UK CV format: how to write a CV and cover letter (2026)

In short

• UK CV: the National Careers Service advises that it should include sections for contact details, an introduction, education history, work history and references (as of November 2026, National Careers Service). It also advises a clear font in size 11 or bigger.
• What to leave out: the same service advises not to include your age, date of birth, marital status or nationality in your CV.
• Cover letter: the service advises always including one when you apply with a CV. It is short, usually 3 to 5 paragraphs (National Careers Service).
• References: instead of putting someone else's contact details on your CV, you can say "references are available on request".
• Right to work: you must prove it to your employer before you start work (as of November 2026, GOV.UK).

What a UK CV should look like

You usually need a CV to apply for a job or to give to an employer you would like to work for. Employers get lots of CVs and decide quickly who to interview, so the National Careers Service advises making your CV clear and easy to read (as of November 2026, National Careers Service). The service advises:

• a clear font such as Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri, in size 11 or bigger;
• the same style throughout, with headings and bullet points;
• writing clearly and to the point;
• asking someone else to read it to check your spelling and grammar.

A job advert will usually have the job description, essential criteria and company details. Use it to tailor your CV to the role, for example by highlighting the skills the employer has asked for; the service says this can improve your chances of an interview. Keep an existing CV up to date: add new achievements, remove outdated information and check your contact details.

Which sections a CV needs

The National Careers Service lists these sections (as of November 2026, National Careers Service):

1. Contact details: your name, phone number, email address and a link to your work network profile, if you have one.
2. Introduction: a few short lines that sum up who you are and what you hope to do, just under your name and contact details. It should show that you are the right person for the job.
3. Education history: the names of your qualifications, the school, college or university where you studied and the dates you attended. Early in your career or with little work experience, you can put this after the introduction; with a lot of experience, you can change the order and show your work history first.
4. Work history: work placements, volunteering and paid jobs, most recent first. For each, give the employer name, job title, dates and what you did, usually in 2 to 3 lines using the STAR method.
5. References: you can add this section if someone has agreed to give you one: a current or previous employer, a teacher or someone respected in your community. Do not put someone else's contact details on your CV; you can say "references are available on request" instead.

STAR has four parts (The STAR method): Situation (the situation you had to deal with), Task (the task you were given), Action (the action you took) and Result (what happened as a result and what you learned). Examples can come from work, home or volunteering and should be short and to the point. The method is also used in a cover letter, an application form and an interview.

Gaps between jobs are normal when life events happen. For a first job, you can focus on skills from projects, work experience or volunteering, and add interests and hobbies that show skills (for example, captaining a sports team shows leadership and organisation).

What not to put on your CV

The National Careers Service advises not to include your age, date of birth, whether you are married or your nationality (as of November 2026, National Careers Service).

The law protects you from discrimination at work, including in recruitment. The protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010 include age, being married or in a civil partnership, and race, including nationality (GOV.UK). GOV.UK says employers must not ask candidates whether they are married, single or in a civil partnership, or whether they have children or plan to have children (GOV.UK). If a problem cannot be sorted out informally, you can talk to Acas, Citizens Advice or a trade union representative; you might also be able to take a discrimination claim to an employment tribunal. We cover your wider rights at work in our guide to employment rights in the UK.

How to write a cover letter

A cover letter introduces you to an employer and asks them to think about your application. The National Careers Service advises always including one when you apply with a CV (as of November 2026, National Careers Service). You can write it as an email if you apply online, or print a copy to go with a paper application. According to the service:

1. Research the company: check its website and recent news articles, or talk to people you know who work there.
2. Address the letter to a named person: you need their name, preferred title (for example Dr, Mr, Mrs, Ms) and job title. If the advert gives no name, look on the company website for the head of the department, head of human resources or a recruitment manager. If you still cannot find a name, you can start with "Dear Sir or Madam".
3. Introduction: introduce yourself and say how you found the job; you can mention the job title and the reference number, if there is one.
4. Fit for the job: highlight the skills and experience that match what the employer is looking for.
5. Extra information: you can talk about the skills you gained during gaps in employment. You do not have to mention a disability at this stage if you prefer not to.
6. Ending: thank the employer for considering your application, say they can get more details from your CV and that you look forward to hearing from them. Your contact details must be correct on both the letter and the CV.

The service also advises writing a new letter for every job, tailored to the company and role, in the same font and size as your CV, in a professional tone using the keywords from the advert. Back up your statements with facts and the STAR method, check spelling and grammar, and keep a copy, as you may be asked about it in an interview. How to end the letter is explained in the questions below.

References in the UK

According to Acas, an employer does not have to give a reference by law unless they have agreed in writing to provide one (for example, in an employment contract), it is for certain financial services jobs regulated by the FCA or PRA, or it was agreed in some other circumstances, for example in a settlement agreement (as of November 2026, Acas).

• A basic work reference, also called a factual reference, is a short summary of employment, for example the job title and dates worked. A character reference is usually from someone who knows the applicant well, such as a manager, a mentor or someone they have volunteered for (Acas).
• If an employer gives a reference, it must be accurate and fair; the employer giving it decides how much information to include.
• The best time to ask for a reference is the final stage of recruitment, when making a job offer. Before approaching your current employer, the new employer should have made a conditional job offer, have your permission to request references and have made it clear at the application stage whether they need a work or character reference (Acas).
• If you are struggling to get a reference, ask the employer who needs it whether they will accept one from someone else (for example a manager or someone you worked with), from a different employer, or from someone who has not worked with you but knows you well. Instead of a reference, an employer might employ you on a probationary period. If an employer does not give detailed references, you can ask for a basic one (Acas).

Right to work and share codes

You must prove your right to work in the UK to your employer before you start work (as of November 2026, GOV.UK). We explain how to get a share code in our guide to the EU Settlement Scheme and settled status.

Finding jobs, agencies and scams

You can look for jobs on the government's "find a job" service. Recruitment agencies help people find full-time, part-time or temporary work, and you can register with more than one at a time (as of November 2026, National Careers Service). We explain agency fees in our guide to scams in the UK.

Information you submit through a fraudulent job advert can be used by criminals, including for identity theft. In a 2021 statement the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) warned about companies that took money for DBS checks from job seekers for jobs that were never real (GOV.UK).

Frequently asked questions

Do you put your date of birth on a UK CV?

The National Careers Service advises against it (as of November 2026, National Careers Service). An employer can ask for a date of birth on an application form only if the job requires a certain age, for example selling alcohol. They can also collect it on a separate equality monitoring form, which the person selecting or interviewing candidates should not see (GOV.UK).

What is the difference between "Yours sincerely" and "Yours faithfully"?

According to the National Careers Service, a letter to someone whose name you know ends with "Yours sincerely" (as of November 2026, National Careers Service). A letter beginning "Dear Sir or Madam" ends with "Yours faithfully".

Can an agency charge me for writing my CV?

According to GOV.UK, an agency can charge for certain services, for example CV writing, training or transport. You can cancel these if you give notice, and an agency cannot make you use them as a condition for finding you work (as of November 2026, GOV.UK).

Where to get help

• National Careers Service: advice on CVs and cover letters (How to write a CV). The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) also has a CV builder tool.
• Acas, Citizens Advice, a trade union: if a discrimination problem at work cannot be sorted out informally (GOV.UK).
• JobsAware (as of November 2026): report a suspected job scam through the JobsAware portal. If you have parted with money because of one, contact the police (GOV.UK).
• Looking for construction work? We cover the CSCS card, the CITB test and card types separately. See also the Work section.