Getting Started: Your Tribunal Claim
- Duration
- 25 minutes
- Format
- Video
Written by Julia Gidney · former leading employment lawyer.
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▸ Read the video transcript
The ET1 claim form is where most Tribunal applications are built on solid ground, or they start to wobble.
My headline advice is not to be hasty. Give your employer's grievance procedure a proper go.
Then use the early conciliation services of Acas.
And the mediation offered by the Tribunal.
Make sure that you know your time limits, pay close attention to the requested form content, be accurate and give the Tribunal the specific claim detail it needs. That's going to require careful attention.
And please, be very careful when using AI.
I created this course to provide claimants with guidance on all these issues and a lot more, so I hope you find it helpful.
As with all of my videos, this isn't legal advice so if you need advice for your particular circumstances, you should consult a solicitor or other qualified adviser.
What This Video Guidance Covers
This video walks you through when and how to complete the ET1 Tribunal claim form so it's accurate, complete and submitted on time. It flags the mistakes claimants most often make at the start – and how to avoid them.
Exactly What's Covered.
- 1 Who can make a claim?
- 2 Try to resolve the complaint first
- 3 ACAS early conciliation
- 4 Time limits
- 5 Which nation are you claiming in?
- 6 A few words about AI
- 7 Getting ready
- 8 The claim form (ET1)
- 9 Getting the Respondent right
- 10 Setting out your claim
- 11 Type and details of claim
- 12 Guidance and support
- 13 Describing what happened
- 14 What do you want if your claim is successful?
- 15 Working out the value of your claim
- 16 Whistleblowing claims
- 17 Details of your representative
- 18 Checking and submitting
- 19 What happens next?
- 20 The Case Management hearing
- 21 Getting support
- 22 Other modules
- 23 Final words
Good to Know
Who is this video for?
Anyone thinking about making an Employment Tribunal claim in England & Wales, whether you're claiming on your own, alongside colleagues treated the same way, or helping someone else with their claim. It's designed to be followed without a lawyer.
What's included?
A 25-minute video that walks you through the whole process of starting a claim, from raising a grievance and contacting Acas, through to submitting your claim form (the ET1) and what happens next. It covers the steps most claimants get wrong. It also looks at how to describe your claim, what to ask for if you win, using AI tools sensibly, and where to find free help.
I haven't contacted Acas or raised a grievance yet — is this too early for me?
No, this is the ideal time. The video explains why raising a grievance first can protect the value of your compensation and takes you through Acas early conciliation and how it affects your time limit, before you get anywhere near the form.
Does it cover time limits?
Yes, including how contacting Acas pauses the clock, the “Day A / Day B” calculation and the change to a six-month time limit for events on or after 1 October 2026.
Does it tell me what my claim is worth?
It explains the types of compensation you can ask for and how to give a reasonable estimate on the form, but it isn't a guide to valuing your claim. Our module on schedules of loss covers that in full.
I'm in Scotland — does this apply to me?
No. Scotland has a separate Tribunal system and this video covers claims in England & Wales only.
Is it up to date?
Employment law, the Acas Code and Tribunal rules change regularly. We monitor these changes closely and update our videos when they happen. If we update this video, the new version appears in your personal video dashboard automatically, at no extra cost.
How long will I have access?
Employment Tribunal cases can take a long time to reach a hearing, so your video stays available to you for 24 months. If you need longer, just email us at info@wdidi.org and we'll extend it for you. We want you to have our guidance for as long as you need it.
Is this legal advice?
No. None of our guidance is legal advice. If you need advice on your own case, please contact a solicitor or other qualified representative. The Law Society's Find a Solicitor service is a good place to start — or your local Citizens Advice if cost is a concern.
Anything else?
More questions? Our full FAQ is here.
