Unfair Dismissal & Redundancy Evidence — UK
Made Redundant? Locked Out?
Your Evidence Window Is Closing.
Your employer controls the email servers, Teams workspace, HR systems, and performance reviews. The moment they dismiss you, they revoke access to everything. Your evidence disappears with your pass.
ProofSnap captures tamper-proof evidence that your solicitor can actually use — timestamped, verified, and packaged for Employment Tribunals. One click. 41 seconds. Done.
Also available for Microsoft Edge
SnapPack: £3.99 one-time · 7-day free trial, cancel anytime · Cancel anytime
Admissible in Employment Tribunals · Acas early conciliation evidence · ERA 1996 & Equality Act 2010 · Compatible with solicitor case files
How to prove unfair dismissal in the UK: quick answers.
- Can I claim unfair dismissal?
- Yes, if you have 2+ years’ service (reducing to day one under ERA 2025) and your employer had no fair reason or followed no fair procedure. Discrimination claims have no service requirement.
- What evidence do I need?
- Employment contract, dismissal letter, performance reviews, HR emails, Slack/Teams messages, grievance correspondence, redundancy selection criteria, payslips.
- How long do I have to file?
- 3 months minus 1 day from your effective date of termination (extending to 6 months from October 2026). You must contact Acas for early conciliation first.
- Will a screenshot hold up?
- Tribunals increasingly prefer complete, authenticated evidence over plain screenshots. WhatsApp and Teams messages are admissible (562 tribunal cases involved WhatsApp in 2024) but can be challenged as edited or taken out of context. ProofSnap creates forensic evidence your solicitor can verify independently.
- What about collective redundancy?
- If 20+ employees are being made redundant within 90 days, your employer must consult for 30 days (45 days for 100+). Failure = protective award up to 90 days’ pay per employee (180 days from April 2026).
- Not dismissed yet, but sense it coming?
- Start capturing NOW. Performance reviews, HR emails, Teams messages with your manager. Once they revoke your access, it’s too late. ProofSnap: 7-day free trial, cancel anytime.
3 steps. 41 seconds. Tribunal-ready evidence.
ProofSnap captures forensic employment evidence that Employment Tribunals, Acas, and solicitors accept.
Install ProofSnap
Add the Chrome extension. Start your free 7-day trial.
Capture Before Lockout
Open your work email, Slack, Teams, HR portal. Click ProofSnap. It captures everything — the page, the source code, the server details — in 41 seconds. Tamper-proof.
File Your Claim
Download your 13-file evidence ZIP. Contact Acas for early conciliation, then submit to the Employment Tribunal or your solicitor.
Made redundant by email. Locked out of everything. Sound familiar?
Every day, UK employers use these tactics. Without forensic evidence, your tribunal claim fails before it starts.
Fired by Text, Email or Video Call
P&O Ferries fired 800 workers by pre-recorded video. In Miluska v Roman Property Group, a pregnant consultant was fired by text with a jazz hands emoji — £93,617 awarded. Increasingly, UK employers dismiss by email or Teams call, locking systems before the meeting ends.
Evidence needed: dismissal communication, employment contract, consultation records (or lack thereof)
Systems Locked Immediately
VPN, Teams, email, SharePoint, badge access — all revoked simultaneously. Your employer now controls every piece of evidence: performance reviews, grievance records, and communications.
Evidence needed: capture everything BEFORE the lockout happens
Performance Reviews Rewritten
Your last three appraisals said “Exceeds Expectations.” Now HR claims your performance was “below standard” and that’s why you were selected for redundancy. The positive reviews have vanished from the HR portal.
Evidence needed: timestamped capture of performance reviews in BambooHR/Workday
Teams/WhatsApp Messages Deleted
Your manager’s discriminatory comments in Teams. The WhatsApp group where they joked about your age/pregnancy/disability. The HR chat where they admitted the real reason. All deleted the day you were dismissed. In Brosnan v Coalo, WhatsApp messages containing racial harassment led to a £134,400 award.
Evidence needed: Teams/WhatsApp DMs with manager and HR — captured before deletion
Grievance “Lost” by HR
You raised a grievance about discrimination. HR acknowledged it. Months later, you’re made “redundant.” HR claims no record of your grievance exists. Your Subject Access Request comes back incomplete.
