£9UK law · England & Wales

UK Employment Contract Template

A full Section 1 Written Statement of Particulars under the Employment Rights Act 1996 — required for every UK employee from day one. Editable Word + PDF, £9. Generated in under a minute.

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Editable Word (.docx) + PDF · Re-download any time · UK GDPR compliant

Legal background

Since 6 April 2020, employers must provide a written statement of employment particulars on or before day one of employment, under section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended by the Good Work Plan). Failure can lead to a tribunal award of 2–4 weeks pay. This template covers all required particulars plus standard protective clauses.

Sample excerpt

A short preview of the kind of clauses your generated document will contain. The full document is tailored to your inputs.

1. Job and start date. Your job title is [Title], reporting to [Line Manager]. Your start date is [Date] and your continuous service for statutory purposes begins on the same date. 2. Place of work. Your normal place of work is [Address]. We may from time to time require you to work at other locations on reasonable notice. 3. Hours and salary. Your normal working hours are [Hours] per week, Monday to Friday. Your gross annual salary is £[Salary], paid monthly in arrears on the [Date] of each month. 4. Notice. After the probation period of [Period], either party may terminate this contract on [Notice] notice in writing, save that we may terminate without notice for gross misconduct. 5. Holiday. You are entitled to [Days] days paid holiday per holiday year, inclusive of bank holidays. Holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December. 6. Sickness. If you are unable to attend work due to sickness you must notify your line manager by [Time] on the first day of absence. Statutory Sick Pay applies in accordance with applicable regulations.

What's in the template

✓All Section 1 ERA 1996 required particulars (job title, start date, pay, hours, holiday, place of work)
✓Probation period and notice provisions
✓Working Time Regulations 1998 compliance (48-hour opt-out option)
✓Statutory sick pay reference and company sickness terms
✓Pension auto-enrolment statement
✓Confidentiality and intellectual property assignment
✓Post-termination restrictive covenants (drafted to be enforceable: limited scope and duration)
✓Disciplinary and grievance reference (ACAS Code aligned)
✓Data protection notice (UK GDPR / DPA 2018)

Who this is for

→Any UK employer hiring a new employee (statutory requirement from day one)
→Companies converting contractors to PAYE staff
→Employers updating contracts after a TUPE transfer or restructure
→Founders making their first hire

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Frequently asked questions

When do I have to give an employee their contract?

Under section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended by the Good Work Plan in 2020), the written statement of particulars must be given on or before the first day of employment. Failure can lead to a tribunal award of two to four weeks pay.

Is this also valid for workers, not just employees?

Yes — since April 2020, written particulars are required for both employees and workers from day one. The template is suitable for either status; the generator asks you to confirm.

Are the restrictive covenants enforceable?

The non-compete and non-solicit clauses are drafted to be reasonable in scope and duration (typically 3–6 months for non-compete, 12 months for non-solicit). Enforceability ultimately depends on the role and industry — for senior or specialist roles you may want a solicitor to review.

Does this comply with the Equality Act 2010?

Yes — the template is drafted to be neutral on protected characteristics and references the equal opportunities policy.

These templates are general legal information, not bespoke legal advice. For high-value or unusual matters, ask a solicitor to review.