Employment Tribunal Time Limits: The New 6-Month Rule Explained
Quick answer: UK employment tribunal time limits changed on 1 October 2026: most claims must now be started within six months minus one day, up from three months minus one day. The longer limit applies where the relevant date, such as your termination date, falls on or after 1 October 2026. For most claims, you must still contact Acas first.
Key takeaways
The Employment Rights Act 2025 doubled the usual deadline for employment tribunal claims from three months to six months on 1 October 2026.
The new limit covers claims such as unfair dismissal, unlawful deductions from wages and discrimination where the relevant date is on or after 1 October 2026.
Breach of contract claims in Scotland only move to the six-month limit on 9 November 2026.
Notifying Acas for early conciliation still comes first and pauses the clock for up to 12 weeks.
Internal grievances and appeals do not stop the clock, so do not wait for them to finish before contacting Acas.
Last updated: 3 October 2026
Employment tribunal time limits in Great Britain changed on 1 October 2026. If you believe you were unfairly dismissed, underpaid or treated unlawfully at work, you now generally have six months minus one day, rather than three months minus one day, to start a claim. The change comes from the Employment Rights Act 2025, which the government is implementing as part of its Plan to Make Work Pay.
Much of the coverage so far has been written for employers and HR teams. This guide looks at the same rule from the worker's side: which deadline applies to you, how to count it, and the traps that still catch people out.
What changed to employment tribunal time limits on 1 October 2026?
The standard deadline for bringing most claims doubled from three months to six months. According to the government's business.gov.uk guidance, this brings the majority of claims into line with statutory redundancy pay and equal pay claims, which already had a six-month window.
The government says the aim is to give both sides more room to settle a dispute internally or through conciliation before anyone goes to a tribunal. Personnel Today reported that it is also intended to improve access to justice by giving employees more time to build a case and raise funds.
One exception has a later start date. For breach of contract claims in Scotland, the six-month limit begins on 9 November 2026. In England and Wales, breach of contract claims switched on 1 October 2026 along with most other claims.
Which claims does the six-month deadline cover?
It covers most of the claims workers bring, including the common ones below. Law firm Harper James lists unfair dismissal, unlawful deductions from wages and workplace discrimination among the claims affected.
Unfair dismissal: was 3 months minus 1 day, now 6 months minus 1 day. The clock usually starts on the effective date of termination.
Unlawful deduction from wages: was 3 months minus 1 day, now 6 months minus 1 day, counted from the date you were not paid correctly.
Discrimination: was 3 months minus 1 day, now 6 months minus 1 day, counted from the last act of discrimination in the claim.
Breach of contract in England and Wales: 6 months minus 1 day from 1 October 2026.
Breach of contract in Scotland: 6 months minus 1 day from 9 November 2026.
Statutory redundancy pay and equal pay: already had 6 months, so nothing changes.
The "effective date of termination" is either the final day of your notice period or, if you were dismissed without notice, the day you were let go.
Does the new limit apply to my claim if the problem started before October?
It depends on the "relevant date". Generally, the six-month limit applies where that date falls on or after 1 October 2026; if it fell before, the old three-month limit usually still governs your claim.
For most people the relevant date is the act or failure they are complaining about, or the last one in a series. The commencement regulations set out the relevant date for particular claim types. Lewis Silkin gives the example of a failure to consult collectively with employee representatives, where the relevant date is when the last dismissal takes effect.
There is an important nuance for ongoing treatment. Where a claimant argues there was a continuing course of conduct, such as discrimination stretching over several months, the six-month period may run from the end of that conduct. That can bring earlier events, including some from before 1 October 2026, into the claim.
How do I work out my employment tribunal deadline?
Find the date the clock starts, add six months and take away one day. Then adjust for Acas early conciliation, which pauses the count. Here is a simple checklist:
Pin down your start date. For dismissal, use your effective date of termination. For pay, use the date you were underpaid. For discrimination, use the latest act you are complaining about.
Check it is on or after 1 October 2026. If not, assume the three-month limit and act quickly.
Count six months minus one day. This is your primary deadline.
Notify Acas before that deadline. Early conciliation is compulsory for most claims and stops the clock while it runs.
Note the date on your Acas certificate. You will generally have at least one month from receiving it to submit your claim.
