Employment Tribunal Time Limits

On 1 October 2026, time limits within which an employee may make a claim to an employment tribunal will increase from 3 months to 6 months, bringing time limits for the majority of claims in line with time limits for statutory redundancy and equal pay claims. This will give employees and employers more time to resolve disputes internally or through the conciliation process and to consider the merits of making a claim to an employment tribunal.

Key changes

• This measure increases the time limit within which an employee may make a claim to an employment tribunal from 3 months to 6 months from 1 October 2026, bringing the time limit for the majority of claims in line with the time limit for statutory redundancy and equal pay claims.
• For breach of employment contract claims in England and Wales, this change will commence on 1 October 2026. For breach of employment contract claims in Scotland, the change will commence on 9 November 2026.

How to prepare

• Update any policy documents or employee handbooks regarding employment tribunal time limits to amend references from three months to six months.

Where these changes will apply

Employment tribunal time limit changes apply in England, Wales and Scotland, and also apply to certain cases heard by industrial tribunals in Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, the changes  apply to industrial tribunal claims brought under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Hours of Work) Regulations 2018, and the Civil Aviation (Working Time) Regulations 2004.

More information

Read more guidance on being taken to an employment tribunalopens www.gov.uk in a new tab.

Learn more about how the time limits for an employment tribunal claim operateopens www.acas.org.uk in a new tab.