# Rules for refusing flexible working from autumn 2027

> “It is our intention that these changes will take effect in autumn 2027.”
>
> — Kate Dearden, Minister for the Future of Work, Labour Party; Written ministerial statement, 13 October 2026

- **Status:** Promised
- **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered
- **Policy area:** [Transport & economy](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/transport-and-economy)
- **Speaker:** [Kate Dearden](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/kate-dearden), Minister for the Future of Work
- **Party:** [Labour Party](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/labour)
- **Made on:** 13 October 2026
- **Where:** Written ministerial statement
- **Deadline:** 30 November 2027
- **Cost a year:** No costing published
- **Who it affects:** Employees who make statutory flexible working requests, and their employers
- **When:** Intended to take effect in autumn 2027
- **Paid for by:** Not stated when it was announced
- **Quote source:** https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-13/HCWS372 (checked word for word on 16 October 2026; Open Parliament Licence v3.0)
- **Last updated:** 16 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-flexible-working-rules-2027

## Where it stands

Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, employers may reject a flexible working request only where it is reasonable to do so. The government will introduce secondary legislation setting out a process employers must follow before rejecting a statutory request, and bring the Act's reasonableness test into force; its consultation response was published on 15 September. "Autumn 2027" is read as 30 November 2027. The card moves when the regulations are made.

## Timeline

- 13 October 2026, Promised: The minister for the future of work says the process for rejecting flexible working requests and the reasonableness test are intended to take effect in autumn 2027
- 30 November 2027, Deadline (to come): Flexible working process and reasonableness test due to take effect in autumn 2027

## About the cost

No cost has been published.

## Sources

- [Written ministerial statement HCWS372, 13 Oct 2026: Make Work Pay Implementation](https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-13/HCWS372)

## Checks

- Checked automatically by AI Journalist, not yet verified by an editor.
- Checked by AI Journalist (automated) on 16 October 2026.

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