CV gaps + career breaks (UK)
How to handle a gap honestly. Templates by reason (maternity, caring, illness, redundancy, sabbatical, study) and the lines UK employers expect to see.
Reviewed by Anthony, founder · Updated
One rule
Never leave a gap unexplained. A blank stretch in your dates makes recruiters speculate and almost always against you. One honest line closes it.
Template lines by reason
Maternity / paternity / parental
Apr 2023 to Sep 2024. Parental leave.
Optionally: "Completed [course] during this period." Don't over-explain.
Caring responsibilities
Jan 2022 to Dec 2023. Family caring responsibilities.
Common, legitimate, and increasingly understood by UK employers. Optional: mention any volunteering or remote work done in this period.
Illness / recovery
Mar 2024 to Nov 2024. Recovery from illness; now fully fit to return.
"Now fully fit" or "back to full capacity" reassures the reader. No medical detail needed.
Redundancy
[Role] · [Employer] · Jan 2022 to Mar 2024 (role made redundant).
Note alongside the role itself rather than in the gap below. Neutral, factual, no defensiveness.
Sabbatical / travel
Oct 2022 to Aug 2023. Sabbatical (extended travel and language study in [country/region]).
If you learned a skill or language, mention it. "Career break" alone reads as evasive.
Full-time study
Sep 2023 to Jul 2024. Full-time study, [course / qualification] at [institution].
Goes under Education if a recognised qualification; under Experience if a course or boot camp.
Job-seeking
May 2024 to Present. Career break to focus on next role; CPD / freelance / volunteering during this period.
Best avoided if you can. Surface any freelance, volunteer, or upskilling work instead. A pure job-search gap is hardest to position positively.
What to put in your personal statement
If the gap is long enough to need explaining at interview (6 months+), reference it once in your personal statement. One sentence, forward-facing:
“Returning to nursing after an 18-month parental leave, now fully revalidated with NMC and current on mandatory training.”
What to skip
Apologising. "I am sorry for the gap..." Never.
Hiding it in chronology. Date inconsistencies look worse than the gap itself.
Medical detail beyond "fully fit".
Anything emotional or self-deprecating. Factual lines only.
"Took time out to find myself." Even if true, doesn't belong on a CV.
The 10-second interview line
Whatever you wrote on the CV, you also need a 10-second spoken answer ready. Recruiters will ask. Practise it out loud:
"I took 18 months of parental leave and have spent the past 3 months getting current. Completed [course], refreshed [skill]. Ready to start."
"I cared for a family member through their treatment. They're well now and I'm back to full capacity."
"My previous role was made redundant in [month]. I've used the time since to [upskill / freelance / consult] and I'm looking for the right next move."
Got a gap? See our return-to-work guide.
Sausage Dog has a dedicated return-to-work page that rewrites your CV to handle the gap confidently without apologising.
Frequently asked
Should I explain a CV gap or leave it blank?+
Explain it. A blank gap reads as evasive. A single honest line ("Apr 2023 to Sep 2024: Parental leave") closes the loop and stops the recruiter speculating.
Do I have to give a reason for a CV gap?+
Legally no. Practically yes. A one-line reason ("Parental leave", "Family caring responsibilities", "Recovery from illness", "Study", "Sabbatical / travel") is enough. You don't owe anyone detail.
Is a CV gap a deal-breaker in the UK?+
No. UK employers are far more relaxed about gaps than they were a decade ago, especially post-pandemic. What matters is that you can explain it confidently in 10 seconds at interview, without sounding defensive.
Will an ATS notice a gap?+
ATS parses dates but doesn't typically flag gaps. The human reader notices. Treat the human as the audience for the gap line, not the algorithm.
What if I was made redundant?+
Say so honestly. "Made redundant" alongside the role dates is common, neutral wording and doesn't reflect on you. Recruiters expect to see it in post-2023 CVs given UK redundancy waves.