Tribunal time limits now 6 months: what employers need to know

Since 1st October 2026, most employment tribunal claims can be brought within 6 months less one day of the event, instead of 3 months less one day. The change was made by the Employment Rights Act 2025.

For employers, this means a dispute arising from a dismissal, disciplinary action or pay issue may lead to a tribunal claim months later than it could have under the old rules.

Who the new limit applies to

The new 6-month limit generally applies where the date that counts for the claim is on or after 1st October 2026. For example:

• Dismissal on or after 1st October 2026: normally 6 months less one day

• Dismissal before 1st October 2026: normally 3 months less one day

• Pay issue arising on or after 1st October 2026: normally 6 months less one day

• Pay issue arising before 1st October 2026: normally 3 months less one day

The date that counts depends on the type of claim. For a series of similar acts or failures, such as repeated deductions from pay, it can be the date of the last one.

Claims that already had a 6-month limit, such as statutory redundancy pay and equal pay claims, keep their own rules.

The new limit covers many common claims, including unfair dismissal, discrimination and unlawful deductions from wages.

What has not changed

• Early conciliation: employees generally still need to notify Acas before bringing most claims, and early conciliation can extend the deadline, so a simple 6-month count is not always the final date

• A series of events: where a claim is about a series of acts or failures, the date that counts can be the last one

• Late claims: tribunals can still accept some claims made after the normal deadline, depending on the type of claim

What employers should do now

• Keep records for longer: notes, letters, emails and meeting records, for long enough to deal with a claim and the Acas process

• Follow a fair, documented process: good records can matter months after the dispute

• Do not assume a dispute is over after three months: the old limit no longer applies to most new claims

• Update your policies and training: check any guidance that still tells managers employees have only 3 months to claim

• Check the actual deadline: the date of the event, the type of claim and early conciliation can all change it

Check a deadline in two minutes

Our free tribunal time limit checker works out the likely deadline for a claim, including whether the old 3-month or new 6-month limit applies. Tribunal time limits can turn on the details, so check the specific circumstances rather than relying on a simple date count.