6 months to bring a tribunal claim
Since 1 October 2026, staff have 6 months, not 3, to bring most employment tribunal claims, so a claim can reach you later and your records need to hold up for longer.
- When it started
- 1 October 2026
- Who it affects
- Every employer
- Status
- In force
In Scotland, breach of contract claims get 6 months too, for breaches from 9 November 2026.
What’s changing
An employment tribunal hears claims that staff bring against their employer, such as unfair dismissal, discrimination or unpaid wages. Each claim has a time limit.
For most claims, the limit is now 6 months less 1 day. Before 1 October 2026 it was 3 months less 1 day. The limit that applies depends on when the problem happened: for something on 30 September 2026, the old 3-month limit still applies.
When the clock starts depends on the claim:
- Unfair dismissal: usually the last day of the notice period, or the date of dismissal if no notice was given.
- Pay: the date they weren’t paid correctly.
- Discrimination: the most recent act included in the claim.
Before a claim, Acas gets in touch to offer early conciliation: a chance to settle the dispute without going to a tribunal. If the person contacts Acas within the time limit, the clock is paused until early conciliation ends.
What it means for a small employer
A claim can now arrive months after a dismissal or a disputed payslip, so your notes, letters and records need to show what you did and why, long after the event.
A tribunal measures you against the Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures, and can increase an award by up to 25% if you unreasonably failed to follow it.
If a claim does arrive, you must respond within 28 days, or the tribunal may decide against you without a hearing.
An example, with made-up names. Nina’s final pay on 12 November 2026 leaves out 2 days’ holiday. She has until 11 May 2027 to start a claim, plus any time the clock is paused for early conciliation. Under the old 3-month limit, her deadline would have been 11 February 2027.
What to do now
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Write down your procedures
Your disciplinary and grievance procedures, following the Acas Code.
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Keep notes of every step
Meetings, letters, evidence and decisions, with the reasons for them.
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Don’t clear out case files too soon
A claim can come 6 months after the event, or later if early conciliation pauses the clock.
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Act quickly if Acas gets in touch
Early conciliation is your chance to settle before a claim. If a claim does arrive, you have 28 days to respond.
How Maravier handles it
- Every case runs step by step through the Acas Code, and every step is recorded, so you can show what you did and why.
- Every piece of advice goes into a permanent record that can be added to but not edited, ready to export if a claim comes.
- If Acas calls or a claim arrives, one button in the app hands it to your HR expert, who replies by 5pm if it reaches them by 3pm on a working day, and otherwise by noon the next working day. The app tracks the 28 days you have to respond.
Tribunal defence is included: from day one, we defend claims about problems that start after you join, at no extra cost, as long as you ask us before you act and follow our advice. Its final terms are still being signed off by a lawyer. If they change, we’ll email you before you’re charged, and you can have a full refund. Read the conditions
What keeps it valid
- Ask Rachel before you act, and follow the case steps
- Wait for Rachel’s sign-off before any dismissal
- Tell us the day Acas or a tribunal gets in touch
All names are made up for the demo.
Sources
- Employment tribunal time limits, Acas
- Employment Rights Act 2025, Acas
- Being taken to an employment tribunal, gov.uk
- Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures, Acas
Checked against the law on 8 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
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