Resignation acceptance letter template
A resignation acceptance letter confirms in writing that an employer has received an employee's resignation and what happens next. It gives the final day of work, the final pay date and amount, what company property to return and who to ask for a reference. It is sent as soon as possible after the resignation, and is often the last letter an employee receives.
Adapted from Acas (7 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
What changes each time
13 values. Everything else is your wording, kept exactly.
The employer and the employee
- Business name
- Business address
- Date of letter
- Employee name
- Date of the resignation
Final day and pay
- Final day of work
- Final pay date
- Total final pay
- Reason for any deduction
Leaving arrangements
- Who to return company property to
- Items to return
- Who to ask for a reference
- Letter signed by
The rules it usually needs
Written in plain English when the template is set up.
- Only when…
“The deductions paragraph appears only when the final pay includes deductions.”
Payroll's note showed a £350.00 training deduction, so the paragraph is in, and the final pay sentence says 'including owed holiday and deductions'.
- The AI decides from the paperwork
“Include the pay in lieu of notice paragraph only when the employer is offering pay in lieu of notice rather than requiring the notice to be worked.”
Both the resignation email and payroll's note said the notice would be worked in full, so the paragraph was left out, with that reason shown.
One worked example, start to finish
The resignation acceptance letter in DocuWeave, from upload to approval.
1The document uploaded
The Acas resignation acceptance letter, a Word file, uploaded as it is.
- 2
The template it became
It found 8 sections and 14 values, and asked 3 questions before publishing. The deductions paragraph and the pay in lieu of notice paragraph appear only when they apply.
3The paperwork dropped in
The resignation email, payroll's final pay note, the return-of-property list and a typed note.
4What was found, with sources
12 of 14 values filled from the paperwork, each with the passage it came from.
5What it asked
2 things for a person: the business address, which the paperwork did not state, and the final pay figure the template always checks.
6The approved output
Approved, with Word and PDF downloads of exactly what was approved.
A free resignation acceptance letter to download
- Resignation acceptance letter, filled with fictional details (Word)
- Resignation acceptance letter, filled with fictional details (PDF)
Use it as it is, or upload it to DocuWeave and make it a template.
DocuWeave is not a law firm. A general template for common situations in England and Wales. It is not tailored to you and we do not update it when the law changes, so check it suits your situation before you use it. Terms.
Adapted from Acas (7 October 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Questions people ask
Do I have to accept a resignation in writing?
There is no legal requirement, but it is good practice. A letter gives the employee and you a clear record of the date the resignation was received, the last day and what is happening with final pay.
What should a resignation acceptance letter include?
That you have received the resignation and its date, the final day of work, when and how much final pay will be, any deductions, what to return and who to contact for a reference.
Can an employer make deductions from final pay?
Only where the contract allows it, the law permits it or the employee has agreed in writing. If you deduct anything, say what it is for in the letter.
What is pay in lieu of notice?
Money paid instead of the employee working their notice period. It only applies if the employment contract allows it or the employee agrees, and the letter should say if you are offering it.
Can I use my own resignation acceptance letter instead of this one?
Yes. Upload your own Word or PDF version and DocuWeave turns it into a template in your wording, with the same kind of rules and the same filling from paperwork.
Use this template
It opens in DocuWeave as a template you can check, change and publish. Nothing is used until you do.