Capability dismissal letter template

£9.99

UK-specific • Editable • Instant download • 12 months' updates

Confirms the dismissal of an employee following a capability process and provides key details, next steps, and appeal rights.

Capability dismissal letter template
2026 Reviewed
Specifications
Access 12 months (includes updates)
Length 1 page • 145 words
Jurisdiction England, Wales and Scotland
Based on UK employment law, ACAS guidance
Last review 01/08/2026
Next review 01/02/2027
Delivery Instant download
Formats .doc · .txt · email

Download .doc

Copy [to paste]

Email
Template

[Sender name]

[Sender address]

[date]

[Recipient name]

[Recipient address]

 

Dear [Recipient first name],

Outcome of final stage capability hearing

I am writing to confirm the outcome of the final capability hearing held on [Date], which was chaired by [Chairperson’s Name and Job Title].

Following careful consideration of the information presented, the decision has been made to terminate your employment with [Company Name]

PREVIEW ENDS HERE

This is the end of the preview

You've seen just 30% of how the Capability dismissal letter template is structured. Get the complete editable template instantly and customise it for your organisation.

£9.99

Need the complete Capability process?

Explore the Capability templates toolkit

What is a capability dismissal letter?

Capability dismissal letter template preview

This template confirms dismissal following a final capability hearing and outlines the rationale, termination date, and notice or pay arrangements.

It provides clear information on appeal rights, helps protect against procedural risk, and ensures the process remains fair and transparent.

Use this letter when performance issues have not improved despite formal support and the final stage has been reached.

Implementation guidance

Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Capability dismissal letter should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.

Step Description Responsibility Timing
1 Identify and document ongoing performance concerns, providing support, clear expectations, and time to improve through a formal capability process. Line Manager / HR Over a period of 4–12 weeks, depending on policy
2 Conduct a formal capability review meeting to assess progress. If insufficient improvement is made, consider dismissal as a potential outcome. Line Manager / HR 1–2 weeks after review period ends
3 Hold a final capability hearing, allowing the employee to respond. Consider all evidence before making a decision to dismiss. Senior Manager / HR 1 week after review meeting
4 Draft and issue the Capability Dismissal Letter, confirming the outcome, reason for dismissal, notice period, appeal rights, and final pay. HR Within 2–3 days of the dismissal decision
5 Complete follow-up actions including processing final pay, revoking system access, arranging return of company property, and recording the outcome. HR / Payroll / IT Within 1 week of letter being issued
Premium content

To continue reading, purchase this item or a parent toolkit, library or our full library.

You may also need these resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this in my small business?

Yes. This template has been designed for organisations of all sizes, including small businesses, charities and growing employers. It follows UK employment law best practice and can be adapted to suit your organisation.

Is it compliant with 2026 UK employment law?

Our templates are developed with UK employment legislation, Acas guidance and HR best practice in mind and are reviewed and updated as relevant requirements change. However, every employment situation is different, so the template should be adapted to the circumstances and checked against the employee's contract and your organisation's procedures before use.

Can I customise it for my organisation?

Yes, we highlight the areas of the document that you need to update with your own details, and where you need to make decisions to suit your situation. This saves you time and ensures that you meet best practice.

Do I get instant access to it?

Yes. Once purchased, you'll be able to download it instantly. Templates are provided in editable format (such as .doc or .xls) so you can customise them easily, and in PDF format for easy sharing.

What if I need more help, not just this template?

If you're looking for broader support, we also offer toolkits and library bundles that include the Capability dismissal letter template, along with other HR templates and policies for fully managing your situation. These may be more cost-effective if you need deeper advice.

Why should I use this Capability dismissal letter template, and not AI to generate it?

AI can produce a document quickly, but effective HR documentation needs to be more than well-written words. It needs to reflect relevant UK employment law, HR best practice, practical considerations and the circumstances in which it will be used. These resources have been professionally developed around that wider HR context, drawing on extensive practical experience, rather than simply generating a generic document from a prompt.

How this content is developed and reviewed

The Capability dismissal 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 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.

About the author

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 capability 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.

Executive recommendation

"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."

RB
Ruth Brock Chief Executive Officer The Hygiene Bank
Get started today

HR confidence starts here

Whether you employ 5 people or 50, hrdocbox gives you the structure, documents and expertise needed to manage employees professionally and legally.

Download your FREE UK employment contract template

Professionally written and fully compliant with UK employment law

Download FREE contract
Free UK employment contract template