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Quick answer
Write a short resignation letter that names the role, the date, and your last day from the contract. Keep the tone factual. Skip a rant, a legal claim, and a fake reason. This page is a template, not legal advice. Skip it if a solicitor or union rep is already writing the letter for you.
Other situations: Not legal advice, not ACAS representation, and not a way to quit without notice when the contract still binds you. Check the contract, staff handbook, and ACAS guidance for your facts. Skip this page if you need a settlement, a grievance, or a constructive-dismissal strategy — that is a qualified adviser.
What is a resignation letter?
A resignation letter is written notice that you are ending the job. It creates a dated record: who you told, which role, and which last day. It is not a performance review and not a witness statement. Keep it short so HR can file it without a novel attached.
UK employers usually want “in writing”. That can be paper or email. The point is a copy you both can find later when someone asks when notice started. A Slack message that disappears is a weak record.
This page gives resignation letter templates — patterns with placeholders. Replace every bracket. We are not your lawyer. ACAS publishes guidance on notice and leaving a job (check the live ACAS pages when you resign; this file is dated 22 August 2026).
What should a UK resignation letter include?
Include the date, the addressee, a clear “I am resigning” line, the job title, your last working day, and a short offer to hand over. Optional: a one-line thanks. Skip medical history, accusations, and a list of every slight. Those belong in a different process if you need one.
| Line | Why it is there | Leave it out |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Records when the letter was written; confirm when notice starts | A vague “as of now” with no calendar day |
| Role | Stops confusion if you hold two titles | A rewritten job title you wish you had |
| Last day | Matches the contract or an agreed date | A day you invented to pressure them |
| Handover | Keeps the file professional | A threat to withhold work |
Put your name and a contact email you will still read after you return the laptop.
What is a simple resignation letter template?
A simple resignation letter template is four or five sentences. You resign, you name the last day, you offer a handover, you thank them if you mean it, you sign. That is the whole artefact. If you need two pages, you are writing a grievance, not a resignation letter.
[Date]
[Manager name]
[Job title]
[Organisation]
Dear [Name],
I am writing to resign from my role as [job title] at [organisation]. My last working day will be [date], in line with my notice period.
I will complete a handover of live work and access before I leave. Thank you for the opportunities during my time in the team.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
Print it or paste it into email. Delete the thanks if it would be a lie. Do not add a paragraph that starts “I have been unhappy because…” unless an adviser told you to create that record.
How do you write a resignation email?
Use a subject such as “Resignation — [Your name] — [Role]”. Put the same facts in the body as a paper letter. Send it to the person the handbook names, and copy HR if that is the rule. Keep a sent copy. Do not resign in a thread about something else.
Email template (rewrite the brackets):
Subject: Resignation — [Your name] — [Role]
Dear [Name],
Please accept this email as my resignation from the role of [job title]. My last working day will be [date].
I am ready to hand over my live work and to agree a plan for the notice period.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
[Personal email]
Do not attach a rant PDF. Do not CC the whole company. If you are on leave, still follow the written-notice rule in the contract rather than assuming a DM is enough.
How much notice do you give in the UK?
Check your employment contract or written statement. For employees who have worked at least one month, the statutory minimum is usually one week, while a contract may require longer. Exceptions can apply, including a serious breach or an agreed alternative.
Read Acas guidance on notice when resigning. Ask the employer to confirm the last day and put any agreed alternative in writing.
GOV.UK explains that notice usually runs from the day after it is handed in. Check the contract and seek individual advice if the situation is disputed.
What should an immediate resignation letter say?
It should still name the role and the date, then ask to leave on a stated day that is sooner than the contractual notice. It should not claim a legal right you have not been advised you have. The employer may agree, refuse, or discuss pay. A template cannot force the outcome.
Pattern: “I resign from [role] with effect from [date]. I recognise my contract provides [X] notice and I am asking to leave on this earlier date. I am available to discuss handover.” Then stop.
If you are leaving because of health, harassment, or unpaid wages, get advice before resigning, because the circumstances and timing may affect your options. Citizens Advice and ACAS are starting points; a solicitor is the next step for a dispute. This builder will not draft that letter.
Should you give a reason for resigning?
Usually no. A reason is optional. “I have accepted another role” is enough if you want to say something. A manifesto becomes a file note. If you need a written record of a problem, that is a grievance or a data-subject request, not a resignation letter template.
Exit interviews are a different channel. You can decline them. You can keep answers short. Do not use the resignation letter to accuse named colleagues. If you later need a reference, a calm file helps more than a last-day essay.
What should you never put in a resignation letter?
Never put insults, threats, confidential client data, or a medical diagnosis you do not want stored. Never invent a last day that contradicts the contract unless you have written agreement. Never attach the new employer’s offer letter. The resignation letter is notice, not a press release.
- No password lists in the same email as the resignation — use the handover they specify.
- No “I quit” joke on social media before the manager has the letter.
- No lie about why you are leaving if they will call the next employer.
If you are starting out on your own, keep the letter boring and put the energy into a true self-employed profile: small business ideas.
What should you do after you send the resignation letter?
Confirm they received it. Agree the last day in writing if it changed. Write a handover list. Return kit. Then update the CV with the real title and dates. Do not stretch the end date. Do not add a promotion you were promised and never given.
Career-change files: career change CV. If there will be a gap, label it honestly: employment gaps. Covering notes for the next job: cover letter examples.
References: many UK employers only confirm dates and role. Ask HR what they will say. Do not write a fictional glowing quote on the CV.
Will a resignation letter change your reference?
Often UK references only confirm dates and job title. A calm, short letter does not buy a glowing paragraph, and a rant can become a file note. Ask HR what they will confirm. Do not write a fictional quote on the next CV. Do not attach the resignation letter to the new application.
If the next vacancy asks why you left, prepare a spoken line that matches the letter: another role, a move, self-employment, or “I prefer not to go into detail”. Interview weakness is a separate question: greatest weakness.