Write every date down and keep copies of letters, payslips, emails and messages.
As an illustration, if your dismissal took effect on 20 October 2026, your primary deadline under the new rules would be 19 April 2027. Under the old three-month rule it would have been 19 January 2027. If you contact Acas on or before 19 April, the clock pauses during conciliation and you get extra time after the certificate is issued.
How does Acas early conciliation affect the time limit?
Contacting Acas pauses the clock, and conciliation can now last up to 12 weeks. The early conciliation period was extended from six weeks to twelve weeks for cases notified on or after 1 December 2025, as Shoosmiths explains.
Put the two changes together and the overall window can be long. Shoosmiths notes that in some cases employees may have over nine months before a claim must be submitted, while Lewis Silkin estimates it could be almost ten months. The government has said it will review the 12-week conciliation period in October 2026, so check the current Acas guidance before relying on it.
Who do the new time limits apply to across the UK?
The changes apply to employment tribunals in England, Wales and Scotland. In Northern Ireland, which has industrial tribunals, they apply only to certain claims: those under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, plus claims under two sets of working-hours regulations, one for merchant shipping (2018) and one for civil aviation (2004).
Common mistakes with employment tribunal time limits
The biggest risk is assuming you have more time than you do. Watch out for these errors:
Waiting for a grievance or appeal to finish. Your organisation's own processes do not freeze the deadline, so get in touch with Acas in parallel.
Using the wrong rule for an older dispute. If your relevant date was before 1 October 2026, the three-month limit is likely to apply.
Forgetting the Scottish exception. Breach of contract claims in Scotland do not get six months until 9 November 2026.
Relying on late acceptance. A late claim can still be filed, but a judge decides whether to accept it.
Expecting a fast hearing. Lewis Silkin cites tribunal statistics showing 25,000 claims received in the first quarter of 2026 against 10,000 disposed of, so build in patience.
What this means for you
If you are in a dispute at work, the longer employment tribunal time limits give you more breathing space to take advice, gather evidence and try to settle. They do not remove the need to act. Get your key dates in writing, keep records from the start, and contact Acas well before your deadline rather than at the last minute.
Employers are being advised to keep records for longer. Birketts senior associate Adam Parsons, quoted by Personnel Today, said employers "should also anticipate an increase in tribunal claims". For workers, that makes your own paper trail just as important.
Related reading on Jobsiz: UK Job Vacancies at 702,000: What Jobseekers Need (2026), Why Job Applications Get Rejected (And How to Fix Them) and Tell Me About Yourself: 12 Interview Answers (2026).
This article is general information, not legal advice. For help with your situation, contact Acas or a qualified employment adviser.
Frequently asked questions
What is the time limit for an employment tribunal claim in the UK now?
For most claims it is six months minus one day, where the relevant date falls on or after 1 October 2026. Before that date the usual limit was three months minus one day. Statutory redundancy pay and equal pay claims already had six months.
Does the 6-month time limit apply to unfair dismissal?
Yes. Unfair dismissal claims are covered where the effective date of termination is on or after 1 October 2026. That date is the last day of your notice period, or the day you were dismissed if no notice was given.
Do I still need to contact Acas before making a claim?
Yes. Acas early conciliation remains a required step before most claims, and the longer employment tribunal time limits do not change that. If you contact Acas before your deadline, the countdown stops while conciliation runs, for up to 12 weeks. Once you get the Acas certificate, you normally have at least a month to file your claim.
Does a grievance or appeal stop the tribunal clock?
No. Raising a grievance, going through a disciplinary or appealing inside your organisation does not stop the deadline running. You do not have to wait for any of that to finish before you contact Acas.
What happens if I miss the employment tribunal deadline?
You can still submit a claim, but the employment judge decides whether to accept it. Late acceptance is not guaranteed, so it is safer to act well before your deadline.
Does the change apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
It applies in England, Wales and Scotland, although breach of contract claims in Scotland only switch to six months on 9 November 2026. In Northern Ireland it applies only to certain industrial tribunal claims, including those under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998.
Sources
Deadline for employment tribunal claims increases from three to six months – Personnel Today
Longer time limits for bringing tribunal claims from October – Lewis Silkin
New tribunal claim deadlines from 1 October 2026 – Harper James
This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published 3 October 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.