Evidence needed: grievance email, HR acknowledgement, any follow-up correspondence
“Redundancy” That Isn’t Genuine
You returned from maternity leave, or raised a health and safety concern, or blew the whistle. Three weeks later, your role was “made redundant.” They’re already advertising your job on LinkedIn. In Osborn v Mothercare, WhatsApp messages proved the redundancy was a sham — £67,801 awarded.
Evidence needed: your complaint, timing of redundancy, LinkedIn job posting for your role
Your employer controls ALL the evidence — unless you capture it first
Email servers, Teams workspaces, HR systems, performance review databases, security pass logs, payroll records — every piece of evidence lives on your employer’s infrastructure. You can submit a Subject Access Request under UK GDPR, but employers have 30 days to respond — and the data may be “incomplete.” Without independent, timestamped copies of your evidence, your tribunal claim depends entirely on what your employer chooses to disclose.
42,000+ tribunal claims. Average unfair dismissal award: £13,749. Discrimination: uncapped — awards over £4.5M.
Strong evidence changes the outcome before it reaches a hearing.
Save Your Evidence — 7 Days FreeEvidence wins tribunal cases. Evidence destruction loses them.
Real UK cases. Real outcomes. The evidence made the difference.
Brosnan v Coalo (2023) — Mark Brosnan, a plumber on sick leave with a back injury, was deliberately excluded from a work WhatsApp group used for safety updates. His manager said he “was not added because he was absent.” The WhatsApp messages also contained racial harassment. Tribunal found disability discrimination. £134,400 including loss of earnings, injury to feelings and personal injury.
Source: Stephens Scown, GB News
Miluska v Roman Property Group (2025) — Paula Miluska, a pregnant consultant, was fired by text message. Her boss sent a “deliberately vague” message ending with a jazz hands emoji. The text message itself was the evidence. Judge found the intent was obvious — she was dismissed for pregnancy-related illness. £93,616.74 for pregnancy discrimination and unfair dismissal.
Source: People Management, LBC
Osborn v Mothercare (2024) — Nichola Osborn returned from maternity leave. Within a month, she was told her role was “at risk of redundancy.” WhatsApp messages proved her bosses had planned to replace her while she was still on leave. Tribunal ruled it was a “sham” — no genuine redundancy. £67,801 including £20,000 injury to feelings.
Source: People Management, GB News
Borg-Neal v Lloyds Banking Group (2023) — Carl Borg-Neal, a manager with dyslexia, was dismissed for gross misconduct after using an offensive word during a diversity training session. Evidence showed his dyslexia caused him to “spurt things out.” Lloyds failed to account for his disability. £470,000+ including £309,867 future earnings and £23,000 for depression caused by the dismissal.
Source: Aaron & Partners, GOV.UK Tribunal Judgment
Every one of these employees had one thing in common: they captured the evidence before it was too late.
Capture Your Evidence — 7 Days FreeWhat evidence do you need to prove unfair dismissal?
To prove unfair dismissal at an Employment Tribunal, you need evidence that your employer either had no fair reason for dismissal or failed to follow a fair procedure. The specific evidence depends on your situation:
Core evidence (all claims):
- • Employment contract / offer letter
- • Dismissal letter or redundancy notice
- • Performance reviews / appraisals
- • Payslips and benefits records
- • Any written communications about the dismissal
Situation-specific:
- • Sham redundancy: LinkedIn job postings, selection scoring, consultation notes
- • Discrimination: WhatsApp/Teams messages, emails showing bias
- • Retaliation: grievance records, timing of dismissal vs complaint
- • Constructive dismissal: evidence of the breach before you resign
Critical: All of this evidence lives on your employer’s systems. The moment they dismiss you, they revoke access. A Subject Access Request takes 30 days. ProofSnap captures tamper-proof copies in 41 seconds — before lockout.
Your screenshot vs. their legal team
You file a tribunal claim with a screenshot. Your employer responds with HR records, server logs, timestamped system data — and a solicitor who argues your screenshot is fabricated. Who does the judge believe?
Your Screenshot
- No proof of when it was taken
- Anyone can fake it in 30 seconds
- No way to verify it came from a real web page
- No audit trail — just a picture
- Just 1 file
- Their solicitor will tear it apart
ProofSnap Evidence Package
- Tamper-proof timestamp — proves exactly when you captured it
- Integrity check — any edit to the file is detected instantly
- Full server details: URL, IP address, security certificate
- Forensic log + chain of custody — who captured what, when, how
- 13 files: screenshot, page source, PDF report, video, metadata
- Accepted by Employment Tribunals, solicitors, and Acas
Legal basis: Employment Tribunals Rules of Procedure (updated Jan 2025) · Unfair dismissal cap: £123,543 (from April 2026, uncapped from Jan 2027) · Discrimination: uncapped (awards exceeding £4.5M)
Already dismissed? Or sense it coming? Capture these in the next 10 minutes.
