Written Statement for Part-Time Employees

A written statement for a part-time employee is the document a UK employer must give under Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, setting out pay, hours, and pro-rata holiday entitlement. It is required from the employee's first day, whatever their hours. Build a compliant one below, then read the pro-rata holiday guide and clause checklist underneath.

✓ Updated July 2026

Employment Rights Act 1996, s.1

Part-Time Workers Regs 2000

UK-wide

✓ Required from an employee's first day✓ Correct pro-rata holiday wording✓ Free wizard, paid clean PDF

Hiring casual or zero hours staff instead? See our Zero Hours Contract Written Statement guide — the hours calculation works differently where there is no guaranteed pattern.

Part-Time Employee Written Statement Builder

Fill in employer, employee, hours, and pay details on the left, and watch the statement build on the right. Free download with watermark, or £9.99 for a clean copy. Use the pro-rata holiday table below to check your figure before you issue it.

Landlord details

Required: your name and an address in England or Wales where the tenant can send legal notices. This does not need to be your home address.

What Is a Written Statement for a Part-Time Employee?

A part-time employee works fewer contracted hours than a full-time employee in the same role, but is otherwise an employee in the ordinary sense: their hours are fixed and guaranteed by the contract, unlike a zero hours worker. Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 requires every employer to give every employee a written statement of particulars, and hours worked make no difference to whether the statement is required.

What does change for a part-time employee is the content: pay and holiday figures need to be shown pro-rata, the exact working pattern needs to be stated precisely, and the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 give the employee a right to the same pay rates and pro-rata benefits as a comparable full-time colleague.

📌 The short answer

If you employ someone part-time, give them a written statement covering pay, exact hours, pro-rata holiday, and pension information, on or before their first day. Base the holiday figure on 5.6 weeks a year, reduced in proportion to their days or hours, not on a flat assumption carried over from a full-time template.

Mandatory Clauses — What Must Be in the Statement

These are the particulars required under Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, as amended in 2018. Most apply to every part-time employee; a small number depend on the specific role.

ClauseWhy it's neededStatus
Employer nameIdentifies who the employee is contracting with.Required
Employee nameIdentifies who the statement covers.Required
Job title or brief description of the workSection 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 requires one or the other.Required
Start dateFixes when continuous service begins, relevant to the unfair dismissal qualifying period.Required
Days and hours worked each weekSets the working pattern that pro-rata holiday and pay calculations are based on.Required
Pay rate and how it is calculatedMust state the rate, and whether it is hourly, weekly, or an annual salary paid pro-rata.Required
How often pay is madeWeekly, fortnightly, or monthly, so the employee knows when to expect payment.Required
Overtime arrangements, if anyStates whether overtime is available, and how it is paid or accrued as time off.If applicable
Place of work, or that it variesConfirms where the work happens, including any requirement to work at more than one site.Required
Pro-rata holiday entitlement and how it was calculatedMust reflect the 5.6-week statutory minimum, reduced in proportion to the employee's hours or days.Required
Sickness absence and sick payMust reference the sick pay terms, including the current Statutory Sick Pay position from April 2026.Required
Notice periods on either sideSets out the minimum notice to end the employment, where one is agreed.Required
Pension and pension schemesAuto-enrolment applies to part-time employees on the same qualifying-earnings basis as full-time staff.Required
Probationary period, if anyOnly where a probation period genuinely applies to the role.If applicable
Flexible working arrangements, if agreedOnly where a specific flexible working pattern has been agreed beyond the standard part-time hours.If applicable
Training entitlement provided by the employerA required particular since the 2018 amendment regulations.Required
Disciplinary and grievance procedure, or where to find itCan be given by reference to a staff handbook or similar document.Required

Source: Section 1, Employment Rights Act 1996 ↗ · GOV.UK — written statement of employment particulars ↗

Pro-Rata Holiday Entitlement — Worked Examples

Statutory holiday entitlement is 5.6 weeks a year for everyone, full-time or part-time. For a full-time employee working a 5-day week, this is capped at 28 days. For a part-time employee, multiply 5.6 weeks by the days or hours actually worked each week.

