Official letters · Plain-English guide

What does “Until further notice” mean?

Continuing until a new instruction or announcement is issued.

“An open-ended sentence, in every sense.” — Arthur

What it means in practice

The stated arrangement continues until a new announcement changes it. This leaves the ending date open. It does not necessarily tell you when another announcement will be made or where you should look for it.

An example and a clearer version

The original wording

The office is closed until further notice.

In plain English

The office will stay closed until we announce a change.

What to say instead

until we announce a change.

How to make the next step clear

Check how updates will be communicated. If the change affects an appointment or access to a service, ask what you should do in the meantime and whether existing arrangements still apply.

Wording you can adapt

Where will you publish updates, and what should I do about my existing appointment?

The wording around a phrase matters. Keep the names, dates, amounts and conditions from the original when you rewrite it.

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