Letter templates for work
Resignation, character reference: for each letter you send at work, the expected format, what UK employment law says and a template to copy.
4 guides
Leaving a job
Resignation letter: UK template, examples and your notice period
A resignation letter template written for UK employment, ready to copy, then short examples for each situation: a standard notice period, probation, leaving early, an email. You'll also find the legal minimum notice, when it starts, and what happens to your holiday and final pay.
Resignation email: templates to copy for a UK job
A resignation email template you can paste in, written for a UK notice period, then eight resignation email examples for the situations you are most likely to be in. You'll also find the subject line to use, what to leave out, and when an email is not enough.
Notice period: how much notice you give, and how to work it out
Your notice period in the UK comes from your contract, with a legal minimum underneath it. This page shows the statutory notice period for both sides, how to work out your last day, what happens to your pay and holiday, and a letter to ask to leave before your notice ends.
On this page
Which work letter you need, and when
A working life in the UK needs only a handful of formal letters. Some record a decision with a date, like a resignation. Others back up an application, like a covering letter or a reference. The letter templates in this section cover the main ones:
| Letter | What it is for | How to send it | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resignation letter | Handing in your notice and confirming your last day | Email with a signed PDF, or a printed copy to your line manager | At least a week's notice after a month in the job, or what your contract says |
| Character reference | Someone who knows you vouching for your character | Signed letter or email from its author | Usually a teacher, mentor or volunteer lead who knows you well |
| Work reference | A former employer confirming your role and dates | Sent by the employer to the recruiter | No legal duty to give one in most jobs |
| Cover letter | Introducing your CV for one job advert | Email or the employer's application portal | One page, written for that employer |
The layout all good letter templates share
Whatever the reason for writing, a formal letter follows the same order, so the reader finds the point in seconds:
- Your address, top right, with your phone number and email.
- The date, below it: 3 November 2026.
- The recipient's name, job title and address, on the left.
- The greeting: "Dear Ms Patel," if you know the name, "Dear Sir or Madam," if you don't.
- The body: one idea per paragraph, the decision or request first.
- The sign-off: "Yours sincerely," after a name, "Yours faithfully," after "Dear Sir or Madam", then your signature and printed name.
[Your name] · [Your address] · [Phone] · [Email]
[Day month year]
[Recipient's name], [Job title] · [Organisation] · [Address]
Dear [Mr/Ms Surname],
[Paragraph 1: the decision or the request, in the first sentence.]
[Paragraph 2: the useful details: dates, handover, documents enclosed.]
[Paragraph 3: what happens next, and a thank-you.]
Yours sincerely,
[Signature] · [Printed name]
By email, the subject line states the purpose ("Resignation, Amelia Hughes") and "Kind regards" works as a sign-off. If the letter must be signed, attach it as a PDF.
Handing in your notice: what UK law says
According to gov.uk, you must give at least a week's notice if you have been in your job for more than a month. Your employment contract can ask for longer, and can require notice in writing. Your notice usually runs from the day after you hand it in. Put it in writing anyway, in case you need it later.
- A clear decision and a date: "My last working day will be Friday 27 November 2026."
- No reasons required: a short letter ages better.
- Your P45: gov.uk suggests asking your employer when you will receive it.
- Resigned in the heat of the moment? Tell your employer straight away; they can choose whether to accept the change of mind.
A full model to copy is in the resignation letter guide.
References: who writes them, and when
Acas explains that an employer doesn't have to give a reference by law, unless it agreed to in writing, the job is one of certain roles regulated by the FCA or PRA, or it was agreed in a settlement. Recruiters usually ask for references at the final stage, once they have made a conditional job offer and you have given permission. That is when a character reference helps, for a first job or after a gap: ask a teacher or mentor, and give them two or three facts to cite. Our letter templates include a character reference to adapt.
Which letters Kandiq writes for you
Kandiq's cover letter generator writes one kind of letter: the cover letter, from the job advert and your CV, then checks the draft with no AI (length, advert terms covered, the employer named in the body, placeholders left behind). Each letter uses 2 AI credits, and a new account starts with 5. It doesn't write resignation letters or references: for those, copy the letter templates in this section.
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