Working patternCalculationAnnual entitlement
5 days a week (full-time)5.6 weeks × 5 days28 days
4 days a week5.6 weeks × 4 days22.4 days
3 days a week5.6 weeks × 3 days16.8 days
2 days a week5.6 weeks × 2 days11.2 days
20 hours a week, no fixed days5.6 weeks × 20 hours112 hours

Use days worked per week where the employee has fixed working days. Use hours per week where days vary but weekly hours are broadly consistent. Source: GOV.UK — calculate holiday entitlement ↗

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Part-Time vs Full-Time Employee

The written statement requirement is identical either way. What changes is how hours, pay, and holiday are expressed, and the parity protection part-time employees get under the Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000.

FactorPart-Time EmployeeFull-Time Employee
Contracted hoursFixed, below full-timeFixed, full-time
Written statement requiredYes, from day oneYes, from day one
Holiday entitlementPro-rata of 5.6 weeksFull 5.6 weeks, capped at 28 days
Statutory Sick PayYes, from day one of sickness, no earnings limit from April 2026Yes, from day one of sickness, no earnings limit from April 2026
Pension auto-enrolmentYes, once qualifying earnings threshold is metYes, once qualifying earnings threshold is met
Unfair dismissal qualifying periodReducing to 6 months from 1 January 2027Reducing to 6 months from 1 January 2027
Protection from less favourable treatmentYes, under the Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000Not applicable, comparator is the part-time employee

Source: Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 ↗

Common Mistakes in a Part-Time Written Statement

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1. Pro-rating holiday incorrectly

Rounding down, applying the wrong multiplier, or forgetting that hours-based pro-rating is needed where days vary week to week are the most common holiday calculation errors on a part-time statement.

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2. Copying a full-time template without adjusting pay figures

An annual salary copied from a full-time template needs to be shown pro-rata for the employee's actual hours, not left at the full-time-equivalent figure without clarification.

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3. Leaving out the exact working pattern

Stating only "part-time" without the specific days and hours makes it difficult to calculate holiday, assess overtime, or resolve a later dispute about what was agreed.

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4. Assuming part-time employees don't qualify for a pension or sick pay

Eligibility for auto-enrolment depends on age and qualifying earnings, not full-time or part-time status. Since April 2026, the earnings threshold that previously excluded some part-time employees from Statutory Sick Pay has also been removed.

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5. Treating a part-time employee less favourably without justification

The Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000 require pro-rata parity on pay rates and benefits with a comparable full-time employee, unless the employer can objectively justify a difference.

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6. Issuing the statement after the employee has already started

The principal statement is required no later than the employee's first day. Giving it weeks into the role does not meet the day-one requirement, even if the content is otherwise correct.

Part-Time Written Statement Examples

The mandatory particulars stay the same across roles. What changes is how the working pattern and holiday calculation are described.

Example 1 — Retail employee, fixed days

A retailer in Cardiff employs a sales assistant for three fixed days a week. The statement records the exact days, an hourly rate, weekly pay, and holiday entitlement of 16.8 days a year, calculated as 5.6 weeks multiplied by three days.

Example 2 — Office administrator, reduced hours after parental leave

An administrator returns from parental leave on a flexible working arrangement of 25 hours across four days. The employer issues an updated statement reflecting the new pattern, the pro-rated annual salary, and the recalculated holiday entitlement, rather than relying on the original full-time statement.

Example 3 — Care worker, variable part-time hours

A care provider employs a support worker for an average of 20 hours a week, with days varying by rota. The statement uses hours-based holiday accrual, at 5.6 weeks multiplied by average weekly hours, since there is no fixed weekly day pattern to apply a days-based calculation to.

How to Issue a Compliant Part-Time Written Statement — Step by Step

01

Confirm the exact working pattern

Record the specific days and hours the employee works, or their average weekly hours if days vary.

02

Calculate pro-rata holiday

Multiply 5.6 weeks by days or hours worked per week, using the worked examples above as a check.

03

Gather the mandatory particulars

Employer and employee names, job title, start date, pay rate, pay frequency, and place of work.

04

Add sick pay, pension, and notice terms

Reference the current Statutory Sick Pay position, which changed for lower-earning employees from 6 April 2026, and confirm pension auto-enrolment eligibility.

05

Check for parity with comparable full-time roles

Confirm pay rates and pro-rata benefits match what a comparable full-time employee in the same role would receive.

06

Issue the statement on or before the first day

Give the employee the principal statement no later than their start date, and keep a signed or dated record that it was given.

Legislative Timeline

1
1996Employment Rights Act 1996 enacted

Section 1 sets out the written statement of particulars requirement that still forms the core of today's document, applying equally to part-time and full-time employees.

