Stage 3 of 8
How Acas early conciliation works
Before most employment tribunal claims, you need to notify Acas. Early conciliation is a free chance to resolve the dispute with your employer first.
Before most tribunal claims, you need to notify Acas first.
£9.99/month · 14-day free trial · Card required to start trial · Cancel anytime
£9.99/month · 14-day free trial
Early conciliation is a free service where Acas helps you and your employer try to resolve the dispute without a tribunal claim. For most claims you must notify Acas before you can file, but you do not have to settle.
A free Acas service to try to resolve the dispute. You must notify Acas, but you don't have to settle.
Route
How early conciliation usually runs
- Notify Acas
- Conciliation (up to 12 weeks)
- Certificate issued
- Settle, or make a claim
- If you make a claim: Tribunal claim (ET1) →
Some disputes settle at this stage; others move on to a tribunal claim.
- 01
Notify Acas
- 02
Conciliation (up to 12 weeks)
- 03
Certificate issued
- 04
Settle, or make a claim
- 05
- 01
Contact Acas to start the process
You can notify Acas online or by phone. You'll provide basic details about your dispute. Acas will then contact your employer to see if they're willing to engage in conciliation. This starts the clock on the EC period.
- 02
The conciliation period
Acas will attempt to help you and your employer reach a settlement. For notifications from 1 December 2025, the period is up to 12 weeks. It can end sooner if settlement is not possible or either side does not wish to continue. Neither side is obliged to settle — conciliation is voluntary, even though starting it is mandatory.
- 03
Receive your EC certificate
Whether or not conciliation succeeds, Acas will issue an Early Conciliation certificate with a unique reference number. You'll need this number to submit a tribunal claim. Without it, your ET1 form cannot be accepted.
- 04
How it affects your time limit
The EC period pauses your tribunal claim deadline — but the calculation can be complex. The time between 'Day A' (when you contact Acas) and 'Day B' (when the certificate is issued) doesn't count towards your 3-month time limit, and you get a minimum of 1 month after Day B to file. The deadlines tool can calculate this from your dates.
Stage guidance is general information — not individual legal advice
You can notify Acas online or by phone. You'll provide basic details about your dispute. Acas will then contact your employer to see if they're willing to engage in conciliation. This starts the clock on the EC period.
Acas will attempt to help you and your employer reach a settlement. For notifications from 1 December 2025, the period is up to 12 weeks. It can end sooner if settlement is not possible or either side does not wish to continue. Neither side is obliged to settle — conciliation is voluntary, even though starting it is mandatory.
Whether or not conciliation succeeds, Acas will issue an Early Conciliation certificate with a unique reference number. You'll need this number to submit a tribunal claim. Without it, your ET1 form cannot be accepted.
The EC period pauses your tribunal claim deadline — but the calculation can be complex. The time between 'Day A' (when you contact Acas) and 'Day B' (when the certificate is issued) doesn't count towards your 3-month time limit, and you get a minimum of 1 month after Day B to file. The deadlines tool can calculate this from your dates.
Stage guidance is general information — not individual legal advice
Yes — with very limited exceptions. You cannot submit a tribunal claim without first notifying Acas. You'll need the EC certificate reference number to complete your ET1 form. Starting the process doesn't commit you to settling or even to making a claim — it just preserves your option to do so.
Case Hub turns this stage into a checklist, from notifying Acas to keeping your certificate, so you can see what is done and what is left.
Work through each step in Case Hub.
Checklist
Your Acas checklist
This stage
- Contact Acas to start the process
- The conciliation period
- Receive your EC certificate
- How it affects your time limit
Keep organised
- Save letters and outcomes
- Note dates as they happen
- Track what still needs doing
- Know what stage comes next
This stage
- Contact Acas to start the process
- The conciliation period
- Receive your EC certificate
- How it affects your time limit
Keep organised
- Save letters and outcomes
- Note dates as they happen
- Track what still needs doing
- Know what stage comes next
This stage
- Contact Acas to start the process
- The conciliation period
- Receive your EC certificate
- How it affects your time limit
This stage
- Contact Acas to start the process
- The conciliation period
- Receive your EC certificate
- How it affects your time limit
Work through Acas early conciliation step by step
£9.99/month · 14-day free trial · Card required to start trial · Cancel anytime · We never contact your employer