Who it is for
Employers who want their refusals to stand up under the 2027 test, and managers who need a model of a well-reasoned refusal.
What it covers
- Approval, or an agreed alternative, with the new terms set out.
- Refusal: the statutory ground, why refusing is reasonable, and the alternatives you considered.
- A worked example of a specific, evidence-based reason.
- A record of the consultation meeting and the companion.
- The right of appeal.
The law it reflects
Checked against the law in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) as at 19 October 2026.
- The Employment Rights Act 2025 will only let you refuse where a statutory ground applies and it is reasonable to refuse on that ground. The government expects this in autumn 2027. It is not in force yet. Acas is consulting on a revised Code of Practice until 17 December 2026.
- Before refusing, check for a link to disability (the duty to make reasonable adjustments applies separately) or to childcare and other caring responsibilities (a refusal can be indirect discrimination unless it is objectively justified).
- Until the new rules are in force, use the current Flexible Working Request Response letter.
Before you use it
It is a starting point, not legal advice. Fill in the placeholders, set your own timescales, and check it fits how your organisation actually works. Take advice if a case is complex, could involve discrimination, or may end up at a tribunal. Northern Ireland has different rules in several areas.
Need more? See the Flexible Working Pack. 13 documents: policy, request form, consultation record, decision and appeal letters, with the 2027 reasonableness test flagged. £79 + VAT, one-off.