A year of strong results for Acas also marks a significant increase in individual disputes in Britain, according to its latest annual report.
In 2024 to 2025, Acas dealt with over 117,000 individual disputes in Great Britain. Demand is at its highest since the covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic: an increase of 13,000 from 2023 to 2024. Acas helped resolve 9 out of 10 of these early conciliation cases without the need to go to employment tribunal.
To prevent disputes rising and to reduce the estimated £28 billion cost of conflict, Acas called on Britain's employers and employees to work together to resolve conflict early. Disputes are always ideally solved within workplaces, without further escalation.
The news comes as major employment law reform gets underway.
Acas's Chair called Acas a "critical national asset" as these reforms come in. She heralded the organisation's success supporting small businesses through change. Acas doubled its good practice advice and training interactions over its 2021 to 2025 strategy period, from 100,000 to over 252,000. Visits to Acas's website advice grew from 9 million in 2021 to 20.5 million in 2025.
Collective disputes were down from 618 in the financial year 2023 to 2024, to 522 in 2024 to 2025. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows days lost to industrial action down from 1.85 million in 2023 to 2024, to 597,000 in 2024 to 2025. In 2024 to 2025, Acas resolved or supported progress toward a settlement in 93% of collective dispute cases.
Acas Chair Clare Chapman said:
"As the government introduces major employment law reform, and with the UK annual cost of workplace conflict estimated to stand at £28.5 billion, this is a reminder that Acas remains a critical national asset.
"The rise in individual disputes is concerning: just one conflict escalating can cause huge cost and stress to employer and employee. The good news is Acas now resolves 9 out of 10 early conciliation cases without the need to go to an employment tribunal.
"We call on all Britain's employers and employees to work together to resolve conflict early. Small businesses particularly need support to avoid the damaging consequences of conflict. Our 2021 to 2025 strategy helped thousands of small businesses through change. Acas doubled its good practice advice and training interactions and increased awareness of Acas support among small and medium-sized businesses from 83% to 90%."
From 2021 to 2025, we delivered results against all our long-term ambitions:
- Acas helped resolve 9 out of 10 of early conciliation cases without the need to go to employment tribunal
- just 5% of early conciliation notifications now result in a tribunal hearing – saving time, money and further stress for all parties
- the Acas website reached twice as many people – web sessions recorded on the website more than doubled from 9 to 20 million
- use of Acas good practice advice and training doubled to over a quarter of a million interactions
- increased awareness of Acas support among small and medium-sized businesses – from 83% to 90% and among individuals from 56% to 77%
Results delivered in the 2024 to 2025 operational year:
- Acas collective conciliation team facilitated confidential talks in over 522 disputes, resolving or supporting progress toward settlement in 93% of cases – pay was the leading cause of disputes, and cases are down from 618 last year
- Acas dealt with 117,951 early conciliation cases, the highest number since covid, up on 104,884 in 2023 to 2024
- advice and training had a quarter of a million interactions, a 78% increase on 2023 to 2024
- the Acas helpline answered 600,000 calls from employers and employees in Great Britain, a 3% increase from 2023 to 2024
- there was 91% positive engagement of users from the website (exceeding 90% key performance indicator target) – there were 20 million sessions in 2024 to 2025 compared to 18 million in 2023 to 2024, an 11% increase
- Acas trained over 41,000 people in good workplace practice, with 94% of attendees saying their course met their objectives (exceeding 90% key performance indicator target)
- e-learning services were accessed by more than 57,000 users, an increase of 13,000 on 2023 to 2024
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Background notes
- A full copy of the 2024 to 2025 Acas annual report can be viewed on GOV.UK.
- Acas research shows that workplace conflict costs British businesses almost £30 billion per year.