First — what happened?

Each area has its own test, its own deadline and its own paperwork. Pick the one closest to your situation and the questions take about two minutes.

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What happened to you?

I was dismissed / made redundant

I resigned because of how I was treated

I was discriminated against at work

I was harassed or bullied

How long had you been working there when it happened?

What was your employment status?

Employee (permanent or fixed-term)

Worker / zero-hours contract

Self-employed / contractor

When did the dismissal or incident happen?

Within the last 3 months

More than 6 months ago

Have you notified ACAS for early conciliation yet?

Yes — I have an EC certificate

No — I haven't contacted ACAS yet

Genuinely self-employed contractors generally cannot bring unfair dismissal claims — but you may still have rights depending on your situation.

Most employment tribunal claims must be filed within 3 months of the dismissal or incident. At over 6 months, the standard deadline has likely expired.

The 2-year qualifying period applies to standard unfair dismissal — but there are important exceptions that do not require any length of service.

Discrimination and harassment claims have no qualifying period — you can bring them from day one of employment. The key question is whether a protected characteristic was involved.

If you were forced to resign because your employer fundamentally breached your contract, that is constructive dismissal — and you can claim just as if you had been dismissed.

Based on your answers, the key eligibility requirements for an unfair dismissal or related claim appear to be met. The strength of your claim depends on the specific facts.

Do I need 2 years of service to bring an employment tribunal claim?

The 2-year qualifying period only applies to standard unfair dismissal. It does not apply to discrimination claims, whistleblowing claims, pregnancy and maternity dismissals, dismissals for asserting a statutory right, or dismissals related to trade union activity. These are called automatically unfair dismissals and you can bring them from day one.

Can I claim if I resigned?

Yes — if your employer fundamentally breached your contract of employment and you resigned in response, that is constructive dismissal. You are treated as if you were dismissed. These claims can be harder to prove because you must show a fundamental breach and that you did not accept it by staying on. The standard 3-month time limit still applies from your resignation date.

What if I was employed for less than 2 years?

You can still bring a claim if any of the automatic unfair dismissal exceptions apply — whistleblowing, discrimination, pregnancy, asserting a statutory right, or trade union membership. You can also bring a wrongful dismissal claim (breach of contract) regardless of length of service. Review whether your situation falls into any of these categories before assuming you cannot claim.

Do agency workers and zero-hours workers have employment tribunal rights?

It depends on the claim type. Discrimination protections under the Equality Act 2010 apply to workers as well as employees, so agency workers and zero-hours workers can bring discrimination claims from day one. Standard unfair dismissal rights generally require employee status. Your employment status is a matter of law and may differ from what your contract says.

What is the time limit for an employment tribunal claim?

Most claims must be submitted within 3 months less one day from the effective date of termination or the act complained of. ACAS early conciliation pauses the clock — any days spent in conciliation are added to your deadline. Missing this deadline is the most common reason valid claims are permanently lost, as tribunals have very limited power to extend it.

What's your dispute about?

Unpaid invoice or money owed

Faulty goods or services

How much are you claiming?

When did the debt become due, or the breach happen?

Within the last year

More than 6 years ago

Have you already asked them to pay or fix it in writing?

Who are you claiming against?

A registered company

A sole trader or small business

I'm not sure who's responsible

Claims over £25,000 are generally allocated to the multi-track, where solicitors are usually involved on both sides and the loser can be ordered to pay the winner’s legal costs.

Most contract and debt claims must be brought within 6 years of the breach under the Limitation Act 1980. At over 6 years, the standard deadline has likely expired.

You need to name the correct legal defendant on your claim form — an individual, a limited company, or a sole trader operating under a business name are all treated differently.

Courts expect you to have formally asked the other side to pay or fix the problem before you issue a claim — this is a Pre-Action Protocol requirement.

Based on your answers, the key requirements for a small claims court case appear to be met — a claim within the value and time limits, against an identifiable defendant, with a written demand already sent.

What is the maximum I can claim on the small claims track?

The small claims track normally covers claims up to £10,000. Between £10,000 and £25,000, cases usually go to the fast track; above £25,000, to the multi-track. Value is the main factor but not the only one — complexity, the number of defendants, and disputed expert evidence can also affect allocation.

How long do I have to bring a small claim?

Under the Limitation Act 1980, most contract and debt claims must be brought within 6 years of the breach. Personal injury claims have a 3-year limit, and claims under a deed have 12 years. Sending a Letter Before Action does not stop the clock — only issuing the court claim does.

Do I need to send a Letter Before Action first?

Yes. Courts expect you to have followed the Pre-Action Protocol, which means giving the other side 14 days to pay or respond in writing before you issue a claim. Skipping this step can affect costs even if you win.

Can I claim against an individual, or only a company?

Either — you can bring a small claim against an individual, a registered company, or a sole trader. You need to name the correct legal defendant; getting this wrong can mean your claim is struck out or a judgment cannot be enforced.

Will I have to pay the other side’s legal costs if I lose?

