Form ET1: how to file a UK Employment Tribunal claim

If your employer has treated you unfairly or discriminated against you, you can bring a claim to an Employment Tribunal. The first step is filling out Form ET1, the official document that starts your case. This guide walks you through every section, explains the rules you must follow, and shows you how to turn your complaint into a legal claim.

The short version

Form ET1 is how you file a complaint to the Employment Tribunal in the UK. You must go through ACAS early conciliation first (a free mediation service). You have three months minus one day from the date of your dismissal or the last act of discrimination to file. You fill in nine sections detailing your identity, your employer, what happened, and what you want as compensation or reinstatement. You submit it online via gov.uk. Filing is free.

At a glance

What Form ET1 is

Form ET1 is the official claim form used to lodge a complaint with the Employment Tribunal. It is a structured document with nine numbered sections. Each section asks for specific information. The Employment Tribunal uses your ET1 to understand what you are claiming, who you are claiming against, and what has happened.

The Employment Tribunal is not a court of law in the traditional sense. It is a specialist tribunal where disputes between workers and employers are resolved. Its judges are called tribunal members or judges. The tribunal hears cases about unfair dismissal, discrimination, unlawful wage deductions, redundancy payments, flexible working disputes, and many other employment law matters.

Filing Form ET1 starts the formal legal process. Once you file it, the tribunal sends a copy to your employer (called the respondent). The employer then has 28 days to file a response (Form ET3). If the employer does not respond, you may win by default, but that is rare.

Step 1: ACAS early conciliation (mandatory)

Before you can file Form ET1, you must first contact ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service). ACAS is a free, impartial service. It tries to help you and your employer reach a settlement without going to tribunal.

This step is mandatory by law. If you file ET1 without going through ACAS first, the tribunal will reject your claim.

How to contact ACAS:

• Phone: 0300 123 1100 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm)
• Online: https://www.acas.org.uk
• In person: ACAS has local offices across the UK

What happens next:

When you contact ACAS, you give a brief account of your complaint. ACAS then contacts your employer and proposes a meeting or phone conversation between you both, often with an ACAS conciliator present. A conciliator is a neutral person whose job is to listen to both sides and see if there is any middle ground.

You do not have to reach a settlement. If you and your employer cannot agree, ACAS will provide you with an early conciliation certificate (see below). This certificate proves you have tried ACAS conciliation. Without it, you cannot file ET1.

How long does ACAS take?

ACAS has up to eight weeks to complete early conciliation. During these eight weeks, the three-month deadline for filing ET1 is paused (or "stopped"). This means ACAS does not eat into your filing deadline.

If ACAS and you both agree to extend the process, it can take longer, but that is rare.

Step 2: Wait for ACAS certificate (number needed for ET1)

Once ACAS completes early conciliation, ACAS sends you a certificate. This is a one-page document with a unique reference number (for example, R123456/12/34).

This number is crucial. You must write it in Section 3 of Form ET1. If you do not include the ACAS certificate number, the tribunal will reject your ET1.

The certificate confirms that you have gone through ACAS early conciliation. It does not say whether a settlement was reached. It only proves the process happened.

If ACAS cannot contact your employer (for example, because the company address is wrong or the employer has ceased trading), ACAS will still issue a certificate. You can still file ET1.

Time limits: the three-month rule

The most important rule is the time limit: you have three months minus one day from the date of your dismissal (or the last act of discrimination or the last unlawful deduction) to file ET1.

If you miss this deadline, the tribunal will reject your claim, even if your case is strong.

How to calculate three months minus one day:

If you were dismissed on 15 May, three months minus one day means you must file by 14 August. (Three months from 15 May is 15 August; minus one day is 14 August.)

If the deadline falls on a weekend or bank holiday, you can still file on that day online, but filing offices are closed on weekends and bank holidays.