2
2000Part-Time Workers Regulations come into force

The Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 give part-time employees a right to pro-rata parity with comparable full-time employees.

3
April 2020Written statement becomes a day-one right

The Employment Rights (Employment Particulars and Paid Annual Leave) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 required the principal statement from day one, for workers as well as employees.

4
18 December 2025Employment Rights Act 2025 receives Royal Assent

The Act introduces Statutory Sick Pay reform, a shorter unfair dismissal qualifying period, and other changes affecting part-time employees.

5
6 April 2026Statutory Sick Pay reform takes effect

The Lower Earnings Limit is abolished and the three unpaid waiting days are removed, extending Statutory Sick Pay to more part-time and lower-paid employees from their first day of sickness.

6
30 June 2026Cut-off for the new unfair dismissal qualifying period

Employees engaged on or after this date will benefit from the reduced six-month qualifying period once it commences.

7
1 January 2027Unfair dismissal qualifying period reduces to 6 months

This applies equally to part-time and full-time employees engaged on or after 30 June 2026.

Source: Employment Rights Act 2025 ↗ · ACAS — Employment Rights Act 2025 ↗

About This Guide

🔄

Updated July 2026

Reflects Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000, and the Employment Rights Act 2025 changes in force as of this date.

🇬🇧

UK-wide

The written statement requirement under the Employment Rights Act 1996 applies across Great Britain. Northern Ireland has separate, broadly similar legislation.

⚠️

Not legal advice

This guide gives general legal information and worked examples. For an unusual working pattern, or a dispute already in progress, get advice from a qualified employment solicitor.

OD

OfficeDraft Legal Team

This guide was built by cross-referencing Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000 against the Employment Rights Act 2025 and its Statutory Sick Pay and unfair dismissal commencement regulations, so the guide and the generator stay in sync as further provisions come into force. Reviewed July 2026.

About OfficeDraft →
External references: Employment Rights Act 1996, Section 1 — legislation.gov.uk · Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000 — legislation.gov.uk · Employment Rights Act 2025 — legislation.gov.uk · GOV.UK — calculate holiday entitlement · ACAS — part-time workers guidance · Find an employment solicitor — Law Society

Last updated: July 2026 · Editorial review: July 2026 · Author: OfficeDraft Legal Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a part-time employee need a written statement?▾
Yes. Every employee is entitled to a written statement under Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, given no later than their first day. Hours worked do not affect this requirement.
How is holiday entitlement calculated for a part-time employee?▾
Full-time entitlement is 5.6 weeks a year, capped at 28 days for a 5-day week. A part-time employee gets the same 5.6 weeks, pro-rated for their days or hours worked.
Do part-time employees get Statutory Sick Pay?▾
Yes, and more part-time employees qualify from 6 April 2026, when the Lower Earnings Limit was abolished and the three unpaid waiting days were removed.
Can a part-time employee be treated less favourably than a full-time employee?▾
No, not simply because of their part-time status. The Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000 require pro-rata parity on pay and benefits unless the employer can objectively justify a difference.
What must be included in a part-time employee's written statement?▾
At minimum: employer and employee names, job title, start date, pay rate and frequency, exact hours and days, pro-rata holiday, sick pay, notice periods, and pension information.
Does the qualifying period for unfair dismissal apply differently to part-time employees?▾
No. From 1 January 2027, the qualifying period reduces from two years to six months for employees engaged on or after 30 June 2026, regardless of full-time or part-time status.
Is a part-time employee entitled to a pension the same as a full-time employee?▾
Auto-enrolment depends on age and qualifying earnings, not full-time or part-time status. A part-time employee meeting the earnings threshold must be enrolled on the same basis as a full-time colleague.
What is the difference between a part-time employee and a zero hours worker?▾
A part-time employee has fixed, contracted hours guaranteed by the contract. A zero hours worker has no guaranteed hours and is paid only for hours actually worked.

⚠ Legal disclaimer

OfficeDraft's part-time written statement generator helps employers produce a statement covering the core particulars required under Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, with correct pro-rata holiday wording. This page and the generator provide general legal information and do not constitute independent legal advice. Names, figures, and scenarios above are illustrative. If you are unsure how a specific working pattern should be calculated, seek advice from a qualified employment solicitor. A directory of solicitors is available at solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk.

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