Making flexible working the default

This consultation contains proposals to reform flexible working regulations (The Flexible Working Regulations 2014).

It also covers the wider work being undertaken by the government to encourage and support flexible working, and responds to relevant proposals from the July 2019 Good Work Plan: Proposals to support families consultation.

Flexible working can be particularly valuable for those who need to balance their personal lives with their working lives, including those with caring responsibilities. It can also bring benefits to employers – attracting more applicants and increasing productivity and motivation levels among staff.

In 2003, legislation came into force which provided parents and certain other carers with a right to request a flexible working arrangement, which covered work location, working hours and working pattern. In 2014, the right to request a flexible working arrangement was extended to all employees with 26 weeks continuous service.

This consultation seeks to go further, and its proposals would affect both employers who receive flexible working requests and individuals who are looking to change their contracted working arrangements.

The territorial extent of these proposals extends to England, Wales, and Scotland. Employment law is devolved to Northern Ireland.

Read the BEIS consultation privacy notice.

Please don’t send responses by post to the department at the moment as we may not be able to access them.