If you still have access to work systems, every minute matters. Once they lock you out, this evidence is gone forever. If you’ve already been locked out, capture what’s still accessible — forwarded emails, LinkedIn messages, personal copies.
Your emergency capture checklist:
Why this matters even if you already have screenshots: Your employer’s solicitors will argue your screenshots are fabricated. It happened in Brosnan, Osborn, and hundreds of other cases. ProofSnap creates evidence that can’t be disputed — each capture is cryptographically sealed with a timestamp your solicitor can independently verify. That’s the difference between a dismissed claim and a five-figure settlement.
Do the maths:
£3.99 to protect a five-figure claim. Discrimination claims are uncapped. Or use the free 7-day trial that covers your entire evidence collection.
Install takes 30 seconds. First capture in under 2 minutes.
Already locked out of Teams, email, and VPN?
You can still capture critical evidence. Use ProofSnap on your personal computer to document:
Every piece of evidence you capture now strengthens your tribunal claim. You have 3 months minus 1 day (extending to 6 months from October 2026). Don’t let the clock run out with empty hands.
Is your redundancy genuine? Check right now.
In Osborn v Mothercare, WhatsApp messages proved the “redundancy” was planned before the employee returned from maternity leave. The tribunal called it a “sham.” Here’s how to check yours:
1. Check their careers page & LinkedIn
Search for your job title on your employer’s website and LinkedIn. If they’re hiring for your role (or a suspiciously similar one), the redundancy may not be genuine. Capture it with ProofSnap before they take it down.
2. Check the selection criteria
Were you scored fairly? Were others in the “pool” genuinely considered? If you were the only one “at risk” and your role still exists, that’s not redundancy — it’s unfair dismissal.
3. Check the timing
Did the “redundancy” happen shortly after you: returned from maternity/parental leave? Filed a grievance? Reported a health & safety concern? Made a whistleblowing disclosure? Timing is evidence.
4. Check your replacement
Is someone else now doing your work? A new hire, a contractor, or your duties split among others? If the work hasn’t “ceased or diminished,” the redundancy isn’t genuine under ERA 1996.
Reading this on your phone?
ProofSnap is a Chrome extension — you’ll need a laptop or desktop. Email yourself this link and install tomorrow morning before work.
Email me the install linkHow to bring an unfair dismissal claim — step by step
You have your ProofSnap evidence package. Now file your claim. Choose the path that matches your situation.
Step 1: Acas Early Conciliation (mandatory, free)
- 1. Contact Acas within 3 months minus 1 day of your dismissal date (extending to 6 months from October 2026). This is mandatory before any tribunal claim.
- 2. Acas attempts to resolve the dispute between you and your employer. The process takes up to 6 weeks and is completely free. 9 out of 10 cases are resolved without a hearing.
- 3. If no agreement is reached, Acas issues an early conciliation certificate, which allows you to file a tribunal claim.
Step 2: Employment Tribunal claim (free to file)
- 1. After Acas conciliation, file your ET1 form with the Employment Tribunal. Filing is free (fees were abolished in 2017).
- 2. Attach your ProofSnap evidence package to demonstrate the strength of your case. 13 files with forensic metadata carry significantly more weight than screenshots.
- 3. Your employer has 28 days to respond with their ET3. The tribunal schedules a preliminary hearing.
- 4. Mean clearance time is currently around 30 weeks. Single claim receipts up 23% year-on-year — act early.
Subject Access Request (SAR) — get your employer’s data
- 1. Under UK GDPR, submit a Subject Access Request to your employer — free of charge. They must provide all personal data held about you within 30 days.
- 2. This includes emails, HR records, performance reviews, disciplinary records, CCTV, and internal communications mentioning you.
- 3. If your employer fails to comply, report them to the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office).
- 4. But SARs take 30 days. Your employer can “lose” data in that time. Having your own ProofSnap copies means you have evidence even if the SAR comes back incomplete — and you’ll know exactly what’s missing.
