Generate annual leave requests, sick leave notifications, maternity/paternity leave and compassionate leave letters for common UK workplace situations. Check your employer's leave policy before submitting. PDF download.
In the UK, you can self-certify your sickness for the first 7 days. If you are off for more than 7 days, you will need a 'fit note' from a healthcare professional.
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LeaveDraft generates professionally formatted leave letters tailored for UK workplaces and statutory requirements.
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Statutory time off requests for public duties (e.g. magistrate, school governor).
Leave applications in the United Kingdom follow a direct, polite, and professional business format. Whether drafting an email or a formal letter, it is standard practice to address your line manager directly (e.g., "Dear [Name]"). Sign-offs are typically formal but friendly, using "Kind regards," or "Yours sincerely," depending on the level of formality required.
The most common type of leave is Annual Leave (often referred to as 'holiday'). Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, almost all workers in the UK are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year. For a standard 5-day working week, this equates to 28 days of statutory leave (which an employer may choose to include bank holidays within). When requesting annual leave, the standard rule of thumb is to give notice that is at least twice the length of the leave you are requesting.
For sickness, the UK system relies on Self-Certification for the first 7 days. If you are off sick for 7 days or fewer (including weekends and non-working days), you do not need a doctor's note; you simply notify your employer and they may ask you to fill in a self-certification form upon your return. If you are off sick for more than 7 consecutive days, you must provide a 'fit note' (Statement of Fitness for Work) from a doctor or allied health professional.
Statutory Maternity Leave in the UK lasts up to 52 weeks. You must notify your employer at least 15 weeks before your baby is due. The notification must state that you are pregnant, the expected week of childbirth, and the date you want your leave to start. Similar statutory frameworks exist for Paternity Leave, Adoption Leave, and Shared Parental Leave.
Employees also have a statutory right to take reasonable Time off for dependants to deal with emergencies. This is usually unpaid unless your employment contract specifies otherwise. Other statutory leave rights include time off for Jury Service and certain Public Duties.
LeaveDraft's UK leave letter generator helps you create clear, UK-focused letters and emails for these common scenarios. Fill in the relevant dates and details, then review the result against your employer's process before submitting.
Ready-to-use leave letter samples in proper British English format. Use LeaveDraft above to generate a personalised version instantly.
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