Form ET1A: Employment Tribunal Group Claim (2026 Guide)

When Do You Need Form ET1A?

You need Form ET1A whenever two or more claimants wish to bring a joint claim against the same respondent (employer) at an Employment Tribunal. The tribunal permits group claims where the claims arise from the same or substantially similar facts or circumstances.

Common situations that give rise to an ET1A group claim include:

• Collective redundancy — a group of employees dismissed in the same redundancy exercise
• Equal pay claims — multiple workers claiming the same discriminatory pay disparity
• Unlawful deduction of wages — employees affected by a shared payroll error or policy
• Collective unfair dismissal — for example, following a TUPE transfer or business restructure
• Discrimination arising from a shared policy — where a single employer policy disadvantages a group sharing a protected characteristic

If only one person is making a claim, you do not need Form ET1A. You simply complete the ET1. If you are bringing a group claim, one member of the group acts as the lead claimant and completes the full ET1, while Form ET1A captures the names and details of every other member of the group.

What Form ET1A Is Used For

Form ET1A serves as an addendum to the ET1 claim form. It does not replace the ET1 — it supplements it. The lead claimant submits an ET1 in the usual way, and Form ET1A is filed at the same time to identify each additional claimant joining the group action.

The form records:

• The full name of each additional claimant
• Each claimant’s contact address
• Each claimant’s date of birth
• The claimant’s ACAS early conciliation certificate number (or exemption, where applicable)
• A declaration confirming that the additional claimant agrees to be included in the group claim

One important point: every claimant listed on Form ET1A must have their own valid ACAS early conciliation certificate number, or they must qualify for an exemption. The requirement to notify ACAS before bringing an Employment Tribunal claim is individual — it cannot be satisfied collectively by a single certificate for the whole group.

Form ET1A therefore performs two functions. First, it is an administrative tool that allows the tribunal to manage multiple claims efficiently under a single case number. Second, it is a legal record confirming that each claimant has complied with the pre-claim requirements and consents to be part of the collective action.

How to Complete Form ET1A: Step by Step

Completing Form ET1A correctly is critical. Errors or omissions can result in additional claimants being excluded from the case entirely, leaving them to bring a separate claim under time pressure.

Step 1: Complete the ET1 First

Before you touch Form ET1A, the lead claimant must complete the ET1 claim form in full. The ET1 is the primary document. It sets out the nature of the claim, the facts, the respondent’s details, and the remedy sought. Form ET1A is filed alongside it, not instead of it. If you have not yet reviewed the ET1, read our [Form ET1 guide] before proceeding.

Step 2: Identify Every Claimant Joining the Group

Make a list of every person who intends to join the collective claim. For each person, you will need:

• Their full legal name (as it appears on their employment contract or payslip)
• Their current home address including postcode
• Their date of birth
• Their ACAS early conciliation reference number (this is unique to each claimant — it starts with a letter followed by a series of digits, typically in the format provided by ACAS at the conclusion of, or exemption from, the conciliation process)

Do not guess or approximate any of these details. Errors in names or ACAS reference numbers are among the most common reasons additional claimants are removed from a group claim.

Step 3: Confirm ACAS Early Conciliation for Each Claimant

Each additional claimant listed on Form ET1A must have either:

• Completed the ACAS early conciliation process and received their individual certificate number, or
• Qualified for a valid exemption from early conciliation

Exemptions are narrow and specific. They include situations where the respondent has already initiated ACAS conciliation, where a claim involves a situation covered by specific regulations, or other prescribed circumstances. If you are unsure whether an exemption applies, do not assume it does. Contact ACAS directly or seek advice before filing.

Step 4: Fill In Each Row of Form ET1A

The form presents each additional claimant as a row or entry. For each entry, complete every field. Leave nothing blank unless a field is genuinely not applicable (for example, an exemption reference where a certificate number would otherwise appear). Incomplete rows are a common cause of rejection.

Where the form asks for the claimant’s agreement to the claim as set out in the ET1, ensure that each person has read the ET1 and confirms that it accurately represents their position. This is not a formality — if the ET1 misrepresents a particular claimant’s circumstances, that claimant should not sign, and the ET1 may need amending to accommodate individual variations.

