Reference Request Letter And Form by Business Gateway
Updated 14 October 2025
The Business Gateway Reference Request Covering Letter is used to formally seek employment references for a prospective employee, ensuring that the employer receives reliable information about the candidate’s suitability for a role. It helps maintain a consistent and confidential process for verifying background details, supporting fair and informed hiring decisions.
Reference Request Covering Letter
Private & Confidential
[recipient name]
[recipient title]
[recipient company]
[recipient address]
[recipient postcode]
[letter date]
Dear [recipient name]
Re: [prospective employee name and address]
I or We would be grateful if you could kindly provide us with a reference on the person named above who has applied to us for the position of [job title] by completing the enclosed reference request form.
All information you provide will be treated with the utmost confidence.
A stamped addressed envelope is enclosed.
Yours sincerely
[sender name]
[sender title]
Enc.
Reference request form
Stamped addressed envelope
Telephone/Written Reference Request - CONFIDENTIAL
Reference for: [prospective employee name and address]
Position applied for: [job title]
Job Ref: [job reference]
Name of Referee: [recipient name] |
Relationship to candidate: [recipient relationship to prospective employee] |
If previous or current employer, please complete the following:
Length of service : | [length of service] |
Length of time you have known the person: | [length of time knowing the prospective employee] |
Time keeping: | |
Attendance - including number of absences, or, number of days sickness, and the timescale; (Please note: When providing information about an individual’s sickness absence record, it is essential to provide only verifiable facts about attendance history, and not to include subjective statements. Even seemingly positive statements [e.g.: “maintained good attendance despite disability”] could be seen as discriminatory. It is not appropriate to provide background information about medical conditions or disability.) | [describe attendance] |
Suitability for the post applied for: | [describe suitability for the post applied for] |
Current disciplinary record (if applicable): | [describe current disciplinary record, if applicable] |
Any other comments? | [any other comments] |
If you need to add more information, please continue on a separate piece of paper.
Signed: ..................................................
Date: [signature date]
Name: [recipient name]
Official stamp (if applicable):
About this template
What is this template?
Reference Request Letter And Form by Business Gateway is a free, ready-to-use Employment Contracts template you can open, customize, and download on GitLaw. It gives you a professionally structured starting point, so you never have to draft from a blank page. The wording is plain and modern, organized into clear sections that are easy to read, edit, and adapt to your own situation before you share or sign it.
When should you use it?
Reach for this Employment Contracts template whenever you need a reliable agreement quickly and want to be sure the essentials are covered. It suits individuals, freelancers, startups, and established businesses alike. Instead of paying for a document drafted from scratch, you can start here, tailor the details to your arrangement, and have a polished draft ready in minutes. This version is drafted with General and Scotland in mind, though you should always review the final wording against the laws that apply to you.
What's typically included?
A well-drafted Employment Contracts usually sets out the parties involved, the scope of the agreement, and each side's rights and responsibilities. Expect sections covering key terms and definitions, how long the agreement lasts, how it can be ended, and what happens if something goes wrong. This template brings those building blocks together in a sensible order, so you can focus on the specifics rather than worrying about what to include. Open it to read the full document, then sign up to edit, negotiate, and e-sign it directly in GitLaw.