I want to attend a language course but my employer says this is not essential for my job. What can I do?

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The Employment Rights Act introduces major reforms to UK employment law, with changes being implemented in stages from December 2025 through to 2027.

Employment Rights Act

Published date

16 Dec 2025

If you are 18 or over and have been employed by an organisation with 250 or more employees for at least six months, you have a legal right to time off for study or training if this would improve the effectiveness or performance of your employer’s business. It does not have to be essential to the business so long as you can show that improving your language skills would benefit it in some way.  

Your employer has a legal obligation to consider your request and must comply with statutory time limits and procedures relating to that request. For example, within 28 days of making your request, your employer must normally have accepted it or met with you to discuss it (giving its decision within 14 days thereafter). 

If your request is turned down, consider whether your employer has complied with these requirements. If not, you may be able to challenge its decision in an employment tribunal. If your request has been lawfully turned down, and you remain keen to learn a language, you will have to accept that this will have to be studied in your own time and financed by you. 

The right to request flexible working is available to all employees, and you can make a request to change your hours for any reason, such as for time off to complete your language course. This may be an option, although obviously you would not be paid for those hours. Any change to your hours made as a flexible working request would be a permanent change to the employment contract, unless you agree clearly that the change is temporary. Browse our section on Flexible Working for tips on making the request. 

If you are in Wales or Scotland, are aged 16 or 17, not in full-time education and have not attained a certain standard of achievement (for example, grades A-C in five subjects at GCSE), you have a legal right to time off work, with pay, for study or training. 

The amount of time off must be reasonable, taking into account the requirements of your study or training, together with the circumstances of your employer's business and the effect of the time off on the business. 

Pay for such training should be at the normal hourly rate. You can find out more about time off to study for workers aged 16 and 17 on the GOV.UK website. 

Note: This content is provided as general background information and should not be taken as legal advice or financial advice for your particular situation. Make sure to get individual advice on your case from your union, a source on our free help page or an independent financial advisor before taking any action.

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