Free UK resignation letter and email generator

A UK resignation letter needs five things: your name and date at the top, the name of who you are addressing it to, a clear statement that you are resigning, the date your notice period starts and your intended last day, and a closing thank-you. The official ACAS template keeps it to three short paragraphs. This tool generates one automatically — fill in the form above.

Include: your name, the date, the recipient's name (usually your line manager and HR), a clear statement of resignation, your notice period start date and last working day, and a brief thank-you. Do not include complaints, grievances, or reasons unless you want to. The simpler the letter, the less risk of misinterpretation.

One page at most, and usually far less. The ACAS template is three short paragraphs. A resignation letter is a formal notice, not an explanation or review. The only essential content is your intention to resign and your last working day. Everything else is optional.

Yes. There is no UK law requiring a resignation to be on paper. An email is legally valid and increasingly common, especially for hybrid and remote workers. Send to your line manager and copy HR. Keep the email in your sent folder as your dated record. If your contract specifies written notice by letter, follow the contract — but most do not.

Always formal, even if your workplace is casual. A resignation letter creates a legal record that may be referred to if there is later a dispute over your last day, notice period, or final pay. Keep the tone professional and neutral regardless of your reasons for leaving or your relationship with your employer.

Address it to your direct line manager by name. Send a copy to HR. If you have a small employer with no HR department, address it to the business owner or director. The ACAS guidance is to tell your employer — the letter should reach whoever has authority to accept your resignation and process your leaving date.

For a printed letter, a handwritten signature is standard but not legally required for the resignation to be valid. For an email, your typed name and the fact that it came from your email address is sufficient. What matters legally is that the resignation was communicated clearly and there is a dated record of it.

No. There is no legal requirement to give a reason, and the official ACAS resignation notice template does not include one. You can simply state that you are resigning and give your notice period. Many employment advisers recommend not giving a reason in the letter itself, as reasons can complicate the situation unnecessarily.

Section 86(2) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 requires at least one week's notice once you have been continuously employed for one month or more. This is a fixed minimum; it does not increase with length of service. Your contract may require longer, and if it does, the contract applies. Always check your contract before giving notice.

Check your employment contract — this is the authority. The legal minimum is one week after one month of employment, but most professional roles require one to three months. If your contract says one month, give one month. If it is silent, the statutory minimum applies. Longer notice is sometimes negotiated, especially in senior roles.

Yes, but usually a shorter period. Most employment contracts specify a reduced notice period during probation — commonly one week, regardless of how long your full notice period will be once confirmed. Check your contract. The statutory minimum of one week applies from day 29 of employment even without a contract clause.

Yes. Your employer can agree to release you earlier than your contractual notice period requires. This is common when both sides prefer a clean break. Get any agreed early release in writing, confirming your actual last day. Without written agreement, your original notice period remains in force and leaving earlier is a breach of contract.

Leaving before the end of your notice period without your employer's agreement is technically a breach of contract. In practice most employers will not sue, but it can affect your reference and any contractual pay still owed. Speak to your employer first, or contact ACAS for advice on 0300 123 1100.

Yes. UK law does not require resignation to be in writing. A written resignation creates a dated record of when you gave notice — useful protection for both sides if there is later disagreement about your last day or final pay. If you resign verbally, follow it up in writing the same day.

Yes, in two main ways. They can place you on garden leave (you remain employed and on full pay but stop coming in) or pay you in lieu of notice (PILON), ending the employment immediately and paying out the notice period. Both must be permitted by your contract or agreed with you.

Garden leave is when your employer asks you to stop working during your notice period while keeping you employed and paid. You remain bound by your contract (including any duty of confidentiality and any non-compete clauses) until your last day. It is commonly used in senior roles or where there is a risk of taking clients or data.

PILON is a payment your employer makes covering the notice period, in exchange for ending the employment immediately. The contract must permit it, or you must agree to it. PILON is treated as earnings for tax and National Insurance purposes. It ends your employment on the day it is paid rather than at the end of the notice period.

You can state that you are resigning with immediate effect, but unless your employer agrees or you are leaving due to a serious breach of contract by your employer, it is legally a breach of your notice obligation. Most employers will not pursue this, but it can affect your reference and any contractual entitlements. Contact ACAS before resigning with immediate effect.

