How to Hand In Your Notice: UK Notice Periods and a Resignation Letter Template

If your contract says nothing about notice, the legal minimum you have to give in the UK is one week, once you've worked there for at least a month. Most people are surprised by how short that is, and most professional contracts ask for much more.

So you have a new job offer. Before you resign, make sure the offer is confirmed in writing, including the salary and start date, and that any conditions (references, right to work checks, background checks) are either done or clearly manageable.

Resigning before that is a risk you don't need to take. Once it's confirmed, here's how to hand in your notice properly. This covers the basics for UK employees, so check your own contract, and GOV.UK or Acas if anything is unclear.

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How much notice do you need to give?

Check your contract first. Your notice period will usually be written there, sometimes in a separate staff handbook the contract refers to.

• If your contract states a notice period, that's what you should give.
• If it doesn't, the statutory minimum an employee must give is one week, once you've worked there for at least a month.
• Notice periods of one to three months are common for professional roles.

Notice usually starts the day after you hand it in. If your contract says notice must be given in writing, make sure you do, and keep a copy.

Watch out for probation too. Some contracts set a shorter notice period during probation, often a week, so read that clause if you're still in your first few months.

Your situation	Notice you usually give
Worked there less than a month	Check your contract; there's no statutory minimum yet
Contract silent, one month or more	At least one week (statutory minimum)
Contract states a period	The contractual period
Still on probation	Whatever the probation clause says

Timing your resignation

Work backwards from your new start date. Count the notice period from the day after you resign, and add a few days of slack if you can, so you're not starting a new job the morning after leaving the old one.

Check whether anything is due to you soon. Some bonus and commission schemes only pay out if you're still employed, and not under notice, on the payment date, so read the scheme rules before you pick your day. The same goes for any training costs you may have agreed to repay if you leave within a set period.

Key Takeaway: Your contract sets the notice you give. The one-week statutory minimum only applies when the contract is silent.

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Can you leave earlier?

You can ask. Your employer may agree to an earlier date, especially if the handover is straightforward. They're not obliged to, and leaving without working your notice could be a breach of contract.

Ask politely and be ready for either answer. Offering a detailed handover plan makes a yes much more likely, because it answers your manager's biggest worry.

Garden leave and pay in lieu

• Garden leave: you stay employed and paid during your notice but are asked not to work or contact clients. Common in competitive industries.
• Pay in lieu of notice (PILON): your employer ends your employment straight away and pays you for the notice period instead, if your contract allows it.

Tell your new employer about either, as it may affect your start date. Don't start the new job while you're still on garden leave unless your current employer has agreed in writing.

Key Takeaway: Agree your start date with the new employer only once you know how your notice will be handled.

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How to tell your manager

Here's a slightly contrarian view: the letter matters much less than the conversation. People remember how you told them, and hardly anyone rereads a resignation letter.

1. Ask for a short private meeting or call. Your manager should hear it from you first, before any colleagues.
2. Be direct and positive: "I wanted to let you know I've accepted a new role and I'm handing in my notice."
3. Thank them for the opportunity, and mention something specific if you can.
4. Offer to help with the handover.
5. Don't use it as a chance to air grievances. Save honest feedback for an exit interview, and keep it constructive.

Decide before the meeting whether you'd consider staying. If you've made up your mind, say so kindly, so the conversation doesn't turn into a negotiation.

If they make a counter offer, take time to think. Our guide on whether to accept a counter offer will help.

Key Takeaway: Resign in person (or on a call), then confirm in writing the same day.

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Resignation letter template

Keep it short and professional. You don't need to say where you're going or why. Change the details below and send it by email or on paper, whichever your contract requires.

Dear Priya,

Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my role as Marketing Coordinator. In line with my contract, my notice period is one month, and my last working day will be Friday 20 November 2026.

Thank you for the support and opportunities I've had here, particularly the chance to lead the spring campaign. I've really valued working with the team.

I'll do everything I can to make the handover smooth, and I'm happy to help train my replacement or document my work.

Best wishes,

Sam Taylor

Double-check the last working day against your contract. Getting the date wrong is the most common slip, and it's awkward to correct later.

Once it's sent, a resignation can usually only be withdrawn if your employer agrees. Don't send it until you're sure.

Key Takeaway: Three short paragraphs are enough: notice and date, a genuine thank you, and an offer to help with the handover.

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Things to check before you leave

• Holiday: unused holiday should be paid in your final pay, unless you agree to take it during your notice
• Final pay date and what it will include
• Pension: note your provider and scheme details
• Company property: laptop, pass, phone
• Restrictive covenants: read any clauses about working for competitors or contacting clients
• Your P45, which you'll need for your new employer

If a restrictive covenant looks like it could stop you taking the new job, get advice before you resign, not after.

Key Takeaway: Read the pay, holiday and covenant clauses in your contract before your final week, while there's still time to ask questions.

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Leave well

Your last few weeks are remembered. Do a thorough handover, write down how things work, finish what you can, and thank people.

Former managers and colleagues become references, clients and sometimes future employers. Connect with them on LinkedIn before you go.

It's also the perfect moment to update your CV, while your recent wins are fresh. CVPilot's free ATS checker shows how it reads to recruiters, and CVPilot's keyword extractor helps you tailor it for the next move, whenever that comes.

Key Takeaway: A careful handover costs you a few hours and protects a reputation that follows you for years.

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Checklist

• New offer confirmed in writing
• Notice period checked in your contract
• Manager told in person or on a call
• Resignation confirmed in writing the same day
• Holiday, final pay and pension checked
• Handover notes written

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