ET1 Claim Form: Section-by-Section Guide to Filing Your Employment Tribunal Claim

What Is the ET1 Form?

The ET1 is the official claim form for bringing a case in the Employment Tribunal. Whether you are alleging unfair dismissal, discrimination, unpaid wages, or any other workplace wrong, this is where your claim begins. The current edition is the 02.24 version, used across England, Wales, and Scotland.

Getting the ET1 right matters. An incomplete or inaccurate form can lead to rejection, delay, or — in the worst case — your claim being struck out before it is ever heard.

---

Section 1: Your Details (Fields 1.1–1.11)

1.1 Title — Select the appropriate title. If the claimant holds a professional title (such as Dr), use 'Other'.

1.2 First name(s) and 1.3 Surname — These are mandatory fields. Enter the claimant's full legal name as it appears on identity documents. The name must match the ACAS Early Conciliation certificate exactly — a mismatch is one of the most common reasons for rejection.

1.4 Date of birth — In DD/MM/YYYY format. This is relevant to age discrimination claims and statutory redundancy calculations.

1.5 Sex — Optional, but may be relevant to certain claims. 'Prefer not to say' is available.

1.6 Address and 1.7–1.10 Contact details — Provide a reliable correspondence address. The tribunal will send all communications here (unless a representative is appointed at Section 11). Consider selecting 'Email' at 1.9 for faster correspondence.

1.11 Video and phone hearings — Indicate whether the claimant can participate remotely. If not, explain why — for example, no access to technology, or a disability requiring in-person adjustments.

---

Section 2: Respondent's Details (Fields 2.1–2.8)

2.1 Respondent name — Mandatory. Name the correct legal entity. For limited companies, use the registered company name (check Companies House). A surprisingly common error is naming a trading name rather than the legal entity. Where you are claiming against an individual (for example, for discrimination), name both the company and the individual as separate respondents.

2.2 Address — The respondent's principal place of business or registered office. Verify the registered address via Companies House.

2.3 ACAS Early Conciliation — Nearly all claims require an ACAS EC certificate number. You need a separate certificate for each respondent. If you do not have a number, you must select one of the permitted exemptions. The exemption for 'interim relief' is narrow and applies only to unfair dismissal claims where the employee seeks reinstatement pending determination.

2.4 Alternative workplace address — Complete only if you worked at a different location from the respondent's registered address.

2.5–2.8 Additional respondents — Use for Respondents 2 and 3. Each requires a separate ACAS EC certificate. Use the ET1A form for additional claimants, or Section 13 of the ET1 for further respondents beyond three.

Important distinction: Section 2 is for additional respondents (the people or companies you are claiming against). The ET1A form is for additional claimants (other people making similar claims alongside you). These are often confused.

---

Section 3: Multiple Cases (Field 3.1)

Indicate whether you are aware of other claimants bringing similar claims against the same employer. This enables the tribunal to consolidate or manage related claims together, potentially saving costs for everyone involved.

---

Section 4: Non-Employer Respondent (Field 4.1)

Select 'No' if you are claiming against someone who was not your employer — for example, a trade union, a qualifying body, or in a job application dispute. If you select 'No', skip to Section 8 to describe the claim.

---

Section 5: Employment Details (Fields 5.1–5.2)

5.1 Employment dates — Provide the start date (from the contract or offer letter). State whether employment is continuing or, if ended, the termination date. For constructive dismissal, the end date is the date you resigned — not the date of the employer's conduct. If you are in a notice period, state the expected end date.

5.2 Job title — State the substantive role. If the title changed during employment, give the most recent.

---

Section 6: Earnings and Benefits (Fields 6.1–6.5)

Accurate earnings figures are essential for remedy calculations:

---

Section 7: Post-Employment (Fields 7.1–7.3)

If employment has ended, state whether you have found new work. If so, provide the start date and new earnings — this is directly relevant to mitigation of loss. If you have not found new work, the tribunal will expect evidence of reasonable attempts to do so.

---

Section 8: Type and Details of Claim (Fields 8.1–8.2)

This is the most critical section of the entire form.

8.1 Type of Claim

Tick all that apply. The principal categories are:

• Unfair dismissal (including constructive dismissal) — requires two years' qualifying service, unless an automatically unfair reason applies
• Discrimination — tick the relevant protected characteristic(s): age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex, sexual orientation
• Whistleblowing — protected disclosure under the Employment Rights Act 1996, ss.43A–43L. No qualifying service is required for automatic unfair dismissal
• Redundancy payment — statutory entitlement with two years' qualifying service
• Unpaid wages — notice pay, holiday pay, arrears of pay, other payments (such as commission or bonus)

8.2 Details of Claim

Set out the background and facts relied upon. Structure the narrative logically:

1. Brief introduction — parties, role, dates of employment
2. Chronological narrative of material events, with specific dates
3. Identification of the legal claims arising from those facts
4. Reference to relevant statutory provisions

Practitioner tip: Use numbered paragraphs. Be concise but ensure all essential facts are pleaded. The box has limited space — use the continuation sheet or attach a separate document headed 'Grounds of Claim' if necessary.

---

Section 9: Remedy (Fields 9.1–9.2)

9.1 — Select the remedy sought: reinstatement, re-engagement, compensation only, or (for discrimination) a recommendation. In practice, compensation is sought in the vast majority of cases.

9.2 — Set out the heads of loss claimed. Include a schedule of loss or cross-refer to a separate schedule. The figures stated here do not cap your claim — the tribunal permits revision — but accuracy assists case management.

---

Sections 10–14: Additional Information

---

Critical Time Limits

All time limits are subject to ACAS Early Conciliation extension under s.207B Employment Rights Act 1996.

---

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Missing the time limit by miscalculating the ACAS extension period
2. Naming the wrong legal entity as respondent — always check Companies House
3. Failing to obtain a separate ACAS certificate for each respondent
4. Inadequate particulars in Section 8.2 — vague claims invite strike-out applications
5. Name mismatch between the ACAS certificate and the ET1

---

How BundleCreator Helps

Once you have filed your ET1 and the claim is underway, you will need to prepare a hearing bundle. BundleCreator's employment tribunal bundle templates include a chronology, cast list, skeleton argument, schedule of loss, and all the practitioner documents you need — automatically paginated, indexed, and formatted to tribunal standards.

---

Related Articles

• ET1A Form: Adding Multiple Claimants
• ET3 Response Form: Defending a Claim
• ACAS Early Conciliation Guide
• Employment Tribunal Time Limits
• Employment Tribunal Bundle Guide

---

This article provides general information about employment tribunal procedures in England and Wales. It is not legal advice, and BundleCreator.co is not a law firm and does not provide legal services. Before submitting any documents to the Employment Tribunal, you should seek guidance from a qualified legal representative such as a solicitor, barrister, or trade union representative. Free initial advice may also be available from Citizens Advice, ACAS, or your local Law Centre.