Section 1 Employment Rights Act Statement
Written statement of employment particulars · Employment Rights Act 1996, sections 1–3 · Free to build and print
A section 1 statement is the written record of the main terms of someone's employment. GOV.UK calls the day-one document the "principal statement" — it has to be given no later than the day employment starts. Fill in the fields below and the statement builds itself on the right — print it or save it as a PDF when it's ready.
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A section 1 statement (also called a written statement of employment particulars, or sometimes a "principal statement") is a legal requirement under the Employment Rights Act 1996. Every employer must give it to every employee and worker no later than their first day of work. It sets out core terms: pay, hours, holiday, job title, place of work, notice periods, and a handful of other particulars listed in the Act. It is not optional, and it does not depend on length of service — the right applies from day one.
Key takeaways
- ✓ The core "principal statement" must be given on or before day one of employment, for anyone who started on or after 6 April 2020.
- ✓ It applies to employees and, for most of the required particulars, to workers as well — not only staff on permanent contracts.
- ✓ A smaller set of particulars (pensions, collective agreements, further training, disciplinary/grievance procedure location) can form a "wider written statement" given within two months — but the core terms cannot wait.
- ✓ There is no standalone tribunal claim for a missing statement. The consequence attaches to other claims: if an employee wins a separate tribunal claim and never received a statement, the tribunal must add compensation of 2 to 4 weeks' pay.
- ✓ A section 1 statement is a record of terms, not automatically the whole contract of employment — but courts and tribunals treat it as strong evidence of what was agreed.
On this page
What a section 1 statement is
Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 requires employers to give employees and workers a written statement of the main terms of their employment. It is a statutory document, not a contract template — the Act sets out exactly what has to be in it. People search for it under several names: section 1 statement, written statement of employment particulars, principal statement, or day-one rights statement. They all refer to the same underlying legal requirement.
The requirement was expanded by regulations that took effect on 6 April 2020 (the Employment Rights (Employment Particulars and Paid Annual Leave) (Amendment) Regulations 2018, and the Employment Rights (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019), which extended the right to workers as well as employees, and moved the deadline forward so the core "principal statement" has to be given on or before the first day of employment, rather than within two months of starting as the older rule allowed.
Who is entitled to one
Every employee is entitled to a section 1 statement, regardless of how many hours they work or how long the job is expected to last. Workers — people who don't have full employee status but work under a contract to perform work personally — are also entitled to the core written particulars, since the 2020 reforms.
The right applies from the first day of employment. Length of service does not matter, and there is no qualifying period, unlike some other employment rights such as unfair dismissal protection. Agency workers are covered by their own set of rules on top of this — GOV.UK's guidance on agency workers' rights sets out what recruitment agencies specifically have to provide.
When it must be given
GOV.UK splits the written statement into two parts. The principal statement — names, job title, pay, hours, holiday, place of work, and the other particulars in the table below — must be provided on the employee's first day, for anyone starting on or after 6 April 2020. A wider written statement, covering pensions, collective agreements, further non-compulsory training, and where to find the disciplinary and grievance procedures, can follow within two months of the start date.
If any of the particulars change during employment, the employer must give written notice of the change at the earliest opportunity, and no later than one month after the change takes effect.
What the statement must include
Sections 1 to 3 of the Act list the particulars that must appear in a section 1 statement. The list below follows the Act's own structure.
Names of the parties
The employer's name and the employee's or worker's name.
Date employment began
The date the current job started.
Continuous employment date
If earlier employment counts towards continuous service, that start date.
Pay
The rate or method of calculating pay, and the interval at which it is paid.
Hours of work
Normal working hours and the days or pattern of work, including whether hours or days may vary.
Holiday entitlement
Paid holiday entitlement, including public holidays, in enough detail to calculate it precisely, and holiday pay on termination.
Job title or description
The job title, or a brief description of the work.
Place of work
Where the person works, or the employer's address if there is no fixed place, and whether relocation may be required.
Length of the contract
If it's not permanent, how long it's expected to last, or the end date of a fixed term.
Probationary period
Length and conditions of any probationary period.
Other benefits
Any benefits not covered elsewhere, such as non-contractual bonus schemes.
Notice periods
Notice the employee must give and is entitled to receive.
Training
Any training entitlement provided by the employer, including whether it is mandatory, and who bears the cost of mandatory training.
Collective agreements
Any collective agreements that directly affect the terms of employment. (Part of the wider written statement.)
Pension
Whether a pension scheme applies, and if so, its details or where to find them. (Part of the wider written statement.)
