Hiring Discrimination Claims: Six Months to Act
Since 1 October 2026, most employment tribunal claims in Great Britain can be brought within six months instead of three. If you suspect you were treated unfairly while applying for a job, the longer deadline helps only if you can show what happened. Here is what changed, what did not, and which records to keep.
What changed on 1 October 2026
The Employment Rights Act 2025 increases the time limits for making claims in employment tribunals in Great Britain from three months to six months.[1] The provision is section 152 of the Act, and it came into force on 1 October 2026.[1] GOV.UK now tells claimants that they usually have to make a claim to the tribunal within six months of the problem happening, and that for problems that happened before 1 October 2026 they may need to claim within three months.[2]
That last point matters. The new limit follows the date of the act or omission you are complaining about, not the date you read about the change. A law firm's October round-up gives the same reading: the longer limit applies where the act giving rise to the claim is on or after 1 October 2026, and earlier events keep the three-month limit.[3]
This article is general information, not legal advice. If you think you have a claim, speak to Acas, a union, Citizens Advice or an employment solicitor, and check the dates against your own facts.
Why this concerns people who are still applying
Most coverage of the Act talks about people who already have a job. But the Equality Act 2010 also covers the hiring stage. An employer must not discriminate against a person in the arrangements it makes for deciding to whom to offer employment, in the terms on which it offers employment, or by not offering employment.[4]
The Equality Act lists nine protected characteristics: age, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, disability, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.[5]
The Equality Act's own time limit for a complaint of this kind was changed too. The current text of section 123 reads six months from the date of the act complained of, or another period the tribunal considers just and equitable, and the legislation site marks the figure as substituted with effect from 1 October 2026.[6]
So, for an act on or after that date, a rejected applicant who believes the reason was a protected characteristic has a longer window to bring a claim than before.
What did not change
- A claim still needs a case. A longer deadline does not make a claim stronger. A rejection is not unlawful just because it was disappointing or unexplained.
- Early conciliation still comes first. For most claims you need an early conciliation certificate from Acas before you can make a claim, for each respondent.[2]
- Talking to the employer does not stop the deadline. Acas says that raising a problem with your employer first does not change the time limits for a tribunal claim.[7] Do not wait for an internal reply if a deadline is running.
- Six months is the usual rule, not a promise for every case. GOV.UK describes six months as the usual limit, so check your own situation with an adviser.[2]
Why your records matter more than the deadline
A longer deadline does not help if the evidence has gone. Recruitment is a stage where papers disappear: job adverts are taken down, applicant portals close, and interviewers move on. One employment-law commentary suggests keeping relevant recruitment records, since the longer limit could apply to discrimination claims from applicants.[3]
For each application you make, keep:
- The advert. Save the full text or a PDF, with the date. Adverts change or vanish.
- What you sent. The CV, covering letter and any answers to screening questions, as submitted.
- Every message. Emails, portal messages and the dates of calls. Note who said what.
- Interview details. Date, format, who attended, the questions you were asked and any adjustments you requested or were refused.
- The outcome. The date and wording of the rejection or the silence, and anything you were told about why.
A calm way to use the extra time
- Write down the date of the act. Use the date of the decision, the interview or the message you are concerned about.
- Note the deadline. Count six months from that date and put it in your calendar, together with the Acas step. If in doubt, assume the shorter period and ask an adviser.
- Ask for a reason, politely. A short written request for feedback costs nothing and creates a record, but it does not stop the deadline.[7]
- Get advice early. Acas, Citizens Advice and unions can explain your options. Our other article on the six-month unfair dismissal rule covers a different change, for people who are already in a job.
If you are in the middle of a busy search, a clear overview of every application is what makes this possible. Our guide on tracking your applications explains how to log dates, contacts and documents so nothing depends on memory, and our job search plan helps you keep the process manageable.
Frequently asked questions
Is the deadline now six months for every employment claim?
Most employment tribunal claims now have a six-month limit for events on or after 1 October 2026. GOV.UK states six months as the usual rule and three months as a possibility for problems that happened before that date.
Does this cover discrimination when applying for a job?
The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination in recruitment, and its time limit in section 123 now reads six months. Whether you have a claim depends on your facts, so ask an adviser.
Do I have to contact Acas first?
Usually yes. You normally need an early conciliation certificate before making a claim.
Does a complaint to the employer pause the deadline?
No. Acas says raising a problem with your employer first does not change the time limits.
Sources
- a b legislation.gov.uk, Employment Rights Act 2025, section 152 "Increase in time limits for making claims" legislation.gov.uk
- a b c GOV.UK, "Make a claim to an employment tribunal" gov.uk
- a b HCR Law, "Employment law round-up: October 2026" hcrlaw.com
- ↑ legislation.gov.uk, Equality Act 2010, section 39 legislation.gov.uk
- ↑ GOV.UK, "Discrimination: your rights" gov.uk
- ↑ legislation.gov.uk, Equality Act 2010, section 123 legislation.gov.uk
- a b Acas, "Early conciliation" acas.org.uk