Equal Pay Rights Request (12 Weeks) Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to assert right to equal pay and treatment after 12-week qualifying period, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong equal pay rights request (12 weeks) should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Send it to the agency, which is responsible for equal treatment (you can copy the hirer)
• State the comparable permanent worker pay rate
• Request immediate adjustment of pay and written confirmation of equal treatment going forward

What the 12-week qualifying period means

Once you've worked in the same role with the same hirer for 12 continuous weeks, you become entitled to the same basic pay and working conditions as a comparable permanent employee doing the same job — this is a specific right under the Agency Workers Regulations 2010, separate from the day-one rights that apply from your very first day.

What to include before you send it

• Confirmation of your start date and that you've now completed the 12-week qualifying period
• A comparison between your current pay and conditions and those of a comparable permanent employee, where known
• A request for your pay and conditions to be brought in line going forward, and for any shortfall to be backdated to the point you qualified
• A reasonable deadline for a response

What counts toward the 12 weeks

The 12-week period is generally based on time spent in the same role with the same hirer — moving to a genuinely different role can sometimes reset the clock, but minor changes to duties within the same broad role typically don't. If you're unsure whether a change in your role affects your qualifying period, it's worth checking the specific circumstances carefully.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don't know what a comparable permanent employee earns?
You can reasonably ask your hirer or agency to confirm this — you're entitled to enough information to assess whether you're being treated equally.

Does this include bonuses and overtime rates?
Basic pay entitlement generally covers core pay rates rather than discretionary bonuses, though it's worth checking the specific terms that a comparable employee receives, since some elements may be included.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Name of Agency Contact]
[Job Title, e.g. Branch Manager]
[Company Name of Agency]
[Company Address]
[Company Postcode]
[Date]

Dear [Name of Contact],

Subject: Request for equal treatment and a written statement after 12 weeks

I am writing about my entitlement to equal treatment under the [Agency Workers Regulations 2010 / in Northern Ireland: Agency Workers Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011].

I have been on an assignment as a [Your Job Role, e.g. Warehouse Assistant] at [Name of Hirer/Client Company] since [Date assignment started, e.g. 1 June 2026]. I completed my 12-week qualifying period on [Date 12 weeks were completed, e.g. 24 August 2026].

As I have completed the qualifying period, I am entitled to the same basic working and employment conditions as if I had been recruited directly by the hirer. Please provide a written statement within 28 days setting out:
• The hourly rate of pay, and any bonuses or overtime rates, that apply to a comparable direct recruit at the hirer.
• An explanation of how my current pay rate was worked out.
• The holiday entitlement for a comparable direct recruit at the hirer.

If my pay or conditions are below those of a comparable direct recruit, please bring them in line and backdate any shortfall to [the date I completed 12 weeks].

[Optional: I am sending a copy of this letter to [Name of Hirer].]

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]