I submitted a flexible working request 6 weeks ago asking to work from home 3 days a week. It's just been formally refused on grounds of 'business need' with no further explanation. I'm really upset and not sure whether to push back or just accept it.
Don't accept it straight away. 'Business need' alone isn't one of the eight statutory grounds — they need to be more specific. The legal grounds include things like 'inability to reorganise work among existing staff' or 'detrimental effect on quality'. Ask them in writing to specify which ground applies.
You have the right to appeal the decision. Do it in writing within a few days. Ask for a meeting to discuss it. Sometimes a refusal at manager level gets reversed when HR or a more senior person gets involved.
If they still refuse after an appeal, you can take it to an employment tribunal, but most people try ACAS early conciliation first — it's free and often resolves things without going that far.
Also document everything — dates, what was said, who was in the room. If this eventually becomes a tribunal case, a clear paper trail is invaluable.