This guide covers England, Wales and Scotland. Employment law is different in Northern Ireland.
In brief: A performance improvement plan (PIP) does not automatically mean you are going to be dismissed. The key questions are what your employer says is wrong, whether the targets are clear and realistic, what time and support you have been given, and whether disability, health or another protected issue affects the process.
Last updated: October 2026
By Yerty | This guide was created using analysis of tribunal cases and official ACAS/Gov.uk guidance.
Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) UK: Your Rights & What to Do
Being put on a PIP can feel like the point where an ordinary performance conversation becomes something much more serious. Sometimes it is a genuine attempt to improve performance. Sometimes it becomes part of a warning, settlement or dismissal process.
The label alone does not tell you which one you are dealing with.
Yerty reviewed 469 unique published Employment Tribunal judgments containing the phrase “performance improvement plan”. In 278 of them, the claimant was clearly subjected to a PIP or performance-improvement process. The same set also included plans that were proposed but never clearly implemented and cases where the judgment expressly recorded that no PIP had been used.
That sample cannot tell us how often PIPs succeed in ordinary workplaces, but it does show how differently they are used when disputes later reach tribunal.
Important: This guide provides information about employment law in England, Wales and Scotland. Yerty is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Every situation is different. If your employment may be ending, or discrimination, whistleblowing or another protected issue may be involved, consider speaking to a qualified employment solicitor.
Does a PIP mean you are going to be fired?
No. A PIP should be taken seriously, but it is not automatically a dismissal decision.
Acas says that if informal steps do not resolve a capability problem, an employer could consider a PIP. It should set out specific objectives, a reasonable timeline and any further support or training needed. If performance does not improve, the employer should make clear what may happen next, which could include an extension, a final written warning or ultimately dismissal. Dismissal should be a last resort and must follow a fair procedure.
Tribunal cases also show that employees can complete PIPs successfully. In Singh v Lloyds Bank plc, the claimant took part in weekly meetings and the plan closed after performance improved. In Uddin v NSL Ltd, the judgment records successful completion of the PIP. In Saleh v Singletrack Systems Ltd, performance improved and the goals were achieved.
Those cases do not give us a workplace “PIP pass rate”. Employees who complete a plan and never have a later dispute are unlikely to appear in Employment Tribunal judgments at all.
For the underlying case analysis, see Yerty's findings on PIPs in Employment Tribunal judgments.
What is a PIP, and what should it contain?
A PIP is a performance-management tool. It normally identifies a performance concern, explains what improvement is expected and sets a period in which progress will be reviewed.
There is no universal statutory document that every employer must call a “PIP”. Employers use different labels, including performance plan, development plan, action plan and capability plan. What happened in practice matters more than the title.
Acas also distinguishes capability from conduct. Capability is about someone's ability to do the job. Conduct is about behaviour at work. The distinction matters because the employer may need to respond differently, and something that first looks like conduct can sometimes have a health or disability explanation.
A useful PIP should make the following points clear:
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Performance concern | What exactly does your employer say is wrong? |
| Evidence | What examples, figures or work issues support the concern? |
| Expected standard | What would acceptable performance look like? |
| Targets | Are the objectives specific and understandable? |
| Timescale | How long have you actually been given? |
| Support | What training, coaching, supervision or resources are available? |
| Reviews | When and how will progress be assessed? |
| Consequences | What may happen if the required improvement is not achieved? |
Acas's June 2026 guidance follows the same basic structure: specific objectives, a reasonable timeline and further support or training.
The tribunal judgments Yerty reviewed contain similar examples. In Begum v Lloyd's Pharmacy Ltd, the tribunal accepted that the plan was intended as a supportive measure. In Sabourin v BT Group plc, the tribunal accepted that the goals were realistic, achievable and measurable even though they were not perfectly SMART.
Sabourin later went to the Employment Appeal Tribunal. In Sabourin v BT Group plc [2025] EAT 171, the EAT did not overturn that specific finding about the PIP goals, but it quashed the tribunal's overall conclusion that the dismissal was fair and remitted a separate issue: whether the dismissing manager had actually considered what happened to the claimant's performance after the final written warning.
A missing box does not automatically make a PIP unlawful. The practical question is whether you can understand what needs to change and how success will be judged.
Put on a PIP? What to do now
If the PIP has just landed, focus first on getting the process clear rather than trying to predict the outcome.
- Get the PIP, targets and review dates in writing. If something is only being said verbally, ask for the concern, expected standard and timescale to be confirmed.
