ACAS Workplace Dispute Resolution UK: How It Works

Overview

ACAS is a publicly funded, independent organisation that supports better working relationships across England, Scotland and Wales. It is not a regulator, and it does not take sides. Its job is to help employers and employees find practical ways through disagreements, ranging from pay disputes and discrimination complaints to dismissal and redundancy issues.

The service covers several distinct functions. There is a telephone helpline and a substantial library of online guidance on employment matters. There is early conciliation, which is a mandatory step before most employment tribunal claims can be lodged. There is voluntary conciliation for disputes that have not yet reached tribunal stage.

And there is an arbitration scheme, used less often, where an independent arbitrator makes a binding decision in certain types of claim. ACAS also publishes statutory Codes of Practice, such as the one on disciplinary and grievance procedures, which tribunals take into account when deciding cases.

Key steps

1. Try to resolve it internally first. Before reaching out to ACAS, most situations benefit from a proper internal conversation. Raise the concern with your line manager, HR, or the employee directly if you are the employer. Follow any grievance or disciplinary procedure set out in the contract or staff handbook, because tribunals expect parties to have genuinely attempted to sort things out in-house.
2. Contact ACAS for early conciliation. If internal steps have not worked and you are considering a tribunal claim, you must notify ACAS first. This is done through their early conciliation form or helpline. A conciliator is then assigned to your case, and a period of up to six weeks begins during which both sides can talk through the issues confidentially and explore whether a settlement is possible.
3. Engage properly with the conciliator. The conciliator acts as a neutral go-between. They do not judge the dispute or say who is right, but they do relay positions, test the strength of arguments, and suggest realistic outcomes. Being candid about what you want, what you would accept, and what evidence you have tends to make the process far more productive.
4. Consider a COT3 settlement. If both parties reach agreement, the terms are usually recorded in a COT3, which is a legally binding settlement document arranged through ACAS. Signing it typically means giving up the right to bring the specific claims covered, so it is worth reading carefully and understanding what is being waived before committing.
5. Move to tribunal or arbitration if needed. If conciliation does not produce a deal, ACAS issues an early conciliation certificate, which is required to lodge a tribunal claim. In some cases, particularly unfair dismissal and flexible working disputes, the ACAS arbitration scheme can be used instead as a quicker, more private alternative, provided both sides agree.