If work-related stress has made you genuinely unable to continue, speak to your GP and get a fit note. You may be able to resign while on sick leave, giving your notice period but not attending work. Resigning with immediate effect due to stress is legally a breach of contract unless your employer agrees. ACAS (0300 123 1100) can advise on your specific situation.

Yes. You can resign at any time, including during a period of illness. You are still required to give your contractual notice unless your employer waives it. Your sick pay entitlement and any notice pay continue during any notice period served while off sick. Your GP can provide a fit note covering the notice period if needed.

Yes. You can hand in your resignation while off sick. Your notice period runs from the date you give notice, not when you return to work. You are entitled to receive your normal sick pay (statutory or contractual, whichever applies) during any notice period served while on sick leave, unless your contract says otherwise.

Yes. You can resign during maternity leave by writing to your employer in the usual way. Your notice period starts from the date your employer receives the letter. If you resign during maternity leave you may be required to repay enhanced maternity pay above the statutory minimum — check your contract. Statutory Maternity Pay is not affected by resignation.

If you are resigning because of your employer's conduct — bullying, harassment, or a serious change to your working conditions — you may have a claim for constructive dismissal rather than a straightforward resignation. Before resigning, raise a formal grievance, speak to ACAS, and take legal advice. Resigning first can weaken a constructive dismissal claim.

Constructive dismissal is when your employer's conduct is so serious — a fundamental breach of your employment contract — that you feel forced to resign. Unlike an ordinary resignation, it may give you the right to claim unfair dismissal at an Employment Tribunal. You must have been employed for at least two years and usually must have raised a grievance first. Take legal advice before resigning if you believe this applies.

A resignation given in anger can still be legally valid, but Employment Tribunals do sometimes allow a brief period for the employee to retract it if the circumstances clearly show it was not a genuine, considered decision. Speak to your employer as soon as possible and put in writing that you wish to retract the resignation. Contact ACAS immediately if your employer refuses.

Legally, yes — a resignation communicated clearly by any medium can be valid. However, a text message is not recommended as it creates an ambiguous record and may not be taken seriously. If you resign by text, follow it up immediately with a formal email or letter confirming the same date and notice period.

Yes. Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, you are entitled to be paid for any statutory annual leave (5.6 weeks per year) that you have accrued but not taken when you leave. This applies regardless of whether you resign or are dismissed. Your employer must include it in your final pay. Check your contract for any additional contractual holiday entitlement.

Your pension pot remains yours. For workplace auto-enrolment pensions, your contributions stop when you leave, but the money accrued stays in the scheme. You can transfer it to a new employer's scheme or a personal pension later. Your employer's contributions vest according to the scheme rules — check whether there is a vesting period before you leave.

There is no legal obligation for a UK employer to provide a reference (except in some regulated industries). However, most will provide at least a basic factual reference confirming your job title and dates of employment. A resignation does not prevent you from getting a reference — the quality of the reference is more likely to depend on how you left and your relationship with your employer.

Yes, unless your current employer agrees to release you early or pays you in lieu of notice. Starting a new job before your notice period ends is a breach of your current employment contract. Most new employers will wait, but it is worth being transparent with both sides to agree a workable start date.

Your employer will typically acknowledge receipt in writing and confirm your leaving date. Your notice period begins running from that point. You will usually continue working normally (or go on garden leave), your access to systems may be restricted, and HR will start the offboarding process including final pay calculation and a P45. Keep a copy of your letter and any acknowledgement you receive.

Once you have given notice, you cannot withdraw it unilaterally. Your employer has to agree to cancel it. If you change your mind, speak to your manager as soon as possible — many employers will agree to retract a resignation, especially if it was given in haste. If your employer refuses, the resignation stands and your notice period continues to run.

No. An employer cannot legally refuse to accept a resignation. Once you have given notice, the employment will end on your agreed last day. Your employer can refuse to release you early, but they cannot compel you to stay permanently. Your resignation is valid from the moment it is communicated.

Leaving a job voluntarily can lead to a Universal Credit sanction of up to 91 days for a first sanction. Whether one applies depends on your reasons and circumstances. Check the GOV.UK guidance on Universal Credit sanctions before resigning if you may need to claim. Jobseeker's Allowance is generally not available if you resigned without good reason.

Your resignation is legally effective once you have given it. Your employer's acknowledgement is not required to make it valid. Keep a dated copy of your letter or email. If your employer later disputes your last day or owed pay, your dated resignation letter is your evidence. Call ACAS on 0300 123 1100 if the situation escalates.