The ET1 Claim Form 




A tribunal claim is made by completing a Claim Form known as a Form ET1. The claim can be made online or by post. Around 90% of employment tribunal claims are now made online. Here is the link: https://employmenttribunals.service.gov.uk/apply.


Use of Form ET1 is compulsory. If the claim is not submitted on the correct form, or if some of the information is missing or illegible, it will be rejected. It is important to make sure all the claims a member intends to make are included. If a claim, say disability discrimination or unlawful deduction of wages, is not included, it will not be part of the claim and adding it later will be very difficult. 




The Acas Early Conciliation (EC) Certificate reference number must be recorded on the Form ET1. It is not possible to make a valid tribunal claim without this number. All the digits in the number must be correctly recorded, or else the ET1 Claim Form will be rejected (see Sterling v United Learning Trust [2015] UKEAT 0439/14/DM). 




There is an employment tribunal public inquiry telephone number: 0845 7959775 for copies of Form ET1 in alternative formats, such as large print or Braille. There is also a “talk through” service for people who cannot use a computer without help. Tel: 0300 123 1024, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm. 



When an application is submitted online, an automated email acknowledgement is generated immediately, leaving no room for argument as to whether it was issued in time. It is also easier to make sure nothing essential is omitted. 




An ET1 Claim Form submitted by post should be sent to the Employment Tribunal Central Office (England and Wales) PO Box 10218, Leicester LE1 8EG, or in Scotland to the Employment Tribunals Central Office (Scotland) PO Box 27105 Glasgow G2 9JR. A tracked postal method should be used.




Faxed and emailed claim forms are not allowed. 


Two or more claimants can use the same claim form, but only if their claims are “based on the same set of facts” (rule 9, Employment Tribunal Rules 2013).