Introduction
Filling in an employment tribunal claim form for the first time can feel intimidating. The form itself isn’t especially long. Small errors here still cause real delays later, though. This guide walks through Form ET1 section by section. It explains what each part actually asks for, and where people commonly go wrong.
Table of Contents
- What Is Form ET1?
- Before You Start
- Section 1: Your Personal Details
- Section 2: The Respondent’s Details
- Employment and Earnings Details
- Type and Details of Your Claim
- What Remedy Are You Asking For?
- Disability and Hearing Adjustments
- Adding a Representative
- Submitting Online vs by Post
- Common Mistakes That Cause Rejection or Delay
- What Happens After You Submit
- Contact Us for Employment Tribunal Support
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Form ET1?
Form ET1 is the official employment tribunal claim form. It’s used to start a case in England, Wales, or Scotland. The form is how you formally tell the tribunal who you are, who you’re claiming against, what happened, and what you want as a result. The current version is numbered 02.24. It’s available as a downloadable PDF, or through the online claim service on GOV.UK.
If you’re bringing a claim together with colleagues over the same underlying issue, a separate form called ET1A handles group claims instead. This guide focuses on ET1 for an individual claim.
Use this form to make a claim to an employment tribunal if you think you’ve been treated unfairly by your employer, potential employer or trade union.
Before You Start
Your ACAS Early Conciliation Certificate
Before you can submit most employment tribunal claim forms, you need to notify ACAS first. You’ll also need to complete Early Conciliation. You’ll receive a certificate number once that process ends. This number goes directly onto your ET1, and it needs to match exactly. A mismatch between your name on the certificate and your name on the form is one of the most common reasons claims get rejected outright.
Checking Your Deadline
Standard tribunal time limits are strict. Early Conciliation only pauses the clock while it’s actually running. Before you start filling anything in, double-check your own deadline. Don’t assume there’s plenty of time left. It’s far easier to fix a form error than to fix a missed deadline.
Section 1: Your Personal Details
This section asks for your name, date of birth, address, and contact details. It also asks how you’d prefer to be contacted. More recently, it also asks whether you’re able to take part in video or phone hearings. If you can’t, there’s space to explain why.
Enter your full legal name here. It should match whatever’s on your Early Conciliation certificate exactly. Small inconsistencies, like a missing middle name or a different spelling, can cause processing delays. This holds true even when it’s obviously the same person to a human reader.
Section 2: The Respondent’s Details
This section covers your employer’s details, or whoever you’re actually bringing the claim against. You’ll need their correct legal name and address, not just a trading name you might know them by. Getting this wrong can complicate matters later. This is particularly true if the claim needs enforcing after a successful outcome.
If more than one party is involved, there’s space further into the form to add additional respondents. Each additional respondent generally needs their own matching ACAS certificate too. It’s worth checking this before you submit, not after.
Employment and Earnings Details
Later sections ask about your actual employment. This includes your start date, whether your employment has ended and when, your job title, your normal working hours, and your pay. This information matters beyond simple record-keeping. It helps establish whether you meet any qualifying service requirements. It also feeds directly into how compensation gets calculated if your claim succeeds.
Take care with dates specifically. An incorrect termination date can affect whether your claim looks like it was submitted within the time limit, even where it genuinely was.
Type and Details of Your Claim
Selecting the Right Claim Type
The form asks you to identify what kind of claim you’re bringing. It uses tick-box categories like unfair dismissal, discrimination, unpaid wages, or redundancy pay. You can select more than one where several issues genuinely apply to your situation. It’s worth being accurate here, rather than ticking every box that might loosely apply. This choice shapes how the tribunal processes your case from the outset.
Writing the Details of Claim Section
This is the most important part of the whole form. It’s where you actually explain what happened, in your own words. A clear, chronological account works far better than a long, unstructured narrative. Cover the key dates, what was said or done, and how you responded.
For a straightforward, single-issue claim, writing directly in this section is usually enough. More complex claims sometimes need something different. This applies especially to cases involving discrimination, whistleblowing, or several overlapping issues. Some people prepare a separate, more detailed document called particulars of claim instead, and refer to it here. Either way, stick to facts rather than argument. The legal analysis comes later. This section is about establishing what actually happened.
What Remedy Are You Asking For?
Here you set out what you want the tribunal to award if your claim succeeds. This might be compensation, reinstatement, re-engagement, or a specific declaration, depending on your claim type. The tribunal makes the final decision regardless of what you request. This section still sets expectations early, though. It also shapes how the respondent understands what’s at stake from the outset.
