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View full libraryUse this approval to recruit form to assess recruitment requests, confirm budget availability and obtain management approval before advertising a vacancy or making an appointment.
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Purpose
This form must be completed for a proposed vacancy in accordance with the organisation's recruitment and financial approval procedures. Recruitment must not begin until all required approvals have been obtained.
Section 1 — Request details
| Information | Details |
| Request date | |
| Hiring manager | |
| Department / team | |
| Proposed job title | |
| Proposed reporting line | |
| Work location / site | |
| Proposed start date | |
| Required decision date |
Section 2 — Type of recruitment
Select the applicable option.
If this is a replacement vacancy, provide the details below.
| Information | Details |
| Previous jobholder, where appropriate | |
| Previous job title | |
| Leaving date / vacancy date | |
| Is the role and salary budget already approved? | [ ] Yes [ ] No |
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An approval to recruit form gives employers a consistent process for deciding whether a vacancy should be filled. It helps managers explain the business need, confirm the role's responsibilities and working arrangements, and demonstrate that recruitment has been considered alongside operational priorities and available resources.
Recruitment can create significant ongoing costs, particularly when salary, employer National Insurance, pension contributions, recruitment fees, equipment and training are considered together. The form provides a clear approval point before expenditure is committed, helping managers distinguish between an essential replacement, a newly created role and a temporary staffing requirement.
A good recruitment request explains why the role is needed, what would happen if it remained vacant and how the appointment supports the organisation's objectives. It also prompts managers to consider alternatives, such as internal recruitment, reallocating responsibilities, developing existing employees, overtime or temporary cover, where appropriate.
The form records the proposed job title, department, reporting line, employment type, working hours, salary range and anticipated start date. This information helps HR and managers prepare an accurate job description, agree the selection process and ensure that the proposed role is consistent with the organisation's structure and pay arrangements.
Documented approval makes it clear who authorised the vacancy, which budget will fund it and what conditions apply. It also helps HR prevent recruitment from starting prematurely, maintain accurate headcount records and monitor whether recruitment expenditure remains within agreed limits. A completed form should be retained alongside the relevant recruitment records.
Related HR resources and workflow
Explore the HR resources that may be relevant before and / or after using the Approval to recruit form, helping you understand the wider process, maintain appropriate documentation and follow a consistent approach.
This model recruitment policy is to assist managers to prepare for the recruitment of a new employee.
A job advert is used to post jobs and helps standardise them across a business.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Approval to recruit form should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Understand the common mistakes to avoid when using this HR template, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled correctly.
An approval to recruit form is an internal document used to justify a vacancy and obtain authorisation before recruitment begins. It records the business need, proposed role, employment costs, budget position and required approvals, helping organisations control recruitment and headcount.
The hiring manager or department manager should normally complete the initial request. HR can review the job requirements and recruitment arrangements, Finance or the budget holder can confirm affordability, and the relevant authorised manager can approve the vacancy in accordance with the organisation's delegation of authority.
Yes, unless the organisation's documented recruitment policy provides otherwise. Even when an employee is replacing someone who has left, the organisation should confirm that the role is still needed, the budget remains available and the proposed salary and working arrangements are appropriate.
Consider gross salary or wages, employer National Insurance, employer pension contributions, recruitment agency fees, advertising, equipment, uniforms, training and any other relevant employment costs. For temporary or agency workers, include the expected cost over the anticipated assignment period.
Not necessarily. It authorises the vacancy to proceed within the agreed conditions. The organisation should still follow its recruitment and selection process, obtain any required appointment approval and complete the necessary pre-employment checks before employment begins.
HRDocBox provides practical, customisable HR templates designed for UK employers, including small and medium-sized businesses. This form helps standardise recruitment requests, improve visibility of employment costs and create a clear approval trail before managers commit to recruitment.
AI can help draft a recruitment request, but a structured HRDocBox template provides a reusable process for capturing business justification, budget details and authorisation in a consistent format. You can adapt it to your organisation's approval levels and recruitment policy, helping managers and HR follow the same process for each vacancy.
How this content is developed and reviewed
The Approval to recruit form template is developed using a practical HR methodology that considers current UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, CIPD good practice and the real-world HR process it supports. Templates and supporting information are regularly reviewed and updated, with additional reviews triggered by significant changes to legislation, guidance or established HR practice, helping ensure each document remains practical, relevant and suitable for UK employers.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing job design HR processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
HRDocBox has been creating practical UK HR documents since 2009.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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