Flexible Working Request Guidelines (UK)
15 August 2026
Practical UK guide to flexible working requests: eligibility, process, employer duties, and appeal rights. Know your rights in 2026.
What Is a Flexible Working Request?
A flexible working request is a formal application to change your working hours, times, or location. In the UK, this right is set out in the Employment Rights Act 1996, and recent changes that took effect in April 2024 made it a day-one right for all employees. This means you do not need a minimum service period to apply. Common requests include part-time hours, flexi-time, compressed hours, job sharing, or working from home. Since April 2024, you can also make two requests in any 12-month period, rather than just one. Employers must handle requests in a reasonable manner and are legally required to consult with you before refusing.
Who Can Make a Flexible Working Request?
The right to request flexible working applies to all employees in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, regardless of length of service. You must be an employee, not a worker or a self-employed contractor. You cannot make a request if you have made another flexible working request in the past 12 months, although the 2024 changes allow a second request in that period if circumstances have changed. There is no legal requirement to explain why you want to change your working pattern, but it can help to outline how the arrangement will work in practice. You must make the request in writing, and it must be a formal application under the statutory procedure.
How to Submit a Flexible Working Request
You must make your flexible working request in writing. This can be a letter, email, or using your employer's own form. Your request should state that it is a statutory request, detail the change you are asking for, and suggest the date you would like the change to begin. If you have previously made a request, state that and provide any relevant dates. It is wise to explain how you think the new pattern could benefit you and your employer, and to propose how any potential challenges might be overcome. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) has a statutory code of practice on flexible working requests, and you should follow this process to ensure your request is valid.
How Employers Must Handle Your Request
Once you submit your request, your employer has two months in which to deal with it. This time limit can be extended by agreement. Your employer must not automatically reject your request; they are legally required to consult with you before making any decision. This means discussing the request, considering your proposed arrangements, and exploring options. They can only refuse your request if there are genuine business reasons. The eight statutory grounds include cost burden, inability to reorganise work, lack of work during the proposed periods, planned structural changes, and detrimental impact on quality, performance, or service. After two months, if you have not received a decision, you can complain to an employment tribunal.
Appeals and Next Steps if Your Request Is Refused
You have the right to appeal your employer's decision if they refuse your flexible working request. Your employer should have an internal appeals process; if they do not, ACAS recommends one. You should appeal in writing as soon as possible, clearly stating your reasons and any new information that may change the outcome. The employer must hold an appeal hearing within a reasonable time and inform you of their final decision. If your employer has not followed the statutory procedure, failed to consult, or refused on unlawful grounds, you may be able to bring a claim to an employment tribunal. However, you must do so within three months of the original decision or the appeal outcome. Seeking early advice from ACAS or a workplace representative is often sensible.
FAQ
Your employer must respond to your flexible working request within two months of receiving it. This includes notifying you of their decision, whether that is to accept or refuse the request. The two-month limit can be extended if you agree, but otherwise it is a strict legal requirement. If your employer fails to respond in time, you may be able to complain to an employment tribunal.