A UK CV is usually two A4 pages with your contact details, a short personal statement, work history in reverse chronological order with achievements, education, skills and, optionally, a line on references. British CVs do not include a photo, date of birth or marital status. Employers check your right to work separately, so state it briefly if you are not a UK national.
These are common practices, not legal rules, and employers differ. Every example is fictional; replace each [bracketed] detail with your own, and follow the job posting when it asks for something specific.
What a UK CV usually includes
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Contact details | Name, town, phone, email, LinkedIn |
| Personal statement | Three to five lines on who you are, what you offer and the role you want |
| Work history | Most recent first, with achievements |
| Education | Degree and classification, A levels or equivalent if recent |
| Skills | Technical and transferable skills linked to the job |
| References | "Available on request" or leave out |
How to write a UK personal statement
The personal statement is a short paragraph at the top of the CV. Say what you do, your strongest relevant result and what you want next, in the first person without "I" if you prefer: "Customer service adviser with three years in telecoms, handling 60 calls a day with a 92% satisfaction score. Looking for a team-leader role."
- Leave out photo, date of birth, age, marital status and nationality: the Equality Act 2010 protects against discrimination on these grounds.
- Write dates as month and year.
- Use British spelling.
UK CV template (sample to copy)
UK CV example (fictional)
[Your Name]
[Town] · [phone] · [email] · linkedin.com/in/[user]
PERSONAL STATEMENT: [Role] with [years] years in [sector]; [result]. Seeking a [target role].
WORK HISTORY: [Title], [Employer], [Town] — [Month Year] to present — [achievement]; [achievement]
EDUCATION: BSc [Subject] (2:1), [University], [Year] · A levels: [subjects and grades]
SKILLS: [skill], [tool], [skill]
Right to work: [UK citizen / settled status / visa type]
Right to work and applying from abroad
Employers must check that you have the right to work in the UK before you start, using the GOV.UK service or your documents. If you need a visa, say so briefly on the CV or in your cover letter, and check the sponsorship rules for the role.
- What is the UK CV format?
- Two A4 pages with contact details, a personal statement, work history with achievements, education and skills, without a photo or date of birth.
- Should I include references on a UK CV?
- It is optional; "references available on request" or leaving them out are both common.
- Do I need a photo on a British CV?
- No. UK employers do not expect one.
For Canada, see the Canadian resume format; for skills wording, see skills for your CV. Compare other countries in the CV format by country guide. Copy the template above for free, or build yours in the CV builder: creating and previewing is free, and the PDF download is part of a paid plan.
