Acas has published its Annual Report which covers the year to 31 March 2026. The report records a significant increase in the demand for Acas’ services – a 27% increase. The Ministry of Justice reports a similar leap in single claims in the employment tribunals of 39% YOY. Speculation is rife that this increase is related to the use of AI.
Acas reported strong outcomes despite the rise in volumes reporting an 80% success rate which is a record high.
Other highlights in the report include that 9 out of 10 potential claims were resolved without a hearing and that only 7% of ET cases involving Acas resulted in a hearing. 36% of early conciliation (EC) notifications were resolved during the mandatory EC process which now lasts for 12 weeks. It is to be hoped that longer conciliation periods will further cement the ability of Acas to resolve disputes without drawing on the increasingly overburdened resources of the employment tribunals.
During the year to 31 March 2026 the Acas website received 18.5 million visits and 11.2 million digital advice sessions took place. Acas is an incredibly valuable free service available to all employees seeking employment legal assistance.
Acas attributes the increase in demand for their services to wider labour market pressures and preparation for the implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025. The Financial Times recently reported that many organisations across the City of London are clearing their decks of underperforming workers before the cap is lifted on unfair dismissal compensation. Acas warns that demand is likely to increase in 2026/2027 and although an additional 45 conciliators were recruited in the current year there is likely to be immense pressure on the service.
We shall have to wait and see how things pan out in the coming year. The labour market is for the first time in a few years reporting stagnation in hiring. This is likely to be a combination of the impact of AI, the instability of the economic outlook for the UK and the changes looming with the Employment Rights Act 2025. At didlaw we focus on early resolution and swift intervention over protracted litigation for a wide variety of reasons including the financial and emotional pressures of litigation. It’s just not very good for you at all and should be a last resort not a path that is undertaken lightly.
For more information on Acas’ free dispute resolution service click here.
