Can I request flexible working from day one of a new job in 2026?

Full answer

The statutory right to request flexible working changed in April 2024 so that it now applies from the first day of employment, removing the previous 26-week qualifying period. Flexible working can mean changes to your hours, your start and finish times, the days you work, or your place of work (such as home or hybrid working). This entry reflects the position for 2026. How the process works: you make a written statutory request setting out the change you want and the date you would like it to start. Under the updated rules you can make two requests in any 12-month period (up from one), you no longer have to explain how the change might affect the employer, and the employer must deal with the request within two months, including any appeal, unless you both agree an extension. Crucially, the employer must consult with you before turning a request down. Who it affects: all eligible employees in Great Britain, including new starters. Agency workers and the self-employed are generally outside the statutory scheme, though contracts can offer more. Grounds for refusal: an employer can only refuse for one or more of the eight statutory business reasons - for example the burden of additional costs, an inability to reorganise work among existing staff, a detrimental effect on quality or performance, or insufficient work during the periods you want to work. They cannot refuse arbitrarily. Practical points: a flexible request is a permanent change to your contract once agreed, not a temporary trial unless you agree otherwise. If a change reduces your hours, it will reduce your gross pay and may shift your Income Tax and National Insurance position, so model the impact before agreeing. If your request is mishandled you can complain to an employment tribunal. Use the take-home pay calculator to see how changed hours would affect your net income.

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