Extended Time Limits for Employment Tribunal Claims

Section 152 and Schedule 12 of the Employment Rights Act 2025 will increase the primary time limit for bringing most types of employment tribunal claims from three months to six months, effective from 1 October. The extension applies to the majority of employment tribunal claims, although certain claims including breach of contract, part-time worker claims and fixed-term employee claims were not initially listed in Schedule 12. The government has since published draft regulations to extend time limits for these additional claim types.

This represents a significant change for both employers and employees. Employees will have substantially longer to bring tribunal claims, which may increase the number of claims brought and extend the period during which employers must retain employment records. Employers should review their document retention policies to ensure relevant records are maintained for at least six months following termination of employment.