- Check the evidence behind each concern. Compare it with recent appraisals, objectives, emails, work records and any positive feedback.
- Ask how success will be measured. If a target is vague, subjective or appears unrealistic, ask what evidence supports it and which factors are within your control.
- Record the support that is promised. Keep notes of review meetings, training, coaching, resources and whether that support actually happens.
- Raise disability or health issues early if they are relevant. Explain the connection to the alleged performance issue and any reasonable adjustments you think may help.
- Check what kind of meeting you are being invited to. An informal PIP check-in is different from a formal meeting that could result in a warning or other disciplinary action.
- Do not assume an internal process stops tribunal time limits. If dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing or settlement becomes a realistic issue, check the deadline separately. For events from 1 October 2026 it is usually 6 months minus 1 day.
If you are trying to work out which issues actually matter in your situation, the Yerty Claimant Hub can help you organise the facts and identify the next stage.
My PIP came out of nowhere, or the targets look unrealistic
A sudden PIP can be particularly alarming if you previously had good appraisals, bonuses, promotions or little negative feedback.
That history does not automatically make the PIP unfair. Performance can change, managers can change and standards can change. But the chronology can matter when you are trying to understand what the concern is actually based on.
Useful questions include:
- When did the alleged problem first arise?
- What examples support it?
- Was it mentioned in previous one-to-ones or appraisals?
- Has the expected standard changed?
- Did something significant happen immediately before the PIP, such as a new manager, restructure, grievance, sickness absence or protected disclosure?
Targets also need scrutiny. A target can contain a number and still have little evidential basis. Other goals are so subjective that the employee cannot tell what would count as success.
In Mughal v Omnia Life Style Ltd, the process included a monthly turnover target of £2,500. The tribunal noted uncertainty around what had been explained and what support was available. The data before it also showed that no therapist had achieved £2,500 in the period being considered.
That case does not create a rule that targets must match what colleagues have already achieved. It does show why it can be sensible to ask how a target was calculated, how success will be measured and which factors are within your control.
How long should a PIP last, and what support should you get?
There is no fixed legal length for a PIP. Acas refers to a “reasonable timeline”, not a set number of weeks.
The appropriate period depends on the role and the alleged problem. Some performance issues can be measured quickly; others need enough time for a sales cycle, project or training period to play out. Sickness absence or agreed adjustments may also affect what is reasonable.
The more useful question is whether the employee was actually given the opportunity the plan appeared to promise.
In Hoggins v Recruitment Solutions (Services) Ltd, a five-week PIP was agreed in writing. The employer decided to terminate employment nine days later. The judgment also recorded no advance warning of the dismissal meeting and no appeal.
Support matters too. Acas says employers should try to understand the reason for a capability problem and help the employee improve. Depending on the job, that may involve training, coaching, mentoring, supervision, resources or regular feedback.
A PIP on paper is not the same thing as a genuine opportunity to improve.
What if disability, ADHD or another health condition affects your performance?
Performance management can raise separate Equality Act issues where disability is relevant.
Acas says an employer managing the performance of a disabled person should discuss current performance, what is expected, what support may help and what reasonable adjustments may be needed. Employers should keep an open mind and avoid assuming why someone is struggling.
Two questions are worth separating:
- Could the alleged performance problem be connected to disability? A condition might affect concentration, speed, communication, memory, attendance or the way work is completed.
- Could the PIP process itself need adjustment? Timeframes, equipment, working arrangements, meeting formats or the way targets are assessed may need consideration.
Yerty's tribunal review includes cases where that connection was direct. In X v Open GI Ltd, a complaint of discrimination arising from disability under section 15 of the Equality Act 2010 succeeded in relation to a PIP concerning work-completion time. In Phillips v Financial Ombudsman Service Ltd, additional support and adjustments were discussed and the PIP was extended because of illness.
Disability does not automatically prevent performance management. It can change what a fair and lawful process needs to consider.
What if you disagree with the PIP?
Disagreement does not have to mean refusing to engage.
If the facts, targets or timeframe are disputed, identify the specific point and why. A clear written objection is usually more useful than a general statement that the entire process is unfair.
Do you have to sign it?
Acas guidance does not make signing a PIP a statutory requirement. Check what the signature is said to confirm. Acknowledging receipt is not necessarily the same as agreeing with every allegation.
If you disagree, you may want to record that disagreement clearly rather than assume that refusing to sign will stop the process.