Step 5: Review Consistency Between ET1 and ET1A

Before submitting, cross-check the respondent details on the ET1 with the circumstances of each claimant listed on the ET1A. Every claimant on the ET1A must have been employed by the same respondent named in the ET1. If any claimant worked for a different entity within a group of companies, they may need to bring a separate claim against the correct legal entity.

Step 6: Submit ET1 and ET1A Together

Form ET1A must be submitted at the same time as the ET1. You cannot file the ET1 and then add claimants using ET1A at a later date once the primary claim is registered. Both documents are submitted through the Employment Tribunals online portal, or by post to the relevant tribunal office.

Keep a copy of everything you submit, including confirmation of submission, the ACAS certificate numbers used, and a record of who was listed on the ET1A.

Key Deadlines for Form ET1A

The standard three-month minus one day limitation period applies to each individual claimant, not to the group as a whole. This is a critical point that group claimants frequently misunderstand.

The limitation period typically runs from:

• The date of dismissal (for unfair dismissal claims)
• The act of discrimination (for discrimination claims)
• The date of the unlawful deduction (for wages claims)

Each claimant has their own limitation clock running from their own relevant date. A group of employees dismissed in a collective redundancy exercise over several weeks may each have different deadlines.

The tribunal has discretion to extend the limitation period in certain circumstances where it was not reasonably practicable to bring the claim in time, or (for discrimination claims) where it is just and equitable to extend. However, relying on this discretion is risky. Do not assume an extension will be granted.

Because Form ET1A is submitted alongside the ET1, the effective filing date for all claimants is the date on which the combined ET1 and ET1A are submitted. Every claimant listed must still be within their individual limitation period at the point of filing.

What Happens After You File Form ET1A?

Once the ET1 and ET1A are received and validated, the Employment Tribunal will:

1. Issue a case number — a single case reference covering all claimants in the group
2. Serve the ET1 on the respondent — the employer will receive the claim and be required to submit a response using Form ET3
3. Check ACAS certificate compliance — the tribunal will verify that each claimant listed on the ET1A has a valid certificate number or qualifying exemption
4. Issue case management directions — the tribunal may list a preliminary hearing or issue written directions setting out the steps the parties must take to prepare the case for a final hearing

Group cases often involve additional case management steps. The tribunal may list a preliminary hearing specifically to address whether the claims are sufficiently related to proceed as a group, whether any claimants should be removed from the group, and how the evidence will be managed across multiple individuals.

You should expect correspondence from the tribunal to be addressed to the lead claimant, though copies may be sent to all listed claimants depending on how the case is managed.

Common Mistakes That Get Form ET1A Rejected

The following errors are the most frequent causes of difficulties with Form ET1A submissions:

1. Missing ACAS certificate numbers — Submitting ET1A without a valid, individual ACAS early conciliation certificate number for each additional claimant. Every claimant must have completed their own ACAS process or qualify for an exemption. There is no group conciliation certificate.
2. Filing ET1A after the ET1 — Attempting to add claimants to an existing claim using ET1A after the ET1 has already been registered. ET1A must be submitted simultaneously with the ET1.
3. Listing claimants employed by different legal entities — Including individuals who were employed by a different company in a corporate group. The respondent on the ET1 must be the correct legal employer for every claimant on the ET1A.
4. Claimants outside their individual limitation period — Including claimants whose personal time limit has already expired. The three-month rule applies to each person individually. A claimant whose deadline has passed will not be protected by the group filing date.
5. Incomplete rows on the ET1A — Leaving fields blank, particularly date of birth or address, for one or more additional claimants. Incomplete entries are regularly queried or rejected by the tribunal administration.
6. Claimants who have not read or agreed to the ET1 — Listing additional claimants who have not reviewed the ET1 or whose individual circumstances differ materially from the facts set out in it. Each person listed is bound by the contents of the ET1 as filed.
7. Can we all share one ACAS early conciliation certificate for a group claim?