Disciplinary and grievance
Where to find the employer's disciplinary rules and grievance procedure, if not included in the statement itself. (Part of the wider written statement.)
Section 1 statement vs. employment contract vs. offer letter
| Document | Legally required? | When issued | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 1 statement | Yes — Employment Rights Act 1996 | On or before day one | Statutory record of core terms |
| Offer letter | No | Before start date, on acceptance | Confirms the job offer and headline terms |
| Full employment contract | No, but common practice | Any time, often alongside the section 1 statement | Sets out the complete contractual relationship, including clauses beyond the statutory list |
Many employers combine the section 1 statement with a fuller employment contract in a single document, which is allowed as long as every required particular is present and given on time.
Compliance checklist
- Statement is dated and given on or before the employee's first day
- Employer and employee names are both stated correctly
- Job title or duties are described
- Place of work is stated, with any mobility clause included
- Pay amount, method and frequency are stated
- Normal hours of work and pattern are stated
- Holiday entitlement is stated precisely enough to calculate
- Notice periods for both parties are stated
- Pension position is stated or referenced
- Sick pay position is stated or referenced
- Location of disciplinary and grievance procedures is stated
- A copy is kept on file and any later changes are notified in writing within one month
Common employer mistakes
Waiting until after the start date. The two-month grace period for the core particulars was removed for anyone starting from 6 April 2020. Waiting even a few days to issue the principal statement breaches the Act.
Leaving out workers, not just employees. Casual staff, zero-hours workers, and others without full employee status still qualify for the core particulars.
Vague holiday entitlement. "Statutory holiday" without a number of days or a calculation method does not meet the requirement to state entitlement precisely enough to calculate.
No process for updating the statement. A pay rise, a change of location, or a change of hours all require written notice of the change within one month — many employers update the payroll system but never issue the written notice.
Assuming a contract covers it. A document that omits one of the section 1 particulars, or refers to a document that doesn't exist, does not satisfy the Act even if it's called a contract of employment.
If you're not given one: your rights and next steps
This section covers what to do if you have no written statement of employment particulars, and what the written statement of particulars actually achieves under the Employment Rights Act if your employer doesn't comply.
No written statement of employment — what should I do first?
GOV.UK's own guidance on problems with a written statement sets out three steps, in order: try to resolve it informally with your employer first; if that doesn't work, raise it as a formal grievance; and treat an employment tribunal claim as a last resort. ACAS recommends the same informal-first approach, and its early conciliation service is usually a required step before a tribunal claim can be lodged.
Not given a written statement of employment — is there a standalone claim?
No. There is no tribunal claim you can bring purely because the statement is missing. The right only becomes financially meaningful when it's attached to another claim. If you take a genuine complaint (such as unfair dismissal, an unlawful deduction, or a discrimination claim listed in Schedule 5 of the Employment Act 2002) to a tribunal and win, the tribunal must also consider whether you had a compliant written statement when the claim began.
Effects of non-compliance with the written statement of employment particulars
Under section 38 of the Employment Act 2002, if the tribunal finds your employer was in breach of the section 1 duty when the case started, it must award an extra 2 weeks' pay on top of any other award — and may increase that to 4 weeks' pay if it considers that just and equitable. This applies even if the tribunal made no separate award on the underlying claim, as long as it found in your favour. A week's pay is capped at the statutory maximum figure set under the Employment Rights Act, so the amount is modest rather than punitive — but it is not discretionary once the conditions are met, except in exceptional circumstances. Beyond the financial penalty, a missing or vague statement also removes what would otherwise be strong documentary evidence of the agreed terms, which can work against an employer in any dispute about pay, hours, or notice.
Written statement of particulars vs. a written statement of employment contract
Some employers title the document a "written statement of employment contract," which can cause confusion. Legally there's no separate category by that name — if it contains every particular the Act requires and was given on time, it satisfies section 1, whatever it's called on the front page. What matters is the content and the timing, not the title.
Employee rights summary
An employee or worker who has not received a compliant statement can ask their employer for one in writing. If the employer still doesn't provide it, see the non-compliance section above for the step-by-step route and what compensation is actually available.
ACAS recommends employees first raise the issue directly with their employer or through a workplace grievance procedure before considering a tribunal claim.
Related tools and guides
Written Statement of Employment Particulars
The full guide to this document, its legal basis, and what happens if it's missing.
Written Statement of Terms Generator
The full wizard used to build the statement on this page — every particular, step by step.
