Acas Consults on New Flexible Working Code as 78% of UK Workers Call Flexibility Essential

Nearly 8 in 10 UK workers — 78% — say flexible working is important in a job, according to a poll published today by Acas, the workplace advisory body. The figure lands as Acas opens a consultation on an updated code of practice for flexible working requests, ahead of legal changes confirmed by the government for Autumn 2027.

The national picture first. From Autumn 2027, UK employers will have to take specific steps to consult an employee while considering a flexible working request, unless they accept it in full. Refusals remain possible under the existing eight statutory business reasons, but employers will also need to show it is reasonable to reject a request and explain their decision. Baroness Maggie Jones, writing for Acas, says the revised code is designed to help employers and employees understand the new law, reach fair and effective decisions, and stop disagreements escalating into disputes.

What the poll says about your position

For individual workers, the 78% figure signals how common the expectation of flexibility has become — and, by extension, how little competitive edge a flexible offer now carries on its own. For hiring managers and HR professionals, it frames the practical question the new code addresses: not whether to offer flexibility, but how to make consistent, defensible decisions when requests arrive. Acas stresses that flexibility will look different in every workplace and that some form of it may be possible in many roles, though not every request will be practical in every circumstance.

Four decision-making principles

The draft code rests on four principles employers should apply when weighing requests:

• Base decisions on evidence, finding and weighing relevant information rather than relying on assumptions
• Adapt where possible, considering whether reasonable changes could make an arrangement work
• Work together to find solutions, exploring modifications, alternatives or trial periods
• Act transparently and consistently, explaining the process and reasons behind a decision

Acas says the principles apply to organisations of every size and sector, though how they are applied depends on an employer's size, resources and operational needs. The code does not prescribe identical outcomes for every request or workplace.

What employers should do now

The legal change does not arrive until Autumn 2027, and Acas advises employers to keep following the current code of practice for statutory requests in the meantime. Its preparation guidance includes checking compliance with the existing code, maintaining clear written policies and procedures, linking any refusal to one of the statutory business reasons, explaining concerns clearly to the requester, and meeting obligations under the Equality Act 2010 — including reasonable adjustments for disabled workers and avoiding unlawful discrimination.

Acas also encourages early preparation. Many employers are already moving ahead of the reforms, and the advisory body notes that some form of flexibility can be built into almost all jobs: where one arrangement is impractical, another type may work.

The consultation on the updated code closes at 11:59pm on 17 December 2026, giving HR professionals and employers until late next year to shape guidance that will govern how the Autumn 2027 consultation duty is applied in practice.