When can an employee ask for flexible working (like part-time, flexi-time, job sharing, working from home)?

Employees who have children under 16 or disabled children under 18 have the right to request flexible working if they have been continuously employed for 26 weeks. Also able to ask for flexible working are employees who are carers for certain adults - partners, spouses or ‘near’ relatives wherever they live or any adult who lives with the employee.

The employer must give fair consideration to the request although there are a number of grounds on which it could be refused.