Formal letter format (UK): layout and template
In a UK formal letter your address goes top right, the recipient’s address on the left, then the date, a subject line and the salutation. The sign-off depends on how you opened the letter — this template shows both.
The template
Fill it in by answering a few questions, and everything in [square brackets] is replaced with your details. Everything else can be edited too.
[your name]
[Your address]
[Recipient’s name or title]
[Their address]
[Date]
Re: My enquiry
[Dear Sir or Madam],
[Opening paragraph: say who you are and why you are writing.]
[Main paragraph(s): the detail, in the order the reader needs it.]
[Closing paragraph: what you would like to happen next, and by when.]
[Yours sincerely / faithfully],
[your name]
UK formal letter format, part by part
A formal letter follows the same order every time. Here is where each part goes, top to bottom, in the standard UK layout this template uses.
- 1
Your name and address
Top right
Your own details, so the reader can reply. No “From:” label is needed.
- 2
Recipient’s name and address
Left, below yours
The person’s name or job title, the organisation, and its full postal address.
- 3
Date
Left, below the recipient’s address
Written in full, for example 1 October 2026, so it cannot be misread.
- 4
Subject line
Above the greeting
One bold line saying what the letter is about, often starting “Re:”, with any reference number.
- 5
Greeting
Left
“Dear Ms Patel” when you know the name; “Dear Sir or Madam” when you do not.
- 6
Opening paragraph
Body
Why you are writing, in one or two sentences.
- 7
Main paragraphs
Body
The detail, one point per paragraph, in the order the reader needs it.
- 8
Closing paragraph
Body
What you would like to happen next, and by when.
- 9
Sign-off and name
Left, at the end
The sign-off that matches your greeting, a space for your signature, then your name.
| If you open with | Close with |
|---|---|
| Dear Ms Patel (a name) | Yours sincerely |
| Dear Sir or Madam (no name) | Yours faithfully |
When to use it
Use it for any letter to an organisation or someone you do not know personally: a bank, a school, an employer, a landlord, a solicitor or a public body.
Tips for writing it
- Use “Yours sincerely” when you addressed the person by name, and “Yours faithfully” when you wrote “Dear Sir or Madam”.
- A bold “Re:” subject line tells the reader what the letter is about before they start reading.
- Say why you are writing in the first paragraph and what you want in the last.
- Write the date in full (for example, 1 October 2026) to avoid ambiguity.
- Include any reference number the organisation has given you.
Frequently asked questions
Yours sincerely or yours faithfully?
Yours sincerely if you began with the person’s name (Dear Ms Patel), and yours faithfully if you began with Dear Sir or Madam.
Where does the date go in a formal letter?
In UK layout the date sits below the recipient’s address, above the subject line, aligned left.
Can I send a formal letter without a printer or stamps?
Answer a few questions and the template fills itself in. Check it over in the editor, and we print it and post it for you with tracked delivery — sent flat in a hardbacked envelope, never folded, to any UK address.