Can you raise a grievance?
A grievance may be relevant where the issue goes beyond ordinary disagreement, for example alleged discrimination, victimisation, bullying, failure to make reasonable adjustments or a serious procedural concern.
Raising a grievance is not an automatic pause button. The current Acas Code says that where a grievance is raised during a disciplinary process, the employer may temporarily suspend that process or may deal with both matters concurrently where they are related.
Can you take someone to a PIP meeting?
There is no blanket statutory right to a companion at every informal PIP check-in or performance conversation.
However, the current Acas Code expressly includes poor performance within disciplinary situations, even where an employer uses a separate capability procedure. If a formal PIP or capability meeting could result in a formal warning or other disciplinary action, the statutory right to be accompanied may apply. The employer's label for the meeting is not decisive; what the meeting can actually result in matters.
Where the statutory right applies, the companion can normally be a fellow worker, a certified trade union representative or an official employed by a trade union. An employer's own policy may give a wider right, and reasonable adjustments may also be relevant for a disabled employee.
What if you think the PIP is designed to manage you out?
It is common to hear “PIP means they have already decided to fire you”. The tribunal record is more complicated.
| More consistent with genuine improvement | Reason to examine the process more closely |
|---|---|
| Concerns are explained with evidence | Allegations remain vague or unexplained |
| Targets have an identifiable basis | Targets appear arbitrary or impossible |
| The stated period is honoured | The plan is unexpectedly cut short |
| Relevant support is provided | Failure is recorded without meaningful support |
| Progress affects the assessment | The outcome appears fixed regardless of progress |
| Employee explanations are considered | Responses or evidence are ignored |
In Partridge v Unilever UK Ltd, the claimant argued that the PIP was intended to manage him out. The tribunal found no evidence beyond the assertions and rejected the inference.
In Roche v University of Southampton, the findings were very different. The tribunal concluded that paperwork was being used to justify termination, that dismissal had become a foregone conclusion and that the process was a sham. It also criticised the appeal.
“Managed out” is therefore not a conclusion you can reach from the existence of a PIP. The evidence lies in what the employer actually did and whether successful improvement could genuinely have changed the outcome.
What if your employer offers settlement during the PIP?
A settlement proposal can happen while a PIP or capability process is still running. That does not by itself prove the PIP was predetermined.
Settlement agreements are voluntary. For a settlement agreement to be legally binding, statutory conditions include the employee receiving independent advice on the terms and effect of the agreement. The Acas Code says that, as a general rule, at least 10 calendar days should be allowed to consider formal written terms and receive independent advice, unless the parties agree otherwise.
Be careful with the phrase “protected conversation”. Section 111A protection mainly concerns pre-termination negotiations in ordinary unfair dismissal proceedings and has limits. It does not make everything said inadmissible in every type of claim.
Yerty's guide to without prejudice and protected employment discussions explains the distinction in more detail.
What happens if you pass, fail or are dismissed after a PIP?
If performance improves to the required standard, the employer may close the PIP and return to ordinary performance management. The tribunal cases above show that this can happen.
If performance does not improve enough, possible next stages include an extension, warning, formal capability action or dismissal. Acas says employers should make the possible consequences clear.
A failed PIP does not mechanically make dismissal fair. Capability is a potentially fair reason for dismissal under section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, but where ordinary unfair dismissal protection applies, the tribunal considers whether the employer acted reasonably and whether the procedure was fair.
If you have already been dismissed for performance without a meaningful improvement process, see Can You Be Dismissed for Poor Performance Without a PIP?.
If the dispute is escalating, watch the time limit
Internal meetings, a grievance or an appeal do not automatically extend the deadline for an Employment Tribunal claim.
For most tribunal claims where the event complained of happened on or after 1 October 2026, the time limit is 6 months minus 1 day. Events before that date keep the previous limit of 3 months minus 1 day; the longer period does not reach back to them. Where a claim is about a continuing course of conduct, the period usually runs from the last act in the series.
You normally have to notify Acas before making a tribunal claim. Early conciliation lasts up to 12 weeks and pauses the clock, which affects the final deadline, so do not assume an internal PIP, grievance or appeal has done the same. Yerty's Acas Early Conciliation guide explains the process.
Ordinary unfair dismissal protection is also changing. Dismissals with an effective date before 1 January 2027 generally remain subject to the current 2-year qualifying period. From 1 January 2027, most employees will be able to claim ordinary unfair dismissal after 6 months. Separate protections, including discrimination and many automatically unfair dismissal grounds, do not depend on that ordinary qualifying period.
