IMPORTANT UPDATE – EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL TIME LIMITS ARE CHANGING FROM 1 OCTOBER 2026
For relevant acts or events occurring on or after 1 October 2026, the time limit for most Employment Tribunal claims increases from 3 months to 6 months.
This calculator currently calculates deadlines using the previous 3-month limitation period. If the act or event you are complaining about occurred on or after 1 October 2026, you should not use this calculator to calculate your deadline.
If the relevant act or event occurred before 1 October 2026, the previous time limits may still apply. The applicable time limit depends on the date and nature of your claim, so you should take advice if you are unsure.
Different rules and commencement dates may apply to certain claims. For example, the new time limit for breach of contract claims takes effect in Scotland on 9 November 2026 rather than 1 October 2026.
Try Our Employment Tribunal Time Limit Calculator
But first, you must read the entire contents of this page and the pages linked to carefully:
Employment Tribunal Time Limits
Time limits in Tribunal claims are usually short and strictly enforced.
In most cases, you are required to commence Early Acas Conciliation before you can present your Employment Tribunal Claim.
The start and end dates of Early Acas Conciliation impact how the time limit for claims is calculated, please read this article carefully – you should calculate your time limit manually, even if you use a calculator to help you.
Two key things to highlight are:
- Be aware of the “normal” or Primary Limitation Period, which is the time between the act you complain of and the time you must commence Early Acas Conciliation.
- If you have completed Early Acas Conciliation already, you are able to calculate the “limitation date,” which is the deadline to submit your Employment Tribunal Claim. The dates that Early Acas Conciliation started and ended will be on the certificate that was emailed to you by Acas.
Please note, the Calculator presumes the normal/Primary Limitation Period is 3 months less 1 calendar day, which applies to many claims where the relevant act or event occurred before 1 October 2026. For relevant acts or events occurring on or after 1 October 2026, the limitation period for most Employment Tribunal claims is 6 months. The calculator has not yet been updated to calculate claims under the new 6-month regime. However, the time limit may vary, and either way, you are urged to take advice to confirm the correct limitation date for any claim you wish to pursue.
The examples below describe the previous time limits applicable to relevant acts or events occurring before 1 October 2026. For relevant acts or events occurring on or after 1 October 2026, most Employment Tribunal time limits increase to 6 months.
Unfair Dismissal – 3 months less 1 calendar day from the effective date of termination (which is the date the employment ends).
Discrimination – 3 months less 1 calendar day from the discriminatory act complained of.
Redundancy Payment – 6 months starting with the relevant date (if you are also claiming unfair dismissal, you should go with the earlier 3 months less 1 calendar day, time limit.
Equal Pay – 6 months from the termination date
IMPORTANT
Employment Tribunal time limits changed on 1 October 2026. This calculator currently uses a 3-month Primary Limitation Period and should not be used to calculate the deadline for a claim where the relevant act or event occurred on or after 1 October 2026.
This calculator is a general guide only. Employment Tribunal time limits are strict and depend on the precise facts, including the effective date of termination and the timing of Acas Early Conciliation. In some cases, including unusual cases, this tool may not produce the correct deadline. You must check the time limit manually and should not rely on this tool as legal advice. Use of this calculator does not create a solicitor-client relationship.