Staff now have 6 months, not 3, to take you to a tribunal
For every employer in England, Wales and Scotland: what changed on 1 October 2026, which problems the new limit covers, and the one line to fix in your staff handbook this week.
What changed on 1 October 2026?
The window for most claims doubled. The government's employer guidance says: "On 1 October 2026, the time limit within which an employee may make a claim to an employment tribunal increased from 3 months to 6 months, bringing the time limits for the majority of claims in line with the time limit for statutory redundancy and equal pay claims." The date of the problem decides. Acas explains it with pay. Someone paid wrongly on 30 September 2026 has until 11:59pm on 29 December 2026. Someone paid wrongly on 1 October 2026 has until 11:59pm on 31 March 2027. One day apart, three months difference. Scotland has a second date. For breach of contract claims the change started on 1 October in England and Wales, and starts on 9 November 2026 in Scotland. The stated aim is to "give employees and employers more time to resolve disputes internally or through the conciliation process". The change comes from the Employment Rights Act 2025, which became law on 18 December 2025 (Acas).
Who this applies to (and who it doesn't)
Every employer with staff in England, Wales or Scotland, whatever the size. The café with two part-timers is covered just like a chain. In Northern Ireland only certain claims change, those under "the National Minimum Wage Act 1998" and two sector rules for shipping and aviation. So this is not UK-wide. Problems before 1 October keep the old limit: 3 months minus 1 day for most claims (Acas). Some claims already had 6 months: statutory redundancy pay and equal pay. Nothing changes there. When the clock starts (Acas): for unfair dismissal, the last day of the notice period, or the dismissal date if no notice was given. For pay, the date someone was not paid correctly. For discrimination, the most recent date it happened. What pauses it, and what doesn't: "When you notify Acas, your time limit will be paused until early conciliation ends." But "Going through grievance, disciplinary or appeal procedures does not change your time limit." Not affected: businesses without employees.
What should you update this week?
Fix your paperwork first, then look at any dispute that is still open. The government's advice is one sentence: "Update any policy documents or employee handbooks regarding employment tribunal time limits to amend references from three months to six months." The paperwork change takes minutes. The longer window lasts for every case from now on.
- ✓Search your handbook, contracts and grievance policy for "three months" or "3 months" next to "tribunal". Change it to six months.
- ✓List every dismissal, pay dispute or grievance since 1 October. For each one, the claim window now runs 6 months minus 1 day from the date of the problem, not 3.
- ✓Staff in Scotland? Note 9 November 2026 for breach of contract claims.
Time limit for most tribunal claims about problems on or after 1 October 2026
Source: Acas, Employment tribunal time limits
Common questions
Does the 6-month limit apply to things that happened before 1 October?
No. Acas says how long someone has depends on when the problem happened. If it happened before 1 October 2026, the old limit of 3 months minus 1 day applies to most claims. If it happened on or after 1 October 2026, it is 6 months minus 1 day.
Does this apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Scotland yes, with one difference: for breach of employment contract claims the change starts on 9 November 2026, not 1 October. Northern Ireland only partly. There it covers certain industrial tribunal cases, such as claims under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998, not most claims.
Does a grievance process pause the time limit?
No. Acas says going through grievance, disciplinary or appeal procedures does not change the time limit. What does pause it is Acas early conciliation: once someone notifies Acas, the clock stops until conciliation ends. So an internal process that drags on does not buy you time.
What do I need to change in my staff handbook?
Any line that tells staff they have three months to go to an employment tribunal. The government's employer guidance asks you to change those references to six months, in handbooks and in policy documents such as your grievance or disciplinary policy. If your handbook does not mention tribunal time limits at all, there is nothing to change.
Luca Bonura started selling online at 17 and funded his first business with 4:30am shifts in a bakery. He built his own product brand, watched it fail, and rebuilt as a freelance performance marketer for everyone from small shops to HelloFresh. Seeing how hard growth is even for people inside the industry, he founded Adlarion. He writes The Small Business Digest in plain English: the news he wished he'd had when starting out.
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