How Yerty can help
If this is happening to you now, the Yerty Claimant Hub gives you a structured route through a workplace dispute, including a free Workplace Assessment, guided stages and tools for understanding what may apply.
If you want the evidence behind this guide, read Yerty's analysis of 469 tribunal judgments involving performance improvement plans.
Frequently asked questions
Does a PIP mean I am going to be fired?
No. A PIP can lead to dismissal, but it can also be extended, closed after improvement or followed by another stage. Yerty's tribunal review includes employees who successfully completed PIPs. The more useful question is whether the employer is genuinely allowing improvement to affect the outcome.
How long should a PIP last in the UK?
There is no fixed statutory duration. Acas says a PIP should have a reasonable timeline. What is reasonable depends on the job, the performance issue, available support and how quickly improvement can realistically be measured. A written duration is less useful if the employer does not actually allow it to run.
Do I have to sign a PIP?
Acas guidance does not make employee signature a statutory requirement. Check what the signature means. Acknowledging receipt can be different from agreeing with the contents. If you dispute something, a clear written explanation of the specific point may be more useful than simply refusing to sign.
Can my employer change my PIP targets?
Targets can sometimes change for legitimate reasons, but the process should remain understandable. If an objective changes, ask what changed, why, how the new target will be measured and whether the timeframe or support also needs to change. Repeated unexplained changes can make it harder to know what success requires.
Can I raise a grievance while on a PIP?
Yes. A grievance may be relevant where you are raising a separate concern such as discrimination, bullying or failure to make reasonable adjustments. Under the current Acas Code, an overlapping disciplinary process may sometimes be paused or the issues may be dealt with concurrently. A grievance does not automatically stop the PIP.
Can I be dismissed for failing a PIP?
Potentially, yes. Capability can be a potentially fair reason for dismissal. But failure against an employer's internal targets does not by itself decide whether dismissal was legally fair. The wider evidence, warnings, opportunity to improve, support, procedure and any relevant protected issue can all matter.
Can I take someone to a PIP meeting?
Not at every informal PIP review. But poor performance is included within disciplinary situations under the current Acas Code. If a formal PIP or capability meeting could result in a formal warning or other disciplinary action, the statutory right to be accompanied may apply. Your employer's policy or reasonable adjustments may provide additional rights.
What if I am disabled or off sick during a PIP?
Disability or illness does not automatically stop performance management, but it can change what the employer needs to consider. Acas says employers should discuss support and reasonable adjustments with disabled employees and keep an open mind about how work can be done. Sickness may also affect whether a timeline remains reasonable.
Sources
Official guidance and legislation
- Problems with an employee's performance, Acas, updated 23 June 2026
- Dismissals for capability or conduct, Acas
- Capability and performance when someone is disabled, Acas
- Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures, Acas
- Settlement Agreements Code of Practice, Acas
- Employment tribunal time limits, Acas
- Employment tribunal time limits: changes from 1 October 2026, Business.gov.uk / Department for Business and Trade
- Employment Rights Act 1996, section 98, legislation.gov.uk
- Eligibility to claim unfair dismissal, GOV.UK
- Unfair dismissal rights: changes from 1 January 2027, Business.gov.uk / Department for Business and Trade
Tribunal judgments cited
- Mr D Singh v Lloyds Bank plc: 4104852/2022
- Mr A Uddin v NSL Ltd: 2201825/2023
- Mr E Saleh v Singletrack Systems Ltd: 3205956/2021
- Ms A Begum v Lloyd's Pharmacy Ltd and others: 1303426/2022
- Mr P Sabourin v BT Group plc: 3201387/2023
- Mr Peter Sabourin v BT Group plc: [2025] EAT 171
- Mr K Mughal v Omnia Life Style Ltd and Mr F Mirandha: 3302333/2023
- Mr A Hoggins v Recruitment Solutions (Services) Ltd: 3300172/2017
- X v Open GI Ltd: 3312044/2022 and 3311178/2022
- Mr J R Phillips v Financial Ombudsman Service Ltd: 2501862/2024
- Mr N Partridge v Unilever UK Ltd: 2416038/2020
- Dr J Roche v University of Southampton: 1404304/2021
Yerty's tribunal findings are based on a review of 469 unique published Employment Tribunal judgments containing the phrase “performance improvement plan”. This is a litigation-selected dataset, not a representative sample of workplace PIPs.