Written Statement of Terms Checklist
A printable checklist to audit an existing statement against the Act's requirements.
Written Statement Example
A filled-in example statement, so you can see the required particulars in context.
Electronic Written Statement Guide
What makes a PDF or emailed statement legally valid, and how to issue one correctly.
Written Statement for Casual Workers
How the requirement applies to zero-hours and casual arrangements specifically.
UK Payslip Generator
Generate payslips that match the pay figures stated in the section 1 statement.
Sector-specific written statement guides
Frequently asked questions
Is a section 1 statement the same as an employment contract?
No. A section 1 statement — also called a written statement of employment particulars — is a statutory list of particulars set out in the Employment Rights Act 1996. An employment contract can be wider and include terms the Act doesn't require, such as restrictive covenants or confidentiality clauses. The two are often combined in a single document, but a document only called a 'contract' still has to contain every particular the Act requires to count as a valid written statement.
What's the difference between a written statement of particulars and a contract of employment?
A written statement of particulars is a day-one legal requirement that records specific facts about the job: pay, hours, holiday, notice and so on. A contract of employment is the full legal agreement between the parties, and can include implied terms and clauses that were never written down. Every employee and worker is entitled to the statement regardless of whether a separate contract exists; not every job has a full written contract.
Do zero-hours workers get a section 1 statement?
Yes. Workers, including those on zero-hours arrangements, are entitled to the core written particulars since the reforms that took effect on 6 April 2020.
What can I do if I haven't been given a written statement of employment?
Raise it with your employer in writing first. If that doesn't resolve it, GOV.UK's guidance sets out a three-step route: try to solve the problem informally, then raise a formal grievance, and take a claim to an employment tribunal as a last resort. There's no standalone tribunal claim just for a missing statement — the compensation only follows if you also bring and win another qualifying claim.
What are the effects of non-compliance with the written statement of employment particulars?
There's no separate penalty for the missing document on its own. Under section 38 of the Employment Act 2002, if a tribunal rules in your favour on another listed claim (such as unfair dismissal or an unlawful deduction from wages) and your employer was in breach of section 1 when the claim began, the tribunal must add compensation of 2 weeks' pay, and may increase this to 4 weeks' pay. A missing or incomplete statement can also weaken an employer's position as evidence of what was actually agreed.
Can the statement be provided electronically?
Yes, provided the employee can access and store or print it, and it is reasonably accessible in a way the employee can use.
Does a section 1 statement need to be signed?
The Act does not require a signature. A signature can be useful evidence that the document was received, but it is not a legal requirement of section 1 itself.
What if my hours or pay change after I start?
The employer must give written notice of the change at the earliest opportunity and no later than one month after it takes effect.
Do casual or short-term staff need one?
Yes, if they meet the definition of employee or worker. There is no minimum length of engagement or number of hours below which the right disappears.
Is this the same as the "written statement" required for tenancies?
No. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 requires landlords to give tenants a separate written statement of terms for new tenancies. It shares the name but comes from different legislation and covers a different relationship.
Can one document cover several employees?
No. The statement must be specific to the individual employee or worker and reflect their own particulars.
Sources
Every source below was checked against the live page when this article was last updated on 17 July 2026.
- Employment Rights Act 1996, section 1 (legislation.gov.uk)
The primary legal text: who must be given a statement, by when, and what it must contain.
- GOV.UK: Written statement of employment particulars
Official plain-English guidance, including the principal statement / wider written statement split used on this page.
- GOV.UK: Problems with a written statement
The official route for employees who haven't received a compliant statement — informal resolution, grievance, then tribunal.
- Employment Act 2002, section 38 (legislation.gov.uk)
The compensation mechanism: the 2-to-4-weeks'-pay award for a missing statement when another tribunal claim succeeds.
- ACAS: What must be written in an employment contract
Practical ACAS guidance on written statements, aimed at both employers and employees.
- ACAS: Templates for written statements
ACAS's own template library, useful for cross-checking the wording this tool generates.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Reviewed by: OfficeDraft UK Employment Documents Team
Author: OfficeDraft Editorial — UK employment and HR document guides
How we keep this accurate: Every legal claim on this page is checked directly against the current text of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and Employment Act 2002 on legislation.gov.uk, and against GOV.UK and ACAS guidance, at each update. Where guidance changes, this page is revised rather than left as-is.
Legal disclaimer: This page is general guidance and not legal advice. Employment law changes, and individual circumstances vary. For advice on a specific situation, contact ACAS or a qualified employment solicitor.