Losing your job unfairly hits income, confidence and reputation at once — and the deadline to act is one of the shortest in law. Connaught Law's unfair dismissal solicitors act for employees across London and the UK: assessing your case honestly, negotiating exits worth signing, and representing you at the employment tribunal when it counts.
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How We Can Help
Do You Have a Claim?
Ordinary unfair dismissal currently requires two years' service as an employee — a threshold due to fall under the Employment Rights Act 2025, though that change is not yet in force. But the exceptions matter as much as the rule: dismissals connected to whistleblowing, pregnancy and maternity, health and safety, or asserting your statutory rights are automatically unfair with no qualifying period at all. We assess where you stand before you commit to anything.
What Makes a Dismissal Unfair
An employer needs both a fair reason — conduct, capability, redundancy, illegality or some other substantial reason — and a fair process. Most dismissals fail on the second limb: no proper investigation, a predetermined outcome, no right of appeal, or a "redundancy" that was nothing of the sort. Our guides on suspension and UK employment law explain the standards employers must meet.
Tribunal Claims & Representation
Before any claim you must notify ACAS for early conciliation — which pauses the clock and settles many cases without a hearing. Where conciliation doesn't resolve it, we prepare and present your tribunal claim: pleadings, disclosure, witness statements and representation at hearing. Employers arrive represented; you should too.
What You Can Recover
Tribunal awards have two parts: a basic award reflecting age, pay and service, and a compensatory award for what the dismissal actually cost you — lost earnings, benefits and pension, subject to a statutory cap that discrimination claims escape. Our employment tribunal awards guide sets out the current figures and how awards are really calculated.
Settlement & Exit Negotiations
Most employment disputes end in a negotiated exit, not a hearing — the question is whether the terms reflect the strength of your claim. We negotiate from a prepared position and advise on the agreement itself; our settlement agreements service covers the independent advice every agreement legally requires.
Forced to Resign?
If your employer's conduct left you no real choice but to leave — pay withheld, duties stripped, conduct that destroyed trust — resignation may amount to constructive dismissal, with the same remedies as being sacked. These claims have their own traps, starting with resigning too slowly or too fast: see our dedicated constructive dismissal service.
How We Work
First, an honest merits assessment: the reason given, the process followed, the documents and what your claim is realistically worth — because a weak claim pursued hard costs you more than it wins, and a strong claim should be priced accordingly in any settlement talks. Your right not to be unfairly dismissed comes from the Employment Rights Act 1996, and we build the case against its tests.
Then, the deadline: a tribunal claim must generally be started within three months less one day of your dismissal, with ACAS early conciliation pausing that clock. This is the shortest limit in mainstream litigation and it is applied strictly — if you've been dismissed, contact us this week, not next month.
Why Connaught Law
01Honest merits advice firstWe tell you plainly whether your dismissal was unlawful, what it's worth and whether to fight or negotiate — before you spend anything.
02Built for the 3-month clockEmployment deadlines are brutal. Our process is designed around ACAS notification and tribunal limits from the first call.
03Senior attention throughoutYour case is run by our experienced employment team, not passed down — with direct access to the person handling it.
04Settlement with teethExit terms improve when the employer can see a tribunal-ready case behind them. That's how we negotiate.
Fee structures and funding options are set out on our fees page — we discuss costs openly before you commit to anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to claim unfair dismissal?
Three months less one day from your effective date of termination — and you must notify ACAS for early conciliation before claiming, which pauses the clock while conciliation runs. Tribunals extend this limit only in rare cases, so treat the deadline as absolute and take advice immediately after dismissal.
Do I need two years' service to claim?
For ordinary unfair dismissal, currently yes — though the qualifying period is due to be shortened under the Employment Rights Act 2025 once in force. No service is needed where the dismissal is automatically unfair: whistleblowing, pregnancy or maternity, health and safety, or asserting statutory rights. Discrimination claims also need no qualifying period.
How much is an unfair dismissal claim worth?
It depends on your pay, service and how long the dismissal keeps you out of work — a basic award plus a compensatory award, subject to a statutory cap unless the claim involves discrimination or whistleblowing. Our employment tribunal awards guide sets out the current figures; we'll give you a realistic valuation before you decide anything.
Should I accept a settlement agreement instead of claiming?
Often, yes — if the terms are right. A settlement gives certainty and speed; a tribunal gives vindication and sometimes more money, at the cost of time and stress. The law requires independent advice before you sign, and we use that advice stage to test whether the offer reflects what your claim is actually worth.
Just been dismissed?
The clock is already running. Tell us what happened and we'll give you an honest view of your claim, your deadline and your options — before you commit to anything.
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