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View full libraryA concern about lateness letter for raising repeated or unacceptable lateness with an employee and making clear the expected standard of attendance and punctuality.
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[Sender name]
[Sender address]
[date]
[Recipient name]
[Recipient address]
Dear [Recipient first name],
Concern about lateness
I am writing following our recent discussion about your attendance and, in particular, concerns regarding your punctuality.
Your normal working hours are [start time] to [finish time], and you are expected to be ready to start work at [start time] each working day.
We have noted the following occasions when you arrived after your scheduled start time:
| Date | Expected start time | Actual arrival time | Minutes late |
We discussed the reasons
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Occasional lateness may happen for genuine and unavoidable reasons, but a repeated pattern can affect colleagues, customers and the operation of a business. This letter provides a professional way to raise concerns at an early stage and make clear what improvement is expected without unnecessarily moving straight to formal disciplinary action.
The letter allows the employer to identify the dates and frequency of lateness and explain why punctuality is important. Keeping the discussion factual helps avoid the employee feeling that the concern is based on assumptions or isolated incidents.
Lateness can sometimes be connected to transport difficulties, caring responsibilities, health issues, disability or another underlying circumstance. The employee should be given an opportunity to explain what is happening before conclusions are reached about their conduct or performance.
The letter confirms the employee's expected start time and sets out what needs to change. Where appropriate, it can also identify practical measures, such as allowing the employee to raise difficulties with their manager or agreeing a review period.
Where the concern is relatively minor or the employer is seeking to address the issue informally, this letter can provide a useful written record. If lateness continues, the employer can then consider whether further action under its attendance, capability or disciplinary procedures is appropriate.
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Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Concern about lateness letter should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
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It can be, particularly where lateness is persistent, unexplained and contrary to the employee's contractual working arrangements. However, an employer may choose to address a minor or emerging concern informally before considering formal disciplinary action.
Yes, wherever practical. Discussing the concern first gives the employee an opportunity to explain the circumstances and allows the employer to identify whether there is an underlying issue that needs to be considered.
The employer should consider the explanation carefully. A genuine occasional difficulty may not require further action, while an ongoing issue may require an agreed solution. If the reason could relate to a disability or another protected circumstance, further consideration may be necessary.
Employers should check the employee's contract and pay arrangements before making deductions. A deduction should not be used automatically as a disciplinary measure, and any deduction must comply with the rules governing deductions from wages. https://www.acas.org.uk/deductions-from-pay-and-wages
Not necessarily. This template is designed for raising an informal concern and setting expectations. If the employer intends to issue a formal warning, it should normally follow the organisation's disciplinary procedure and the principles of the Acas Code.
AI can generate a basic letter about lateness, but it may blur the distinction between an informal management conversation and formal disciplinary action or overlook issues such as reasonable adjustments and consistent treatment. HRDocBox templates are built around practical UK HR processes and provide structured wording that managers can adapt and use as part of a defensible attendance process.
The manager could use it without needing a long explanation first. The finished letter looked professional without sounding overly corporate. The document fitted neatly into the steps we were already following.
How this content is developed and reviewed
The Concern about lateness letter 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 disciplinary 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."
Whether you employ 5 people or 50, hrdocbox gives you the structure, documents and expertise needed to manage employees professionally and legally.
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