How to Get Employment Tribunal Help in England and Wales: Your Options Compared
This guide covers England and Wales. It is general information, not legal advice, and is not a substitute for advice about your own situation. Laws and figures change - always check the current position on GOV.UK before relying on any detail here.
If you are facing a problem at work in England or Wales and thinking about an employment tribunal, you do not have to choose between paying thousands for a solicitor and going it completely alone. There are several options in between, and the right one depends on your case.
This guide assumes you are at or near the point of needing help with a claim. If you have not yet tried to resolve the problem internally, it is usually worth starting there first - our guide on what to do before making a tribunal claim covers the grievance, appeal and ACAS steps that normally come before this stage.
The four main options at a glance
_Comparison correct as of August 2026. Aricase is independent and unaffiliated with the other providers named below; details describe each service's general model and may change - check each provider directly._
| Option | What it is | Cost model | Effort on you | Costs-order risk | Who checks your work | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment solicitor | Full advice and representation from a qualified, regulated lawyer who acts for you | Usually hourly (£200-£450/hr is common) or fixed fee - total often thousands | Low - they run most of the work | You can still face a costs order in limited circumstances, but representation reduces process mistakes | Your solicitor, a regulated professional | Complex, contested or high-value claims where you want a professional to run it for you |
| No-win-no-fee solicitor | A solicitor who takes an agreed percentage of your compensation if you win, and little or nothing if you lose | Success fee (percentage of any award), set by agreement - reduces what you keep | Medium - you still supply evidence and decisions | Same legal risk as any claim; firms select stronger cases | Your solicitor, a regulated professional | Strong, higher-value claims where you cannot fund legal fees up front |
| Representing yourself | Running your own claim using free public resources (GOV.UK, ACAS, Citizens Advice) | Free to lodge a claim - no tribunal fee | High - you own deadlines, documents and hearing prep | Same narrow costs-order rules; preparation quality is on you | No one - you check your own work | Confident claimants with simpler claims who are comfortable with deadlines and paperwork |
| Self-serve case-building tools | Software (sometimes AI-assisted) that guides you through preparing your own case. Brands in or around this space include Aricase and Valla; marketplaces such as Lawhive connect you to regulated solicitors for fixed-fee tasks | Varies - some charge a subscription, some are pay-as-you-go; marketplaces charge per task | Medium - structured prompts, still your case | Same legal framework as self-rep; tools do not remove tribunal risks | Varies by provider - some include human review, some do not; check each one | People who want structure without full representation - check jurisdiction and what is included |
Instructing an employment solicitor
A solicitor gives you advice specific to your situation and can represent you throughout. It is the most hands-off option for you and the most expensive: many employment cases run to thousands of pounds in fees. It tends to make most sense for complex, contested or high-value claims. See our guide to employment solicitor costs for what to expect.
No-win-no-fee
Some solicitors take employment cases on a "no win, no fee" basis, taking a percentage of your compensation if you succeed. This removes the up-front cost but reduces what you keep if you win, and firms are selective - they tend to take only stronger, higher-value claims.
Representing yourself
You have the right to represent yourself at an employment tribunal, and many people do. The tribunal process is designed to be more accessible than the civil courts. It is free to lodge a claim, and GOV.UK, ACAS and Citizens Advice publish substantial free guidance. The trade-off is that you carry the work and the responsibility for getting it right - the tribunal without a solicitor guide covers what that involves.
Self-serve case-building tools
A newer option sits between full representation and going it alone: tools that guide you through building your own case. They vary - some focus on document templates, some add AI assistance, and some include an element of human help - so it is worth checking each one's jurisdiction, what is included, and how it charges.
Where Aricase fits
Aricase is an AI case-building platform for employment tribunal claims in England and Wales. It is free to start with no card and no subscription, and you top up only when you want more work done - see the pricing section for the current amounts. It guides you through understanding your claim, gathering evidence and preparing your documents step by step, and a human reviewer checks your case file before you act. It is AI case-building plus a human quality check - not legal representation or legal advice, and it cannot represent you at a hearing. Free tools (no signup) include the tribunal deadline calculator and other employment law calculators. For many people who cannot afford a solicitor but need more than a generic guide, it is built for that gap. You can check your eligibility and get started.
