🇬🇧 Job offer letter in the UK: what to include
Updated July 2026 · General information, not legal advice
UK offers are usually made 'subject to' conditions — references, right-to-work checks, sometimes background screening. Once the employee starts, they have a day-one right to a written statement of employment particulars, so the offer letter and the statement should tell the same story.
Quick facts
- Written statement
- Day-one statutory right (particulars of employment)
- Probation
- Not defined by statute — 3–6 months is typical, set by contract
- Statutory notice
- 1 week after 1 month of service; then 1 week per year of service, up to 12 weeks
- Annual leave
- 5.6 weeks (28 days for full-time, may include bank holidays)
- Right to work
- Employer must verify before employment starts
Conditional offers
It is standard in the UK to make the offer conditional on satisfactory references, proof of right to work and any role-specific checks. Spell the conditions out — an unconditional offer that is later withdrawn can give rise to a claim for the notice period.
- Job title, start date, location and any hybrid arrangement
- Salary (annual gross), pay frequency and pension auto-enrolment details
- Holiday entitlement (statutory minimum 5.6 weeks; say whether bank holidays are included)
- Probation length and review process
- Notice periods (contractual, at or above the statutory floor)
- Conditions the offer is subject to
Probation is contractual
UK statute does not regulate probation as such — it is a contractual construct, typically three to six months, often with a shorter notice period during it. Statutory rights (like minimum notice after one month) apply regardless of probation status.
Notice periods
Statutory minimum notice from the employer is one week after one month of service, rising by one week per completed year of service up to twelve weeks. Contracts commonly set longer notice — one month for professional roles, three months for senior positions.
Holiday entitlement
Full-time workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks (28 days) of paid holiday per year. Employers may count the eight usual bank holidays within that entitlement — a frequent point of confusion, so the offer should say '25 days plus bank holidays' or '28 days including bank holidays' explicitly.
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Create a free offer →Frequently asked questions
Can a UK job offer be withdrawn?
A conditional offer can be withdrawn if the conditions are not met. Withdrawing an accepted unconditional offer is effectively a termination and can create liability for the notice period.
Do UK employees get 28 days of holiday plus bank holidays?
Not necessarily. The statutory 5.6 weeks (28 days full-time) may include bank holidays — the contract decides. Make the offer wording unambiguous.
Is probation regulated by UK law?
No. Probation is contractual; statutory rights such as minimum notice apply independently of it.
Related guides
This guide is general information for employers, not legal advice. Employment rules change and collective agreements may set different terms — confirm the specifics with local counsel before sending an offer.