Disability and Hearing Adjustments
If you have a disability, or a condition that affects your ability to take part in proceedings, this section lets you flag it early. Reasonable adjustments might include extra time, particular communication support, or a specific hearing format. Raising this at the outset gives the tribunal proper time to arrange whatever’s needed. Waiting until close to a hearing date makes this considerably harder to sort out.
Adding a Representative
If a solicitor, barrister, or other representative is helping you, their details go here. This doesn’t commit you to using them for the entire process. Some people complete this section themselves. They add representation details later, once support is confirmed. If you’re still deciding whether you need one at all, it’s worth understanding employment tribunal legal representation properly first, including the free and lower-cost options available.
Submitting Online vs by Post
Most people submit their employment tribunal claim form online now, and this is generally the recommended route. It’s faster, and it gives you an immediate confirmation that your form actually arrived. Postal submission remains available too, though it carries more risk. Delivery delays or a lost envelope can directly affect whether your claim looks like it met the deadline.
If you do submit by post, keep a full copy of everything you sent. Get proof of postage as well. This matters if a dispute ever arises about exactly when your claim was actually received. Whichever method you use, keep a record of any confirmation you receive, including a reference number if one’s provided straight away.
Common Mistakes That Cause Rejection or Delay
A handful of errors show up repeatedly. A missing or incorrect ACAS certificate number is probably the most common. Leaving a mandatory field blank is another; these are usually marked with an asterisk on the form. Submitting after your deadline without a valid reason causes outright rejection in most cases. Inconsistent details between your claim type selection and your written account can also cause confusion later, even when it’s an honest oversight rather than a deliberate choice. A vague, disorganised details of claim section won’t necessarily get your claim thrown out, but it makes life considerably harder once the case progresses.
It’s worth reviewing your completed form once before submitting. Check specifically for these issues, rather than just proofreading generally.
What Happens After You Submit
Once you submit your employment tribunal claim form, the tribunal runs a validation check. This confirms your ACAS certificate is valid. It also checks your claim arrived within the deadline, and that the respondent’s details are clear enough to act on. If everything checks out, your claim gets accepted. It’s then forwarded to the respondent, who has their own deadline to respond. If something’s missing or doesn’t match, the tribunal may reject the claim. However, if your claim is rejected, you have a vital legal lifeline: under Rule 13 of the ET Rules of Procedure 2013, you can apply for a Reconsideration of Rejection within 14 days of receiving the notice, explaining why the rejection was wrong or showing that the defect has now been rectified.
Working out the wider process this form fits into helps too. How to make an unfair dismissal claim covers the steps either side of the form itself, from Early Conciliation through to what happens once your claim is accepted.
Contact Us for Employment Tribunal Support
Getting your employment tribunal claim form right the first time avoids delays that can genuinely affect your case later, particularly where a deadline is already close.
Final Thoughts
Form ET1 isn’t complicated in structure, but small details genuinely matter. Matching your name to your ACAS certificate matters. So does checking your deadline before you start, and writing a clear, factual details of claim section. Taking the time to get these right beats rushing it through at the last minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is form ET1 used for?
It’s the official employment tribunal claim form used to start an individual case in England, Wales, or Scotland. It covers your personal details, your employer’s details, what happened, and what you want as an outcome.
Do I need an ACAS certificate before completing ET1?
Yes, in almost all cases. You’ll need to notify ACAS and complete Early Conciliation first. The certificate number then goes directly on the form.
What happens if I make a mistake on my ET1?
It depends on the error. A missing mandatory field or an invalid ACAS certificate number can lead to rejection, or a request for correction. This may cost time if your deadline is close.
How detailed should the details of claim section be?
Detailed enough to cover the key facts clearly and chronologically. Straightforward claims are often fine written directly on the form. Complex cases sometimes use a separate, more detailed document instead.
Should I submit my claim form online or by post?
Online is generally recommended. It’s faster, and it gives you immediate confirmation your form arrived. If you post it instead, keep a copy and proof of postage.
Can I add a representative to my ET1 later?
Yes. Many people complete the form themselves initially. They add representative details afterward, once they’ve confirmed who’s helping them.
What happens after I submit my claim form?
The tribunal runs a validation check on your ACAS certificate, your deadline, and the respondent’s details before accepting the claim and forwarding it to the other side.