England: templates and forms

For the directors of a solvent private limited company in the UK that has stopped trading and is to be closed. The written resolution records that the company meets the conditions of the Companies Act 2006 for voluntary strike-off, authorises the application on form DS01 (£13 online) and the copies that must go within seven days to its members, employees, creditors, any director who did not sign and pension trustees. A company that cannot pay its debts is closed through an insolvency practitioner instead.

For a private individual owed money by another individual — an unrepaid loan, a share of a bill, money paid for something never handed over. The letter sets out the debt and gives 14 days to pay or reply, as the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct expects, and says you will otherwise claim in the County Court through Money Claim Online. It is not the letter of claim a business sends an individual, which follows the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims. Send it first class with a certificate of posting, and by email.

For a parent in England whose child has been refused a place at a school they applied for, in the normal admissions round or during the school year. An appeal under section 94 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 and the School Admission Appeals Code 2022, to the clerk of the independent appeal panel: it identifies the decision, sets out your grounds, asks for the place and for the hearing papers in good time. Posted first class, with the decision letter and your evidence; many councils also take appeals online.

For anyone in the UK who wants a copy of the personal data an organisation holds about them: an employer or former employer, a bank, a council, a landlord, a phone company or a parking operator. A request under Article 15 of the UK GDPR: it asks for all your data, or the parts you name, and the information about how it is used, and reminds the organisation that it has one month and may not charge. Sent by email to the data protection officer. The ICO publishes a free template too.

For a consumer who bought goods or a service online, by phone or away from the trader's premises and has changed their mind. The notice cancels the contract within the 14-day cancellation period of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, with no reason needed, and asks for a refund within 14 days. The model cancellation form the trader must give you, or its own online form, does the same job free. Send it by email and by first class post with a free certificate of posting, and keep a copy.

For a customer with a complaint about a bank, building society, credit card company, lender, pension or investment firm — a charge, a refused or wrong payment, poor service, a mistake or a mis-sold product. The letter is the formal complaint the FCA's rules require the firm to answer: within 15 business days for most payment-services complaints, and within eight weeks otherwise. After its final response, or once the time has passed, you can take it free to the Financial Ombudsman Service within six months.

For a business in England and Wales that provides services to another business: consultancy, design, maintenance, marketing or IT support. The agreement sets out the services, the fees, invoicing and payment within an agreed period, who owns the work produced, confidentiality, data protection, a cap on liability, notice to end it and the law of England and Wales. Late payment carries statutory interest. Both businesses sign. For an individual freelancer, the freelance consultancy agreement fits better.

For a borrower who was given a loan, credit card, overdraft limit, car finance or catalogue credit they could not repay without hardship. FCA rules require a lender to check creditworthiness and affordability before lending or raising a limit (CONC 5). The letter complains that the checks were not proportionate, sets out your finances at the time, and asks for interest and charges to be refunded and your credit file corrected. The lender has eight weeks; then the Financial Ombudsman Service is free.

For a customer who has cancelled a Direct Debit or standing order with their bank — usually in online banking, free and at once — and needs to tell the company it paid. Cancelling the payment does not end a contract or a debt, so the letter states your position: the contract has ended, you will pay another way, or you dispute the charges. Under the Direct Debit Guarantee, your bank refunds at once any payment taken in error. Send it by email and by first class post.

For a pregnant employee in England, Wales or Scotland: the written notice of your pregnancy, the expected week of childbirth, the date you want your maternity leave to start and the date for Statutory Maternity Pay, given by the end of the 15th week before the expected week, with your MAT B1 certificate enclosed or to follow. It asks your employer to confirm in writing, within 28 days, when your leave ends and what you will be paid. GOV.UK explains maternity pay and leave free. Hand it in and email it.

For the registered keeper of a vehicle in Great Britain who has received a notice under section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 asking who was driving, usually with a speeding or red-light notice of intended prosecution. Fill in the police form sent with the notice, then send it with this letter, which names you or another driver, names the keeper if you had sold the vehicle, or explains what you did to find out. Reply within 28 days: failing to name the driver is an offence carrying six penalty points and a fine.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland made redundant after at least two years' continuous employment whose redundancy pay has not been paid: the written claim to the employer that section 164 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 asks for within six months, giving the dates, your figure if you have one, 14 days to pay and a request for the written calculation, then naming Acas early conciliation and the tribunal. GOV.UK's redundancy pay calculator is free. Sent first class and by email.

