Yours Faithfully vs. Yours Sincerely
In traditional UK formal-letter convention, “Yours sincerely” follows a salutation that names the recipient, while “Yours faithfully” follows “Dear Sir or Madam” or another unnamed-recipient salutation. Modern workplaces may use other closings, so audience and house style still matter.
For traditional UK formal letters: use “Yours sincerely” when you know and use the recipient’s name; use “Yours faithfully” after “Dear Sir or Madam.”
Key details
Important caveats
Email Boundary
Email often permits less formal closings, so copy the letter convention only when the context actually calls for it.
Modern Boundary
Other professional closings are common today; the traditional pair is not a universal rule for every country or organization.
Further guidance
Decision Guide
In traditional UK formal correspondence, pair “Yours sincerely” with a salutation that names the recipient and “Yours faithfully” with an unnamed-recipient salutation such as “Dear Sir or Madam.”
Example
Named recipient: “Dear Ms Patel, … Yours sincerely”. Unnamed recipient: “Dear Sir or Madam, … Yours faithfully”. The examples illustrate the traditional UK pairing.
Practical Application
Check the salutation first rather than choosing the closing by tone alone. In email or non-UK contexts, follow organizational convention if it uses a different closing system.
Traditional Rule
The UK National Careers Service gives the named-recipient / unnamed-recipient distinction directly.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- How to write a cover letter (opens in a new tab)UK National Careers Service · UK government guidance on Yours sincerely vs Yours faithfully