How to Write a Cover Letter (UK): Structure, Length and Examples
By Marcus Bell · Updated 2026-08-20 · 8 min read
A UK cover letter is not a summary of your CV. It is a short argument for one specific role, written in British business English, and it is where you explain the things a CV cannot: why this employer, why now, and how you meet the two or three requirements that matter most. Here is the structure UK employers expect, paragraph by paragraph, with a full example.
Length and format
One side of A4, 250 to 400 words, in the same font as your CV. Include your contact details at the top, the date in British format, and the employer's name and address if you have it. Send it as a PDF unless the advert asks for Word.
How to address it
Use 'Dear Ms Patel' where you know the name and 'Dear Sir or Madam' only as a last resort, followed by 'Yours faithfully'. When you have a name, close with 'Yours sincerely'. Checking the advert, the company website and LinkedIn usually turns up a hiring manager in two minutes.
The four-paragraph structure
Each paragraph does one job:
- Paragraph 1: the role, where you saw it, and a one-line statement of why you fit.
- Paragraph 2: evidence against the two most important requirements in the advert, with numbers.
- Paragraph 3: why this employer specifically, referencing something real about them.
- Paragraph 4: availability, notice period, and a polite close.
A full worked example
Dear Ms Patel, I am writing to apply for the Operations Coordinator role advertised on your careers page on 14 August. I currently coordinate inbound logistics for a 40,000 sq ft distribution site and I am looking to move into a role with broader process ownership. Your advert asks for experience improving fulfilment accuracy and managing third-party carriers. In my current role I raised despatch accuracy from 97.1% to 99.6% over nine months by rebuilding our pick verification process, and I manage three carrier relationships covering roughly 1,200 consignments a month, including quarterly performance reviews. I am applying to your team in particular because of the switch to your own last-mile fleet announced in June. Having run a carrier tender, I would like to be part of an operation taking that control in-house rather than managing it at arm's length. I am available for interview at short notice and could start within four weeks of an offer. Thank you for considering my application. Yours sincerely, Jordan Ellis
Openings that work, and ones that do not
Name the role and the source in the first line. Recruiters often handle several vacancies at once, and 'I am writing to express my keen interest in your organisation' tells them nothing about which one.
- Works: 'I am writing to apply for the Band 6 Staff Nurse post (ref 123-ABC) advertised on NHS Jobs on 2 September.'
- Works: 'Your advert for a Year 4 class teacher caught my attention because of the school's new mastery maths rollout.'
- Avoid: 'I am a hard-working individual seeking a challenging opportunity.'
- Avoid: 'Please find attached my CV for your consideration.' as an opening line.
Do UK employers still read cover letters?
Many do not, but the ones that do use it as a tie-breaker between similar CVs, and public sector and education recruiters often score it. Because it takes ten minutes when you have a template, the expected value stays positive. Where an application form has a 'supporting statement' box instead, use the same four-paragraph structure there.
Frequently asked questions
One side of A4, around 250 to 400 words in three or four paragraphs. Longer letters get skimmed rather than read.
Yes, if you can tailor it in ten minutes. Where two CVs are close, a specific letter is often what breaks the tie, particularly in the public sector and education.
'Yours sincerely' when you have addressed a named person, 'Yours faithfully' after 'Dear Sir or Madam'.
Reuse the structure, not the content. At minimum change the role, the employer, and the two requirements you evidence in paragraph two.