For someone who has revoked a power of attorney they gave under the 1971 Act: a letter to a bank, building society, utility, landlord or any organisation the attorney has dealt with, saying the power has been revoked, asking them to stop accepting the attorney’s instructions and to confirm it in writing. It encloses a copy of the deed of revocation and goes first class with a free certificate of posting, or by hand.

For a person in England or Wales who disputes a council tax decision — that they are liable for a property, the amount charged, a refused discount or exemption, or that the property is chargeable at all: the written notice to the council that section 16 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 requires before any appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England or for Wales. The council has two months to answer. Keep paying meanwhile. Sent first class.

For a council taxpayer in England or Wales: a letter to the council asking for the single person discount (25% off when you are the only adult at home), a discount because the other adults are disregarded, such as full-time students, or an exemption, from a date you give, with any backdating and refund. Most councils have a free online form that does the same; this letter suits those who prefer writing or have a case the form does not fit. Sent first class.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland with parental responsibility (in Scotland, parental responsibilities) for a child under 18: a notice taking unpaid parental leave, giving the child, the dates and the number of weeks. The default rules allow 18 weeks for each child, up to four weeks a year, in whole weeks, with at least 21 days' notice; since 6 April 2026 the right starts on your first day. The employer can postpone the leave for up to six months, but not refuse it. Hand it in and email it.

For someone who gave a general or one-off power of attorney and wants to end it — they no longer need it, or no longer trust the attorney. The deed revokes the power from its date and is signed in front of a witness. Give a copy to the attorney and to every bank or organisation that has dealt with them: until they know, they may still be protected if they rely on the power (Powers of Attorney Act 1971, s 5). Not for a registered lasting power of attorney.

For a parent or anyone else with parental responsibility who is not going on the trip: a signed letter consenting to the child travelling abroad with the other parent, grandparents, a school or a friend’s family. Taking a child under 16 out of the UK without the consent of everyone with parental responsibility, or the court’s permission, can be an offence (Child Abduction Act 1984, s 1). There is no official form. The letter names the child, the trip and the dates, and gives your telephone number so that border staff or an airline can check it. Give it to the adult travelling, with a copy of your passport or driving licence.

For someone who needs another person to act for them in one matter only — selling a car, signing a contract, dealing with a bank account or a property sale while they are abroad. A deed (Powers of Attorney Act 1971, s 1) that names the matter, what the attorney may sign and when the power ends, signed in front of a witness. If a letter of authority or the organisation’s own free form will do, use that first.

For a parent or guardian changing the name of a child under 18 — after a divorce, a new family or at the child’s wish. Everyone with parental responsibility must agree, or the court must permit it; the deed says which, and a 16- or 17-year-old signs their own consent. It renounces the old name and adopts the new one, signed in front of two adult witnesses. GOV.UK explains the free route and the optional enrolment, which costs a fee.

For a policyholder in the UK unhappy with how a car insurer has handled a claim: a delay, a low offer, a refusal or a write-off valuation. The letter sets out the complaint and what you want, and reminds the insurer that under the Financial Conduct Authority's rules it has eight weeks to send a final response. If you are still unhappy, or eight weeks pass, you can take the complaint free to the Financial Ombudsman Service within six months of the final response. Send it by email and keep a copy.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who looks after a family member or someone who relies on them with a long-term care need: a notice taking carer's leave under the Carer's Leave Act 2023 — up to one week in any 12 months, from your first day in the job, in half days, days or a whole week. It gives the dates and who the care is for, by relationship only. The employer may postpone, but not refuse, the leave, and cannot require evidence. The law does not insist on writing, but a written notice is your proof. Hand it in and email it, keeping a copy.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who is leaving their job: a letter that resigns, states the notice your contract requires (at least one week once you have worked a month, section 86 of the Employment Rights Act 1996) and the last day of employment, and asks for written confirmation, final pay including holiday earned and not taken, and your P45. Hand it to your manager and send it by email the same day, keeping a copy.

For a taxpayer anywhere in the UK with a penalty or decision from HM Revenue and Customs on income tax, Capital Gains Tax or Corporation Tax that they think is wrong — a late filing or late payment penalty with a reasonable excuse, a Making Tax Digital penalty, another decision: a written appeal to HMRC within 30 days of the date of the notice, giving your grounds and asking for a review or the tribunal route. For Self Assessment penalties, HMRC's online service and form SA370 are free and do the same. For VAT, the decision letter gives a different route. Sent first class.