Employment solicitor (unfair dismissal, settlement negotiation)
- 1. Many employment solicitors offer free initial consultations. Some work on a no-win-no-fee basis for strong cases.
- 2. Arrive with your ProofSnap evidence ZIP. Solicitors evaluate cases based on evidence quality — a 13-file forensic package puts you in the “strong case” category immediately.
- 3. Alternatively, get free advice from Citizens Advice, your trade union, or Acas.
All of these paths require documented evidence. ProofSnap creates the forensic package that tribunals, Acas, and solicitors accept.
Start NowAcas Early Conciliation — Free, Mandatory, 3-Month Deadline
Acas handled over 117,000 individual disputes in 2024/25 and resolved 9 out of 10 without a tribunal hearing. The process is free and mandatory before any tribunal claim.
Attach your ProofSnap evidence package to your Acas conciliation. Documented, timestamped evidence gives the conciliator leverage to negotiate a better outcome.
Works with every workplace platform
If it opens in Chrome, ProofSnap can capture it.
ProofSnap is not affiliated with any employer or workplace platform. Platform names are listed for informational purposes only.
The Settlement Agreement Trap: Don’t Sign Away Your Rights Without Evidence
Your employer offers a settlement agreement in exchange for waiving all claims. Before you sign, understand what you’re giving up — and what evidence you need to negotiate a better deal.
What they want you to sign:
- Waiver of all employment claims (unfair dismissal, discrimination)
- Non-disparagement clause (you can’t talk about what happened)
- Confidentiality (you can’t share the settlement terms)
- Agreed reference (often bland, limits future complaints)
Your legal protections:
- Independent legal advice required — agreement is void without it
- Employer typically pays £250–750 towards your legal fees
- First £30,000 of settlement is tax-free
- Evidence of wrongdoing = leverage for a higher settlement
Capture the settlement agreement with ProofSnap before you sign. This creates a timestamped record of exactly what terms were offered, when, and by whom. If the terms change or your employer later disputes what was offered, you have proof.
What evidence is worth in settlement negotiations:
Vento bands (from April 2025) are added on top of compensatory awards for loss of earnings. With documented evidence of discrimination, you negotiate from a position of strength.
Evidence disappears. Deadlines don’t wait.
- System access revoked within minutes — emails, Teams, reviews all gone
- Tribunal: 3 months minus 1 day. Acas first. Strictly enforced.
Start capturing evidence now
7-day free trial included with all plans. Cancel anytime.
7-day free trial — cancel anytime, full refund guaranteed
Essential
100 captures/month
- 13-file evidence package
- Video of capture process
- Provenance Certificate
- File Certification — 5/mo
- Blockchain timestamp
- eIDAS qualified timestamp
Regular use, archiving
Professional
200 captures/month
- Everything in Essential
- Blockchain (OpenTimestamps)
- File Certification — 15/mo
- eIDAS qualified timestamp
Blockchain timestamping, audit-grade
Enterprise
Unlimited captures
- Everything in Professional
- EU Court-Ready (eIDAS) timestamp
- File Certification — 50/mo
- Priority support
Litigation, compliance teams
Just been made redundant? Start here.
SnapPack: £3.99
10 captures. One-time. No subscription. Credits never expire.
10 captures covers: appraisals, contract, HR emails, Teams DMs, payslips, dismissal letter, settlement agreement, LinkedIn job posting — your full evidence checklist.
Get SnapPack — £3.99Annual plans save 20%. See all pricing options
Not sure yet? Download a sample evidence package
Unfair dismissal evidence FAQ: what every UK employee needs to know
Still have questions? Start with the free trial.
7 days. Full access. Cancel anytime. See the evidence package for yourself.
Employment rights resources — UK
Acas resolved 9 out of 10 disputes in 2024/25. The system works — but it requires documented evidence.
Acas
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. Free advice, mandatory early conciliation before tribunal claims.
Citizens Advice
Free employment law guidance. Covers unfair dismissal, redundancy, discrimination, and tribunal claims.
GOV.UK — Employment Tribunals
Official guide to making a claim. Free to file. ET1 form and process explained.
ICO — Your Data Rights
Information Commissioner’s Office. Submit Subject Access Requests, report GDPR breaches.
EHRC
Equality and Human Rights Commission. Enforces Equality Act 2010, intervenes in discrimination cases.
GOV.UK — Redundancy Rights
Statutory redundancy pay calculator, notice periods, consultation requirements.