Independent, practical help for litigants in person in England & Wales.
Written by John Barwell
Winning liability is only half the case. This guide explains how an employment tribunal actually builds an unfair dismissal award: the basic award’s statutory formula, the compensatory award’s assessment of real financial loss, the reductions for conduct, chance and mitigation, the statutory cap, and the up-to-25% Acas Code adjustment either way.
Written by John Barwell
Nine months after Royal Assent, the Employment Rights Act 2025 is a half-built statute. Tribunal time limits double on 1 October 2026, but the unfair dismissal changes do not begin until January 2027 — and for dismissal the test is the date the employment ends, not the day the decision is announced. A state-of-play guide to what is in force, what is not, and how to time a claim in the overlap.
Written by John Barwell
The first battle in an Employment Tribunal claim may be procedural. The ET1, grounds of claim and particulars can decide whether the case is clear enough to survive early pressure.
Written by John Barwell
A Legal Lens article on ET3 responses, procedural fairness and why a bare denial may not define the dispute.
Written by John Barwell
The ET1 is more than an Employment Tribunal claim form. It is the first point where a workplace story becomes a case, shaping the issues, respondent response, evidence, amendment risk and access to justice.
Written by John Barwell
Employment Tribunals are under pressure. Legal Lens explains why the backlog is a route-design problem, not just a delay problem.
Written by John Barwell
The respondent named on the ET1 is not a formatting detail. It can affect whether the claim is accepted, whether it matches the Acas certificate, whether it can be served, whether limitation is protected, and whether any judgment can be enforced.
Written by John Barwell
Interim relief is one of the most urgent Employment Tribunal remedies. In qualifying whistleblowing dismissal claims, a claimant may need to apply within seven days of the effective date of termination.
Written by John Barwell
An ET1 is not a diary, grievance bundle, appeal letter or witness statement. It is the pleaded starting point of the Employment Tribunal claim.
Written by John Barwell
Acas Early Conciliation is not just a pre-claim formality. It can pause time and produce the certificate needed for an ET1, but mistakes with certificate numbers, exemptions, respondent names or deadlines can still put a claim at risk.