ACAS stops the clock:

Once you contact ACAS, the three-month deadline is frozen. If you contact ACAS on 1 June and ACAS takes six weeks to issue a certificate on 12 July, your deadline moves forward by those six weeks. You then have until 12 October to file ET1 (or whatever your original deadline would have been, plus the ACAS duration).

Extension for disability:

If you are disabled and could not contact ACAS or file ET1 because of your disability, you may apply to the tribunal for an extension. This is rare and requires evidence, but it is possible.

Section 1: your details

This is straightforward. You enter your full name, date of birth (optional but helpful to the tribunal), address, phone number, and email address.

If you are filing as a representative (on behalf of someone else), you enter your details here and the claimant's details elsewhere (see Section 8).

If you do not have a fixed address (for example, if you are homeless), you can give a care-of address or a telephone number where the tribunal can reach you.

Section 2: respondent details

This is where you name the employer (or employers) you are claiming against. This is called the respondent.

Write the full name of the company or organisation. If it is a sole trader, use the person's name. If it is a limited company, use the exact company name from Companies House.

Also give the employer's address. If the employer has multiple locations, use the main address or the address of the office where you worked.

If you are claiming against multiple employers (for example, a main employer and a recruitment agency), list all of them.

Tip: Check Companies House (https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk) to get the exact legal name and registered address. This avoids confusion later.

Section 3: ACAS early conciliation certificate number

Write the ACAS certificate reference number here. This is non-negotiable. Without it, the tribunal will not accept your ET1.

If you have not yet received the certificate from ACAS, do not file ET1 yet. Wait until it arrives.

If you forgot to contact ACAS, you cannot file ET1. You must go back and contact ACAS first, even if it means your three-month deadline is tight.

Section 4: employment details

This section captures the basic facts of your employment:

• Job title: What was your role? (For example, "Sales Manager", "Nurse", "Warehouse Supervisor".)
• Start date: When did you begin?
• End date: When were you dismissed or did you resign?
• Notice period: How much notice were you supposed to give, or your employer supposed to give you?
• Pay: What was your gross annual salary or hourly rate?
• Hours per week: How many hours did you work on average?
• Are you still employed? Answer yes or no. If you were dismissed, the answer is no.

Be accurate. If the tribunal later finds you gave wrong information, it will count against you.

If you were on a fixed-term contract, say so. If you were employed via an agency, say so and name the agency in Section 2 as a respondent.

Section 5: your claim type

This is where you tick boxes for the type of claim you are making. The main options are:

• Unfair dismissal: You were sacked unfairly (without proper procedure or a fair reason).
• Discrimination: You were treated worse because of a protected characteristic (age, sex, race, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy, or marriage/civil partnership status).
• Unlawful deduction: Your wages were cut or your money was taken without consent.
• Redundancy payment: You were made redundant and did not receive a proper redundancy payment.
• Constructive dismissal: You resigned because conditions became unbearable.
• Breach of contract: The employer broke the employment contract.
• Whistleblowing: You reported wrongdoing and were dismissed or treated badly.
• Holiday pay: You were not paid for accrued holiday.
• Other: If your claim does not fit above, describe it.

You can tick more than one box. For example, you can claim unfair dismissal and sex discrimination in the same claim.

How to plead unfair dismissal:

Tick "Unfair Dismissal". In Section 6 (the facts), explain:

1. You were dismissed (sacked).
2. The reason (what your employer said).
3. Why that reason was not fair.

An unfair dismissal claim requires that the employer had no fair reason (or failed to follow fair procedure). Fair reasons include misconduct, capability, redundancy, breach of law, and some others. Unfair reasons include pregnancy, taking sick leave, union membership, and whistleblowing.

How to plead discrimination:

Tick "Discrimination". Say which protected characteristic is relevant (for example, "Disability discrimination" or "Race discrimination"). In Section 6, explain:

1. An employer action or decision (for example, you were not promoted).
2. Your protected characteristic (for example, you are disabled).
3. How the employer treated you worse because of that characteristic.

You do not need to name the comparator (a person who was treated better). You just need to show the employer's action was because of your protected characteristic.