Also useful: tribunal without a solicitor, what generic AI gets wrong, and employment solicitor costs.
So which should you choose?
There is no single right answer - it depends on the complexity and value of your claim, your budget, and how much you want to handle yourself. As a rough guide:
- High complexity / high value / you want someone to run the case → solicitor or no-win-no-fee if they will take it.
- Simple claim, low budget, high personal capacity → self-representation with GOV.UK / ACAS / Citizens Advice.
- Need structure, document help and a quality check without full representation → a self-serve case-building tool such as Aricase, if it covers England and Wales and matches what you need.
None of these options changes the tribunal deadline - check your dates first.
Sources used in this guide
- GOV.UK: Make a claim to an employment tribunal
- GOV.UK: Employment tribunals overview
- ACAS: Going to an employment tribunal
- Citizens Advice: Taking a problem to an employment tribunal
Links to legislation.gov.uk, gov.uk, acas.org.uk and bills.parliament.uk are official sources. Always check the current version on the source site before relying on a specific point.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a solicitor to make an employment tribunal claim?
No. You have the right to represent yourself, and many people do - the tribunal process is designed to be more accessible than the civil courts. GOV.UK, ACAS and Citizens Advice publish free guidance, and there is currently no fee to lodge a claim. A solicitor tends to make most sense for complex, contested or high-value claims where you want a professional to run it for you.
How much does a no-win-no-fee employment solicitor take?
Under a no-win-no-fee arrangement the solicitor takes an agreed percentage of your compensation if you win, and little or nothing if you lose. The exact percentage is set out in the agreement before you start, so read it carefully - it reduces what you keep. Firms also tend to be selective, taking mainly stronger, higher-value claims.
Is there a fee to lodge an employment tribunal claim?
There is currently no fee to lodge a claim at an employment tribunal in England and Wales. Tribunal fees were abolished in 2017 and have not been reintroduced. This is one reason self-representation is realistic for many people, though you may still face other costs such as time off work.
What is the difference between an employment solicitor and a case-building tool?
A solicitor gives you legal advice specific to your situation and can represent you throughout, usually at the highest cost. A self-serve case-building tool instead guides you through preparing your own case - it is structured help with the work, not legal representation or advice, and it cannot represent you at a hearing. Aricase sits in this second group, adding a human quality check before you act.
Not sure which option fits your situation?
Aricase helps you understand your claim and build your case step by step - with a human quality check before you act. Check your eligibility for free.
Build your case with AriOr use the free Employment tribunal deadline calculator.
Related guides
Process8 min readWhat to Do Before Making an Employment Tribunal Claim
Steps before an employment tribunal claim in England and Wales: check your deadline, raise a grievance, appeal, then go through ACAS Early Conciliation.
Read guide
Process11 min readGoing to Employment Tribunal Without a Solicitor
You can take your employer to tribunal without a solicitor. The stage-by-stage journey, bundle and witness statement, costs risk, and free help available.
Read guide- Process8 min read
Tools to Represent Yourself at an Employment Tribunal (England and Wales)
Free and paid tools that help you represent yourself at an employment tribunal in England and Wales: calculators, official guidance, and case-building options.
Read guide 
Process8 min readEmployment Solicitor Costs in the UK: What You Actually Pay
Employment solicitors typically charge £200-£450 an hour. Total fees, no-win-no-fee, when representation is worth the cost, and cheaper alternatives.
Read guide
Documents10 min readHow to Fill In Your ET1 Employment Tribunal Claim Form
How to fill in the ET1 claim form, section by section: the respondent, the claim narrative, the remedy section, and the mistakes that sink cases.
Read guide
Process6 min readACAS Early Conciliation: How It Works, Step by Step
What ACAS Early Conciliation is, why it is mandatory before an employment tribunal claim, and what to expect at each stage of the process.
Read guide
Process8 min readThe Employment Tribunal Process, Step by Step: What Happens and When
The employment tribunal journey in England and Wales: ACAS Early Conciliation, ET1 and ET3, case management, evidence, hearing, and typical timescales.
Read guide