Question 1

What notice period am I entitled to in the UK?

Accepted Answer

After one month of employment, both employer and employee are entitled to at least one week's notice. After two years the employer must give at least one week for each complete year of service, up to a maximum of twelve weeks. The employee only has to give one week under the statute. A longer period applies if the employment contract says so.

Question 2

How many days holiday am I entitled to in the UK?

Accepted Answer

Workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year, which is 28 days for someone working five days a week. The entitlement is capped at 28 days even for people working more than five days a week, and bank holidays may be counted as part of it. Part-time workers get a pro rata amount. Holiday cannot be replaced by payment except when the employment ends.

Question 3

Can I request flexible working in the UK?

Accepted Answer

Since 6 April 2024 employees can request flexible working from their first day of employment, for example different hours or working from home. Two requests may be made in any twelve-month period. The employer must decide within two months, consult the employee before refusing, and may only refuse for one of the business reasons listed in the Act. The Employment Rights Act 2025 tightens this so that a refusal must also be reasonable; check when that change takes effect.

Question 4

What are my rights if something I bought is faulty in the UK?

Accepted Answer

A consumer who buys faulty goods from a trader can reject them and get a full refund within 30 days. After that the trader gets one attempt to repair or replace the goods, and if that fails the consumer can claim a price reduction or a final right to reject. A fault that appears within six months is presumed to have existed at delivery unless the trader proves otherwise.

Question 5

How long do I have to cancel an online order in the UK?

Accepted Answer

For distance purchases the consumer has a 14-day cancellation period. For goods the period runs from the day the goods are delivered. The trader must refund within 14 days, but may wait until the goods are returned or the consumer shows they have been sent back. If the trader did not give information about the right to cancel, the period is extended by up to twelve months.

Question 6

How much compensation do I get for a delayed flight in the UK?

Accepted Answer

For a delay of three hours or more at the final destination, passengers are entitled to fixed compensation: £220 for flights up to 1,500 km, £350 up to 3,500 km and £520 for longer flights. No compensation is due if the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances that could not have been avoided. The rule covers departures from the UK and UK carriers flying into the UK.

Question 7

How do I make a subject access request in the UK?

Accepted Answer

You have the right to know whether an organisation processes your personal data and to receive a copy of it. A request can be made in writing or verbally. The organisation must respond without undue delay and within one month at the latest, extendable by two months for complex or numerous requests. The first copy is free of charge as a general rule.

Question 8

What makes a will legally valid in England and Wales?

Accepted Answer

The will must be in writing and signed by the testator, who must intend the signature to give effect to the will. The signature must be made or acknowledged in the presence of two witnesses present at the same time, and both witnesses must sign. A witness who is a beneficiary, or whose spouse or civil partner is, loses the gift, but the rest of the will remains valid.

Question 9

Who inherits if there is no will in England and Wales?

Accepted Answer

If there is a spouse or civil partner and no children, they inherit everything. If there are children, the spouse or civil partner receives the personal chattels, a fixed sum of £322,000 and half of the remainder, while the children share the other half. With no spouse or civil partner the children inherit, then parents and siblings. Unmarried partners do not inherit under the rules.

Question 10

Can I charge interest on a late invoice in the UK?

Accepted Answer

When a business pays late, the supplier may charge statutory interest at 8 percentage points above the Bank of England base rate. The supplier is also entitled to a fixed sum for recovery costs: £40 for debts under £1,000, £70 up to £10,000 and £100 for larger debts. Unless otherwise agreed, payment is due 30 days after delivery or invoice.

United Kingdom: common questions on work, consumer rights, data and inheritance