Section 6: the facts

This is the longest and most important section. This is where you tell the story of what happened.

Structure your account:

• Write in chronological order (first event, then second, then third, and so on).
• Keep dates precise (day, month, year).
• Be specific about what was said and done.
• Stick to facts, not opinions.

Example structure:

"1. I started work as a Warehouse Manager on 1 March 2020. 2. On 15 June 2023, the Managing Director told me the company was struggling and offered me a 20% pay cut. I refused. 3. On 16 June 2023, the MD said 'If you don't take the cut, we'll find someone who will.' 4. On 20 June 2023, I received a letter saying my contract was terminated with immediate effect. 5. No misconduct hearing was held. I was not given a chance to respond."

Things to include if relevant:

• What your job involved (core duties).
• Any change in circumstances (new manager, reorganisation, new rules).
• Any warnings, meetings, or feedback you received.
• What was said (use direct quotes if you can remember them).
• What you did in response (complained, raised a grievance, consulted a doctor, looked for work).
• The date of your dismissal or the final act of discrimination.

Things to avoid:

• Vague language ("treated unfairly", "victimised"). Instead, describe what happened.
• Swearing or angry language. Tribunals prefer calm, factual accounts.
• Speculation about your employer's motives. Stick to what you know.
• Irrelevant details about your personal life.

Length:

There is no strict limit, but aim for 500 to 1,500 words. One A4 page is typical. If you need more space, you can continue on a separate sheet and attach it. Label it "Section 6 continued" or similar.

Section 7: remedy sought

This section asks what you want the tribunal to order.

The main remedies are:

• Reinstatement: Your job back, with all arrears of pay and benefits.
• Re-engagement: A similar job at the same employer, with arrears.
• Compensation: A cash payment.
• Declaration: A formal statement that the employer acted unlawfully (no money involved).
• Recommendation: An order that the employer take action to prevent the same harm to others (for example, revise a policy).

For most claims, you will ask for compensation. Reinstatement is rare because many people do not want to go back to a hostile workplace.

Compensation is calculated as:

• Basic award: A formula based on your age, length of service, and weekly pay (for unfair dismissal).
• Compensatory award: Loss of earnings from dismissal to the tribunal hearing, plus future losses, injury to feelings (for discrimination), and other losses.

There are caps. For unfair dismissal, the cap is currently GBP 33,540 (as of 2026). For discrimination, there is no cap on the compensatory award.

You do not need to work out the exact sum at this stage. You can say "appropriate compensation for unfair dismissal" or "compensation for loss of earnings and injury to feelings". The tribunal will calculate it if you win.

Section 8: representative details

If you have a lawyer, trade union representative, or other adviser helping you, enter their name, organisation, phone, and email here.

The tribunal will send all documents to your representative, not you. This can be useful if you are busy or prefer a buffer.

If you do not have a representative, leave this section blank. Litigants-in-person (people representing themselves) are common in the Employment Tribunal and are treated fairly.

How to file (online via gov.uk)

The best way to file Form ET1 is online via the government's Employment Tribunal system. This is faster and you get a confirmation receipt immediately.

Steps to file online:

1. Go to https://www.gov.uk/employment-tribunals.
2. Click "Submit a claim to an employment tribunal".
3. You will be taken to the online form.
4. Answer all questions. Some are mandatory.
5. Attach a PDF or document if your claim (Section 6) does not fit in the online boxes.
6. Check your work.
7. Agree to the declaration (confirming everything is true).
8. Click "Submit".

You will get a reference number (called the ET number). Keep this. The tribunal will use it for all future documents.

If you prefer to file by post:

You can print Form ET1, fill it by hand or typewriter, and post it to the appropriate tribunal office. But online is faster and preferred. Postal filing can take longer to process and you may not get a same-day confirmation.

