Taking your employer to an employment tribunal sounds daunting. It needn't be. The process is clearer than most people expect, it's free, and most claims never reach a hearing. Here's how it works, step by step.

Before you start

A tribunal is rarely the first move. Raise a formal grievance first: if you unreasonably skip it, a tribunal can reduce your compensation.

Remember too that most claims end in a settlement.

Often, lodging the claim is what brings your employer to the negotiating table.

It costs nothing to claim, either. The government confirmed in October 2025 that it won't bring back tribunal fees.

Step 1: Check your deadline

Get your deadline to claim wrong and nothing else matters. For things that happened on or after 1st October 2026, you normally have six months less one day to start the process.

If it happened earlier, the deadline is three months less one day. And an internal grievance or investigation does not stop the clock. Read more about the new tribunal deadline.

Step 2: Contact Acas for early conciliation

You can't go straight to a tribunal. First you must notify Acas, through its online early conciliation form, within your time limit.

A conciliator then contacts you and your employer to see whether the dispute can be settled. Early conciliation can now last up to 12 weeks, and the deadline clock pauses while conciliation is going on.

If it settles at this stage, the deal is recorded in a binding agreement known as a COT3. If it doesn't settle, Acas issues an early conciliation certificate. Keep it safe: you need its number for your claim form.

Step 3: Complete your ET1 claim form

You make your claim online through GOV.UK, using the ET1 form. It asks for your details, your employer's details, your early conciliation certificate number, your job and pay, the type of claim and what you want the tribunal to award.

The part that matters most is the box where you explain your claim, often called the Details of Claim. Get it right:

• tell the story in date order, with specific dates
• name every legal claim you are making, such as unfair dismissal, discrimination or unpaid wages
• link the facts to each claim, and keep it factual rather than emotional
• include every claim now, because adding one later needs the tribunal's special permission, which it rarely gives.

Step 4: What happens next

The tribunal sends your claim to your employer, who has 28 days to reply on a form called the ET3.

The tribunal then sets a timetable. This may include a preliminary hearing, swapping relevant documents, a schedule of loss setting out what you are claiming, and witness statements.

Acas stays available throughout, and many cases settle at this stage. If yours doesn't, there is a final hearing, in person or by video. Each side gives evidence, and an employment judge decides.

Settling along the way

Settlement can happen at any point, right up to the final hearing. Offers usually come through Acas, recorded in a COT3 (a type of settlement agreement), or else from your lawyer in a settlement agreement.

Before any talks, decide what matters most to you: the money, a reference, how your departure is described, or when it ends. Then build your case. A clear, well-evidenced claim is your strongest bargaining chip.

What can you win?

Most successful claims result in compensation.

• In unfair dismissal cases this usually includes a basic award and a compensatory award for lost earnings.
• In discrimination cases it includes injury to feelings, and there is no cap.

Each side normally pays its own costs, unless someone has behaved unreasonably.

How Grapple Law can help

Grapple Law helps you check your deadline, turn your evidence into a clear timeline, prepare your ET1 and Details of Claim, and keep the pressure on your employer for a fair settlement at every stage.

It's free to start, it talks to you in plain English, and it costs a fraction of what a traditional solicitor would.

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Frequently asked questions about Employment Tribunal Claims

Do I need a lawyer?

No. Tribunals are designed so people can represent themselves, and many do.

How long does it take?

It varies by region and complexity. Many cases take several months, and some take over a year, although settlements can happen at any point.

Can I claim while I still work there?

Yes, for many claims, including discrimination and unpaid wages. You are protected from being punished for bringing a claim, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy.

What if my employer offers to settle?

Take your time. Compare the offer with what you might realistically win, allowing for the time, cost and stress of a hearing.

Find out more

• Unfair dismissal: your rights
• Workplace discrimination claims
• Compensation for discrimination at work