Acas early conciliation is a free service in which a conciliator talks to you and your employer separately to see whether a dispute can be resolved without an employment tribunal. If you decide to make a tribunal claim, you usually must notify Acas first, within your time limit. Taking part is voluntary for both sides. A little preparation makes the form and the first call easier. This guide covers Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).

Key points

  • You usually must notify Acas before making an employment tribunal claim; early conciliation is free and voluntary.
  • Notify within your time limit. Raising a grievance first does not change it.
  • Have ready your employer's details, key dates, a short summary and the outcome you want.
  • Early conciliation can last up to 12 weeks; without an agreement, Acas issues a certificate for form ET1.
Contents
  1. Check the clock first
  2. What to have ready
  3. What happens after you notify
  4. What a conciliator can and cannot do
  5. Frequently asked questions

Check the clock first

Acas says most claims have a time limit of 3 months minus 1 day. Where the time limit starts on or after 1 October 2026, most claims have 6 months minus 1 day instead. Raising a grievance or an appeal first does not change the limit, so Acas advises making sure you have enough time before you do. Notifying Acas pauses the limit until early conciliation ends, but only if you notify within it.

What to have ready

  • Your employer's details: the correct name and address, as shown on your contract, offer letter or payslips.
  • Key dates: when the problems happened, when you raised them internally, any outcome or appeal, and your last day if you have left.
  • A short summary: five to eight lines in date order, plus what you have already tried.
  • What you want: for example an agreed reference, a payment or a change at work. Separate essentials from preferences.
  • How to reach you: your preferred channel, whether your address may be shared with your employer, and any accessibility needs, such as email-only contact, an interpreter or Relay UK.
  • A representative, if you want one: Acas gives a trade union representative or a family member as examples.

Once you submit the online form, you cannot access or amend it, so check your answers first.

What happens after you notify

  1. Acas sends a confirmation email or letter with a reference number. Note the date.
  2. Acas reviews your details and may call you if it needs more information.
  3. Your case is assigned to a conciliator. When we checked in September 2026, Acas said the service was very busy and it could take around 9 weeks for early conciliation to start.
  4. The conciliator asks about the dispute and how you would like it resolved, then contacts your employer if you agree.
  5. If you reach an agreement, Acas writes it up as a conciliation agreement called a COT3. Acas says you will have to keep to it once you and your employer agree to it, even before you sign.
  6. If there is no agreement, your employer declines, or Acas does not hear back from you, you receive a certificate with a number for form ET1. If you notified in time, you have at least 1 month from receiving it to make your claim.

Acas says the early conciliation period can last up to 12 weeks.

What a conciliator can and cannot do

Conciliators are impartial. They can explain the process, discuss the issues with both sides, give an overview of the relevant law and explore how the dispute could be resolved. They cannot represent you, tell you whether to settle, say how strong your case is or help you prepare it. For that, Acas suggests getting legal advice; GOV.UK lists options such as a solicitor, help through your trade union, or Citizens Advice. Keep a dated log of each call: who you spoke to, what was proposed and what you asked. Do not agree to wording you do not understand.

If your notes are spread across emails and chats, our incident log template shows one way to put them in date order. For what to record about each incident, see what to record in a bullying at work diary. Kirokune can keep notes and imported chats in a timeline on your iPhone and export a PDF (a Kirokune Plus feature); it does not assess your claim or work out your time limit.

Frequently asked questions

How long does Acas early conciliation take?
Acas says the early conciliation period can last up to 12 weeks. When we checked in September 2026, its notification page also said the service was very busy and that it could take around 9 weeks for early conciliation to start.
Do I have to raise a grievance before contacting Acas?
Acas suggests trying to resolve things with your employer first if you have time, but a grievance does not change tribunal time limits. If your deadline is close, notify Acas within the limit.
Does Acas decide who is right?
No. Conciliators are impartial. They cannot say how strong your case is or tell you whether to settle; they help both sides explore an agreement.

Sources

A telephone handset on its base beside an open notebook and a cup of tea

Kirokune helps you keep a record. It does not diagnose, decide what happened, or give legal advice.