   A: No. Every claimant in a group must have their own individual ACAS early conciliation certificate number, or must qualify for a recognised exemption. There is no collective or group conciliation certificate. Submitting ET1A without a valid certificate number for each additional claimant will cause those claimants to be rejected from the group.

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   Q: What is the difference between Form ET1 and Form ET1A?

   A: The ET1 is the primary claim form completed by the lead claimant. It sets out the full details of the claim, the respondent, and the remedy sought. Form ET1A is an addendum that lists every additional claimant joining the group action. ET1A does not stand alone — it must be filed at the same time as the ET1.

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   Q: Can I add more claimants to a group case after it has been filed?

   A: No. Form ET1A must be submitted at the same time as the ET1. Once the claim has been registered with the tribunal, you cannot use ET1A to add further claimants. Any person not included in the original filing would need to bring their own separate ET1 claim, subject to their individual limitation period.

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   Q: Does each claimant in a group need to attend the tribunal hearing?

   A: Generally, yes. Each claimant who is listed on the ET1A has their own individual claim and may be required to give evidence at a final hearing. The tribunal will issue case management directions that set out the hearing arrangements. In some group cases, the tribunal may agree to hear lead claimant evidence first, but this depends on the nature of the claims and the directions given.

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   Q: What happens if one claimant’s circumstances are different from the rest of the group?

   A: This is a common issue in group claims. Where one claimant’s factual position differs materially from the ET1 as drafted, that claimant should not be included in the group action without the ET1 being amended to reflect the variation, or without that claimant raising the difference with the tribunal. Including a claimant whose circumstances do not match the pleaded facts can undermine both their individual claim and the credibility of the group case as a whole.

   
   

   Related Court Forms & Guides

   • Form N260: Statement of Costs — the costs schedule used at summary assessment.
   • Form N244: Application Notice — the form for interim applications.
   • Start a Money Claim Online (OCMC) — where most civil money claims begin.
   • Particulars of Claim — setting out the basis of your claim.
   • Civil Court Forms Index — every civil court form guide in one place.

   Frequently asked questions

   What is Form ET1A used for?

   Form ET1A is an addendum to the ET1 claim form. It does not replace the ET1 — it supplements it. The lead claimant submits an ET1 in the usual way, and Form ET1A is filed at the same time to identify each additional claimant joining the group action, recording each person’s name, address, date of birth, ACAS early conciliation certificate number (or exemption) and a declaration that they agree to be included.

   When do I need Form ET1A rather than just the ET1?

   You need Form ET1A whenever two or more claimants wish to bring a joint claim against the same respondent, where the claims arise from the same or substantially similar facts. Common examples include collective redundancy, equal pay, unlawful deduction of wages, collective unfair dismissal and discrimination from a shared policy. If only one person is making a claim, you do not need Form ET1A — you simply complete the ET1.

   Does each claimant need their own ACAS certificate?

   Yes. Every claimant listed on Form ET1A must have their own valid ACAS early conciliation certificate number, or qualify for an exemption. The requirement to notify ACAS is individual — it cannot be satisfied collectively by a single certificate for the whole group. There is no group conciliation certificate.

   Can I add claimants to a claim after the ET1 is filed?

   No. Form ET1A must be submitted at the same time as the ET1. You cannot file the ET1 first and then add claimants using ET1A once the primary claim has been registered. Both documents are submitted together through the Employment Tribunals online portal, or by post to the relevant tribunal office.

   Does the time limit apply to the group or to each person?

   The limitation period applies to each individual claimant, not to the group as a whole. Each claimant has their own clock running from their own relevant date — for example the date of dismissal, the act of discrimination, or the date of an unlawful deduction. Every claimant listed must still be within their individual limitation period at the point of filing; do not assume the tribunal will grant an extension.

   What are the most common reasons an ET1A is rejected?

   The most frequent problems are missing or invalid individual ACAS certificate numbers, attempting to add claimants after the ET1 has already been registered, listing claimants who were actually employed by a different legal entity, including claimants whose individual time limit has already expired, and incomplete rows with fields such as date of birth or address left blank.

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