Generally no, on the small claims track — under CPR 27.14, solicitor fees are not recoverable by either side, which is what keeps the financial risk low. This changes on the fast track and multi-track, where cost recovery works both ways.

What's your situation?

My landlord won't do repairs

I think my landlord is unlicensed

I was illegally evicted or locked out

I got a Section 21 or Section 8 notice

My landlord raised my rent

Are you a private tenant in England?

Yes, private tenant in England

I'm in social or council housing

I'm in Scotland or Wales

When did this happen — the issue, notice, or offence?

It's ongoing right now

Do you still live at the property?

Yes, still living there

In my notice period, not yet moved

A Section 21 or Section 8 notice starts a possession process — your priority is checking whether the notice is valid and preparing a defence, not applying for compensation.

If your landlord served a Section 13 notice (Form 4A) proposing a new rent, you can refer it to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) before the new rent takes effect.

A Rent Repayment Order needs a specific housing offence — unlicensed letting, illegal eviction, harassment, or breach of an improvement or banning order. Poor repairs on their own usually aren’t one of those grounds, unless a licensing or hazard offence is also involved.

Do these tools cover social housing or tenants in Scotland and Wales?

No. The Renters' Rights Act 2025's core changes — abolishing Section 21, the new periodic tenancy regime, the rent-increase procedure — apply to private tenancies in England only. Social and council housing has a different complaints route, and Scotland and Wales abolished no-fault eviction separately under their own legislation.

How long do I have to apply for a Rent Repayment Order?

You must apply within 12 months of the offence. For a continuing offence — like unlicensed letting that ran the whole time you lived there — the 12-month clock runs from the date the offence stopped, not when it started, so check the exact end date before assuming you are out of time.

Can my landlord still serve a Section 21 notice?

No, not from 1 May 2026 onwards — any Section 21 notice served on or after that date is invalid. Notices served before 1 May 2026 could only be enforced in court during a transitional window that closed on 31 July 2026. Your landlord now needs a valid ground under Section 8.

Does poor repair alone give me a claim?

Not directly through a Rent Repayment Order, which needs a specific housing offence like unlicensed letting or illegal eviction. Persistent disrepair should be reported to your council's environmental health team, who can inspect and take enforcement action — and if your landlord also turns out to be unlicensed, that opens up an RRO too.

What if I already moved out — can I still claim?

Yes, for a Rent Repayment Order you can apply as a current or former tenant, provided you apply within 12 months of the offence (or of a continuing offence ending). The rent the tribunal orders repaid is the rent you actually paid during the period the offence occurred.

How did you send the money?

Bank transfer (Faster Payments / CHAPS)

Did you make the payment yourself, or did someone else access your account?

I was tricked into transferring the money myself

Someone accessed my account without my knowledge

When did you make the last payment to the scammer?

Within the last 13 months

More than 13 months ago

Have you reported it to your bank yet?

Yes, and they've responded

If someone accessed your account and made a payment without your knowledge, that’s unauthorised payment fraud — a different, generally stronger and faster route than the APP scam scheme.

You generally have 13 months from your last payment to bring a claim to your bank under the PSR scheme. At over 13 months, that window has likely closed.

The £85,000 PSR reimbursement guarantee only applies to bank transfers (Faster Payments or CHAPS). For card payments, different protections apply.

Once crypto leaves your wallet to a scammer’s address, the blockchain transaction is irreversible. But the money you used to buy that crypto is a separate, potentially claimable transaction.

If your bank has already responded, the next step depends on what they said. If they refused or offered a partial refund you don’t agree with, you can escalate.

Based on your answers, you appear to meet the core requirements: a bank transfer, made yourself under deception, within the 13-month window.

Does the PSR scheme cover card payments?

No — the PSR Mandatory Reimbursement Scheme only covers bank transfers (Faster Payments or CHAPS). Card payments have their own protections: Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 for credit card purchases of £100–£30,000, or a chargeback request for debit cards.

What if someone accessed my account without my permission?

That's unauthorised payment fraud, not APP scam fraud, and it's a stronger, faster route — under regulation 76 of the Payment Services Regulations 2017, your bank must refund you promptly, usually within one to three working days, unless it can prove you authorised the payment or acted with gross negligence.

How long do I have to claim?

You generally have 13 months from your last fraudulent payment to bring a claim to your bank. If the bank refuses and you want to escalate, you then have 6 months from the date of its final response letter to refer the case to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Can I get money back if I sent cryptocurrency?

The crypto transaction itself is usually irreversible once it leaves your wallet. But the payment you used to fund the crypto purchase is separate — if that was a UK bank transfer, it’s covered by the PSR scheme up to £85,000; if it was a credit card, Section 75 may apply.

Can the bank refuse to reimburse me?

Only if it can show you acted with gross negligence — a high bar, well above being careless or trusting someone convincingly. Ignoring a clear, specific, prominent warning about the exact type of scam you fell for is the kind of thing that can count; a plausible, convincing scam generally doesn’t.

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First — what happened?

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