Employment tribunal limits doubled under Employment Rights Act 2025

For years, one of the tightest pressure points in UK employment law has been the tribunal deadline. Previously, employees bringing claims for unfair dismissal, discrimination or unlawful deductions from wages had just three months minus one day to start a claim.

That short window has long been criticised for leaving too little time for employees to seek advice, gather evidence and pursue justice. Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, the time limit for many employment tribunal claims will double to six months, significantly changing how workplace disputes are managed, recorded and resolved.

What is changing?

Starting 1 October 2026 for any acts committed on or after this date, the primary limitation period will jump from three months to six months for almost all statutory employment claims, including:

• Unfair dismissal
• Workplace discrimination and sexual harassment
• Unlawful deductions from wages
• Zero-hours contract exclusivity breaches and blacklisting

Breach of contract claims brought in an employment tribunal (in England and Wales) are handled under separate draft rules. While secondary legislation is being introduced to align many of these, standard common law contract claims have historically worked differently, so it is vital to check specific regulations regarding your contract type with Community before lodging a claim for an employment tribunal.

The current three-month limit forces individuals to act quickly at what is often the most stressful point in their professional life. The extension to six months offers breathing room.

Crucially, it allows internal grievance and appeal processes to run their full course without forcing an employee to prematurely launch a tribunal claim just to protect their legal window. It also grants more time to seek legal counsel, gather documentation, and engage constructively in pre-claim resolution.

What Community members must do to prepare

If you are considering an employment tribunal claim, the longer time limit gives you more breathing space, but it does not remove the need to act promptly. You should use the extra time to understand your legal position, gather evidence and get in touch with Community before the deadline passes.

The tribunal process can take time, and delays are very common. That makes preparation especially important. The clearer your timeline, documents and account of what happened, the easier it will be to explain your case and respond to questions later.

If you think you may need to bring a claim, focus on these practical steps:

Check your deadline

Work out when the issue happened, when your employment ended or when the last act of discrimination or underpayment took place. You must notify Community before your tribunal time limit expires.

Keep your evidence organised

Save letters, emails, payslips, contracts, policies, meeting notes and any messages that help show what happened. Write down key dates and who was involved while the details are still fresh.

Use internal processes where appropriate

A grievance or appeal can help resolve the issue or narrow the dispute. However, internal procedures do not automatically stop the tribunal clock, so do not wait until they finish if your deadline is approaching.

The extension of the tribunal time limit is a significant shift for our members, giving them more time to get advice, gather evidence and decide whether to bring a claim. For employers, it also increases the importance of fair processes, clear records and early resolution. This change will reshape how workplace disputes are handled, and now is the time to prepare.