Flexible working is now a day one right from April 2026. Describe your situation and get instant plain English guidance on your rights.
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UK workers and residents have significant legal protections covering employment, housing, benefits, consumer rights and more. These rights are enshrined in legislation including the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Equality Act 2010, the Housing Act 1988, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
UK Work Rights provides free, plain English guidance to help you understand where you stand. Our AI-powered checkers are regularly updated against GOV.UK, ACAS, Shelter, and Citizens Advice to ensure accuracy. We cover over 70 free AI rights checkers and 36 guides across employment, housing, benefits, consumer, driving, family and more.
While our guidance covers the vast majority of common situations, complex or high-stakes cases may benefit from professional advice. For employment issues contact ACAS (free) or the Citizens Advice helpline on 0800 144 8848. For housing, Shelter can help on 0808 800 4444.
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What you need to know
As of April 2024, every employee has the right to request flexible working from their very first day of employment. You no longer need to wait 26 weeks. This applies to all employees regardless of how long they have worked for their employer.
Flexible working covers a wide range of arrangements including part-time hours, compressed hours (full-time hours over fewer days), flexitime, working from home or hybrid working, job sharing, staggered start and finish times, annualised hours, and term-time working.
You can make up to two flexible working requests in any 12-month period. Each request must be in writing and state the change you are asking for, the date you want it to start, and what effect it might have on the business and how that could be dealt with. Your employer must deal with your request within two months.
An employer can only refuse a flexible working request for one of eight specific business reasons. These include the burden of additional costs, a detrimental impact on quality or performance, an inability to reorganise work among existing staff, or a planned structural change. They must write to you explaining which reason applies.
If your request is refused you have the right to appeal. You should do this promptly, usually within five working days of receiving the decision. If your employer handles your request unreasonably or fails to follow the correct process you may be able to bring a claim at an Employment Tribunal.
Your employer cannot treat you unfairly, dismiss you, or subject you to a detriment because you made a flexible working request. If they do, you may have grounds for an unfair dismissal or detriment claim at an Employment Tribunal.
This guidance is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify current figures and legislation on GOV.UK or seek professional advice for your specific situation.
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