could be handled. Keep it short and specific.
Working from home
Set out which days, what your working hours would be, how you would stay contactable, and how work that has to be done on site would be covered. Employers usually respond better to a proposal with practical detail than to a general request to work remotely.
Compressed hours
Compressed hours means working your usual total hours across fewer days — for example five days' hours across four, with longer working days and a fixed non-working day. Say which day you propose to be off and how cover would work on that day.
Part-time and adjusted start and finish times
A reduction in hours changes your pay proportionately, so say what reduction you are proposing. Shifting start and finish times by an hour is often the simplest change to agree, and it is worth explaining that the total hours stay the same if that is the case.
Hybrid working
Describe the split you want, whether the on-site days are fixed or flexible, and how you would handle meetings, handovers and busy periods. If your team already works this way, say so.
Caring responsibilities
You do not have to give personal detail, but a short explanation of the timing you need often helps. Focus the request on the working pattern rather than on the circumstances behind it, unless you are comfortable sharing more.
If your request is refused
No request has to be approved. If yours is refused, ask for the reason in writing, check whether your employer's policy offers an appeal, and consider whether a smaller or trial version of the change might be agreed instead.
Where to go next
Create your personalised flexible-working request
Answer a few questions about the pattern you want and RightWords prepares a clear written request based on the facts you confirm, ready to download as a Word document. Document preparation and general information — not legal advice.
Related guides
Sources and further information
Written by RightWords
Last reviewed: 10 September 2026
Information checked against current official guidance.
We do not provide legal advice or legal representation. If you require legal advice, please consult a qualified solicitor.