Acas is an independent public body that receives funding from the government.
We provide free and impartial advice to employers, employees and their representatives on:
- employment rights
- best practice and policies
- resolving workplace conflict
When things go wrong, we help to resolve workplace disputes between employers and employees.
Free Acas services
Advice
To get advice on employment law and workplace relations you can:
Getting help to resolve a workplace dispute
Early conciliation
We offer talks to try and make a legal agreement without going to an employment tribunal.
Find out more about early conciliation.
Collective conciliation
We offer talks to help a group of employees and their employer reach an agreement.
Find out more about collective conciliation.
Arbitration
Arbitration is when a third party makes a decision on a case after hearing both sides of the dispute. It's used for cases of alleged unfair dismissal or claims under the flexible working legislation.
Find out more about arbitration.
Training
Our training includes:
Paid for Acas services
Mediation
Mediation is when a third party talks to both sides in a work dispute (usually about working relationships) to try to reach an agreement.
Find out more about mediation.
Training and support
We provide training courses across England, Scotland and Wales.
We also provide tailored support for your workplace to help you:
- manage organisational change
- run workshops and focus groups
- carry out employee surveys and set up employee forums
- bring your management and staff representatives together to solve problems
How our services are performing
Our annual report and accounts
The annual report, facts and figures tables and financial statements set out Acas's activities and achievements to help workplaces in England, Scotland and Wales during the financial year 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020.
Read the Acas annual report 2019 to 2020.
The Acas helpline service
This independent evaluation carried out by BMG Research looks at the performance of the Acas helpline service and measures caller satisfaction and attitudes.
Read the Acas helpline evaluation 2018 to 2019.
Our early conciliation service
This evaluation looks at the telephone survey results of around 2,500 claimants, employers and representatives whose early conciliation case with Acas ended between September and November 2014.
Download the Acas early conciliation evaluation 2015 (PDF, 2MB, 204 pages).
Our collective conciliation service
This evaluation looks at the telephone survey results of 342 customers who used collective conciliation between October 2014 and December 2015.
Download the Acas collective conciliation evaluation 2016 (PDF, 1MB, 71 pages).
The economic impact of our services
Independent research found that for every £1 Acas spends, there’s a £13 benefit to the economy. The findings are based on the services we delivered in 2014 and 2015.
Download the economic impact of Acas services 2016 (PDF, 660KB, 75 pages).
Acas panel of independent experts
We have a legal duty to maintain a panel of independent experts to assist on equal value cases at employment tribunals, when required.