What happens next

Once the tribunal receives your ET1, it carries out an administrative check. The tribunal checks:

• You included the ACAS certificate number.
• You are in time (within three months minus one day).
• The form is complete.
• Your claim is within the tribunal's jurisdiction (for example, you were an employee or worker, not an independent contractor).

If all is well, the tribunal sends a copy of your claim to the respondent (employer).

The respondent then has 28 days to file a response (Form ET3). The response is the employer's chance to say why they think your claim is wrong or should be dismissed.

Once the response is filed, the tribunal may order a preliminary hearing (a shorter, earlier hearing) to decide if there are any points of law that could dispose of the claim. For example, if the employer argues you were not an employee, a judge might hear that at a preliminary hearing.

If no preliminary hearing is ordered, the case proceeds to a full hearing. At a full hearing, both sides present evidence, call witnesses, and make arguments. A judge or panel of three tribunal members listens and then decides who has won.

Day to day: a rough timeline

Here is what typically happens after you file ET1:

• Day 1: You file ET1.
• Day 3-5: Tribunal sends your claim to the employer.
• Day 28: Deadline for employer to file Form ET3 (response).
• Week 6-10: Tribunal checks if a preliminary hearing is needed.
• Week 10-20: Preliminary hearing (if ordered).
• Week 20-40: Case management or further directions hearing.
• Week 40-60: Full hearing (varies; some cases are heard sooner, others later).
• Week 60-80: Judge's written judgment published.

This is a rough guide. Some cases are heard within weeks; others take a year or more if there are complications. The tribunal will set specific dates and send you a timetable.

Common misconceptions

Misconception 1: "I have to use a solicitor." Truth: No. Many people represent themselves and do well. A solicitor can help, but it is not required.

Misconception 2: "The tribunal is like a court with a jury." Truth: No. The Employment Tribunal has a judge (or panel of three). There is no jury. Evidence is heard, and the judge decides on the balance of probabilities (which side's story is more likely true).

Misconception 3: "I can file ET1 without going to ACAS first." Truth: No. ACAS early conciliation is mandatory. If you miss it, your claim will be rejected.

Misconception 4: "If I win, I get all my lost wages back, plus damages." Truth: You can get compensation for lost wages, but there are caps on basic awards. For discrimination, there is no cap. You may not get every penny you lost; it depends on the tribunal's view of your losses.

Misconception 5: "The employer always pays my legal costs if I win." Truth: No. In the Employment Tribunal, each party (usually) pays their own costs, even if they lose. This is different from ordinary courts. Costs orders are rare in the Employment Tribunal.

Misconception 6: "I can claim for emotional distress." Truth: You can claim for injury to feelings (a formal legal concept). It is not the same as damages for emotional distress in personal injury claims. Injury to feelings awards in discrimination cases range from a few hundred to tens of thousands of pounds, depending on severity.

Related concepts

• Form ET3: how to respond to an Employment Tribunal claim
• ACAS early conciliation: the mandatory first step
• Unfair dismissal: what makes a sacking unfair
• Discrimination in the workplace: nine protected characteristics
• Constructive dismissal: when resignation is a forced exit
• Redundancy and the statutory payment
• Employment law: your statutory rights as a worker
• Tribunal procedure: preliminary hearing, full hearing, judgment
• Settlement and ACAS agreements

Sources

• UK Government Employment Tribunals: https://www.gov.uk/employment-tribunals
• ACAS: https://www.acas.org.uk
• Judiciary (UK Employment Tribunal guidance): https://www.judiciary.uk
• Form ET1 (official form): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-et1-claim-to-an-employment-tribunal

Disclaimer: This page provides information about UK Form ET1 and the Employment Tribunal process. It is not legal advice. Every case is different, and the law changes. If you are considering filing a claim, consider speaking to a solicitor, your trade union, or an adviser at ACAS for tailored guidance. This page was written and last reviewed by Peter Kolomiets on 28 May 2026 for CaseCalm.

Written by Peter Kolomiets, founder of CaseCalm. UK content reviewed 2026-05-28.