Free template

Uniform policy template

A simple, editable uniform and workwear policy for UK employers. Fill in the highlighted parts, delete what you don’t need and it’s ready to give to your team.

Free, no sign-up. Opens in Word or Google Docs.

What's in it

Thirteen short sections, written in plain English and addressed to your staff:

A role table showing what each person gets, how many, and which items count as PPE
What new starters wear before their kit arrives
How replacements work, and when you might ask someone to contribute
PPE, kept separate from uniform because the rules on paying for it are different
Deductions from pay, worded so you stay on the right side of minimum wage rules
What happens to kit when someone leaves
Who can order, who approves and your budget per person
A sign-off sheet for staff to confirm what they’ve been given

Why it's worth writing down

Most of the uniform problems we hear about aren’t really about the clothing. A new starter turns up on Monday and nobody ordered their kit. Someone leaves and their branded fleeces leave with them. Two managers give two different answers about whether staff pay for replacements.

None of that needs a long document. It needs someone to write the rules down once, so everyone works from the same page. That’s what this template is for.

What a role table looks like

Section 4 of the template is a simple table of who gets what. Here’s the kind of thing most teams end up with, using kit from our range.

Office and reception

Warehouse

Site and drivers

An example to get you started. Every business is different, which is why the table in the template is yours to fill in. Tap any item to see it in our shop.

Uniform and PPE aren't the same thing

The part people most often get wrong is who pays. If your risk assessment says a role needs PPE, such as hi vis or safety boots, you have to provide it free of charge, and since April 2022 that covers casual workers too.

Uniform is more flexible, but deductions for required uniform can’t take anyone’s pay below the National Minimum Wage. The template keeps the two separate so you don’t have to work it out from scratch.

	PPE	Uniform
What it is	Protects someone from a risk at work, such as hi vis, safety boots or gloves	Shows people who you work for, such as branded polos, fleeces or shirts
Who pays	The employer, always	Usually the employer. Staff can sometimes be asked to contribute
Deductions from pay	No	Only if agreed in writing, and never below the National Minimum Wage
Replacements	Replaced when worn or damaged	Whatever your uniform policy says

Want the kit priced up?

Once your role table is filled in, you’ve more or less written a uniform brief. Send it over and we’ll price it up, including logo placement, sizes and how reorders would work for new starters.

Questions

Is the template really free?

Yes. Download it, change it however you like and use it in your business. There’s no sign-up.

Do I have to provide uniform free of charge?

For PPE, yes. For uniform, not always, but if you charge for it or deduct the cost from pay, it must never take someone below the National Minimum Wage and it needs to be allowed by their contract or a written agreement. Most businesses we work with simply provide it.

Can I make staff pay if they don’t return their uniform?

You can, if their contract allows it. HMRC treats a charge for kit lost through misconduct, or not returned, differently from a charge for normal wear and tear, which can’t be passed on in a way that reduces minimum wage pay.

Is this legal advice?

No. It’s a plain-English starting point based on HSE guidance on PPE and HMRC guidance on uniforms and the minimum wage. If anything is specific to your business, check with an employment adviser.

Rather talk it through? Book a quick call and we’ll go through your team’s kit with you.