In the current UK economic climate, the traditional 9-to-5 is no longer a one-size-fits-all solution. Whether you are a new parent navigating childcare costs, a carer, a retiree looking to ease out of work, or simply someone seeking a better work-life balance, reducing your hours can feel like the holy grail.
However, knowing how to move to part time can be daunting. Unlike applying for a new job, switching from full-time to part-time in your current role involves legal rights, financial recalibration, and difficult conversations.
In this guide, we break down exactly how to move to part-time hours in the UK, covering your legal right to request flexible working, how to approach your employer, and how to ensure your finances survive the transition.
Understanding Your Legal Right: Flexible Working
The first thing UK employees need to understand is that you do not have a right to work part-time, but you do have a right to request it.
Since 2014, the right to request flexible working has been available to all employees with 26 weeks of continuous service. However, as of April 2024, new legislation (the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023) came into effect that significantly strengthens your position.
Key changes to the law (2024):
- Day one right: You no longer have to wait 26 weeks to make a request.
- Two requests per year: You can now make two requests in a 12-month period.
- Faster decisions: Employers must now respond within two months (down from three).
- No more "how to deal with it": Employers must consult with you before rejecting a request.
If you are searching for how to move to part time successfully, leveraging this legal framework is your safest bet. It forces your employer to treat your request seriously rather than dismissing it out of hand.
Step 1: Prepare Your Case (The Business Case)
Before you submit a formal application, you need to move from "what I want" to "what works for the business." Employers in the UK are more likely to approve a part-time request if it solves a problem rather than creates one.
When planning how to move to part-time hours, consider the following structures:
- Compressed hours: Working your full weekly hours over four days (e.g., 8am–6pm).
- Reduced hours: Working 3 or 4 days a week, with a proportional salary cut.
- Job sharing: Splitting your role with another colleague.
- Term-time only: Popular in education and support roles.
Pro tip: Draft a proposal outlining how your handover will work. For example, if you want to take Wednesdays off, explain how urgent Friday deadlines will still be met. This reduces your manager’s anxiety about coverage.
Step 2: The Financial Reality Check
One of the biggest hurdles when learning how to move to part time is the financial impact. In the UK, going part-time usually means a pro-rata salary reduction.
What you need to calculate:
- Pro-rata salary: If you work 3 days a week (0.6 FTE) and earn £30,000 full-time, your new salary will be £18,000.
- Tax and NI: You will pay less tax, but you may lose some National Insurance contributions towards your State Pension if your earnings drop below the Lower Earnings Limit (£123 per week).
- Pension contributions: Check if your employer’s pension contribution remains the same percentage of your reduced salary.
- Means-tested benefits: If your household income drops significantly, you may now be eligible for Universal Credit, Council Tax Reduction, or Tax-Free Childcare.
Use a salary calculator (like MoneySavingExpert’s) to see your exact post-tax take-home before signing the contract.
Step 3: How to Approach Your Manager
Timing is everything. If you are serious about how to move to part time, avoid springing it on your manager during a crisis.
The Script:
Request a formal “Flexible Working Meeting.” Under UK law, you are entitled to be accompanied by a colleague or trade union rep if the meeting is about a statutory request.
During the meeting:
- State it formally: “I am submitting a statutory request for flexible working to reduce my hours from 5 days to 3 days.”
- Show your homework: Present your proposal document.
- Open a trial period: Suggest a 3-month trial. This lowers the perceived risk for the employer. If the department struggles, you can revert; if it works, you make it permanent.
Step 4: If Your Employer Says No
Unfortunately, even with the new 2024 laws, employers can reject a request if they have a valid business reason, such as:
- The burden of additional costs.
- An inability to reorganise work among existing staff.
- A planned structural change to the business.
If they reject your application without proper consultation, you may have a claim for indirect discrimination. Women statistically make up the majority of part-time workers, and refusing a request that is primarily sought by women can sometimes constitute sex discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
If you are in a union, involve them. If not, ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) is a free resource that can advise you on appealing the decision.
Step 5: Alternatives If Your Current Role Won’t Budge
If your current employer refuses, you have options. The UK job market has seen a surge in “quality part-time” roles—positions that used to be exclusively full-time are now being advertised with flexibility.
When searching for how to move to part time elsewhere:
- Look at sectors like the NHS, civil service, and local government, which often have robust flexible working policies.
- Use job boards like Indeed and filter by “Part Time,” but also look at specialist sites like Flexa or Timewise, which vet employers for genuine flexibility.
Final Checklist: Making It Official
Once your request is approved, ensure you get the changes in writing. You will need a variation to contract letter. Check that it specifies:
- Your new FTE (Full-Time Equivalent).
- Your new annual salary and hourly rate.
- Pro-rated holiday entitlement (remember, bank holidays are usually calculated pro-rata too).
- Changes to your pension and bonus eligibility.
Conclusion
Mastering how to move to part time in the UK is a combination of legal knowledge, financial planning, and strategic communication. With the recent updates to flexible working laws, employees now have more power than ever to shape their careers around their lives.
If you are feeling burnt out or simply missing out on life outside of work, remember that part-time work is no longer a career dead-end. In a modern UK workforce, it is a smart strategy for longevity and wellbeing.
If you want to know more about getting flexible working you can read our guide.